The Davis Enterprise and Home Seller January 13, 2023

Did all that rain, snow help?

What’s next for state water system

By Alastair Bland CalMatters

The year 2023 began with a historic bang — record precipitation and disastrous flooding throughout much of California. Parched watersheds soaked up the first rains, but soon became waterlogged. Runoff accelerated. Sodden hillsides collapsed. Rural levees burst and

rivers spilled their banks. Towns went underwater. People died.

Meanwhile, the Pacific Ocean continued to whip up more atmospheric rivers and “bomb cyclones,” and one after another, these intense storms pummeled California. Abruptly, a state emerging from the dust of three painfully dry years was inundated with more water than it knew what to do with.

But the wet and wild weather over the past dozen days won’t end the drought, at least not yet, and it won’t undo the driest

period in the West in the past 1,200 years.

About 71% of California was experiencing “severe” drought on Wednesday, dropping to 46% today, according to the National Integrated Drought Information System. That designation is based on a long list of complex metrics, including soil moisture, water shortages, levels of streams and lakes, snow cover and runoff. The storms also come at a time when scientists are predicting a long-term shift toward a

warmer, drier climate. With at least two more storms approaching California over the next week, we look at what all this means for drought conditions and water supply.

Sorry, it isn’t over

In some places, it might feel like the drought is history. Take San Francisco. Its water supply Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, in the Sierra Nevada — is 80%

See WATER, Page A3

City, county assess storm cleanup

By Anne Ternus-Bellamy Enterprise staff writer

City and county officials continue to assess damage and clean up following a series of atmospheric rivers, even as more storms are on the way.

The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday ratified a state of emergency for Yolo County and the county has been submitting damage assessments to the federal government.

County Administrator Gerardo Pinedo said the president’s recent federal emergency declaration includes Yolo County “so we should see some benefit there financially, and other resources for the county.”

The extent of the

financial damages is still being assessed, according to Kristin Weivoda, Yolo County’s chief of emergency services.

Governor sets plan for budget deficit

By Alexei Koseff CalMatters

California will delay some spending commitments, reverse recent steps to shore up its fiscal health and shift funding sources to limit the cuts it must make to close a projected $22.5 billion budget deficit, Gov. Gavin Newsom said today.

The shortfall, slightly less than the $24 billion that financial analysts for the Legislature estimated in November, will not prevent the state from fulfilling its ambitions of transforming education, homelessness, housing affordability and health care, the Democratic governor insisted.

“We’re keeping our promises,” Newsom said during a press conference in Sacramento, where he unveiled his proposed $297 billion spending plan, about 3.6% smaller than last year’s record budget. “Regardless of this modest shortfall, we’re continuing to make unprecedented investments.”

It’s a swift reversal of fortune.

Six months ago, Newsom and legislative leaders were crowing about a surplus of nearly $100 billion —

Planning commission backs CommuniCare expansion

By Anne Ternus-Bellamy Enterprise staff writer

The Davis Planning Commission on Wednesday unanimously recommended that the City Council approve an expansion plan for CommuniCare Health Centers.

That plan involves construction of a new 17,663foot, one-story administrative and medicalservices building on about three acres of undeveloped land directly north of the existing Davis CommuniCare Clinic.

The clinic is adjacent to Sutter Davis Hospital, west of Highway 113 and

north of Covell Boulevard in West Davis. Like the existing clinic, the new building would be on land leased from Sutter Davis.

The expansion recommended by planning commissioners on Wednesday actually represents the second phase of CommuniCare’s recent efforts to meet patient demand in Davis.

First established 50 years ago as the Davis Free Clinic downtown, CommuniCare has, over the ensuing decades, expanded to provide more services to more people

“At the moment, we’re sitting at around $7 million in damages that have

GreGory UrqUiaGa/UC Davis photo

UC Davis workers cut up a tree that, on its way down New Year’s Eve, punched a hole in the side of Kemper Hall.

Sean de Guzman, chief of the California Department of Water Resources Snow Surveys and Water Supply Forecasting Section, works the measurement phase of the first media snow survey of the 2023 season at Phillips Station in the Sierra Nevada Mountains on Jan. 3.

Kenneth James/ California DWr photo

Cops get a pair of assault calls

A disturbance between family members escalated Monday into a knife assault, according to a Davis Police Department report. On Jan. 9 at approximately 7:32 a.m., police received a report of an assault with a deadly weapon taking place at Colgate Drive.

Davis PD arrested 37-year-old, Peter Zuniga — a Davis resident — for assault with a deadly weapon.

Later Monday, police got a battery report from an incident at 9:47 p.m. at Da Vinci Court. The victim confronted a juvenile subject regarding trespassing, who brandished a knife before leaving the scene.

Upon being located, the juvenile will be cited for brandishing a weapon — a misdemeanor.

Sheriff warns of phone scam

According to a socialmedia post by the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office on Monday, there have been multiple phone calls from citizens regarding a “Captain Hallenbeck” calling to inform them that they have warrants and a patrol car is on its way to arrest them.

They’re also told that they need to pay money to clear the warrants.

Law enforcement urges the public to disregard any calls or messages related to the topic.

UC looks to expand access to digitized books

Mellon Foundation providing $1.1M in support

By Rice Majors and Julia Ann Easley Special to The Enterprise

The University of California libraries — which comprise the largest university research library in the world — are launching a landmark research project to investigate the potential for expanded lawful use of digitized books held by academic and research libraries.

The Mellon Foundation is providing $1.1 million support for Project LEND (Library Expansion of Networked Delivery), a two-year project that the UC Davis Library will lead on behalf of the 10-campus UC system.

Learning from pandemic

When college campuses and libraries across the country closed during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, many began offering greater access to digital books as an emergency measure. These programs met an immediate need — and raised a host of questions about copyright law, the role of libraries and the potential for technology-enabled research that were unforeseen even a few decades ago.

“One of the key lessons we learned during the pandemic is that increasing researchers’ access to digital books enables innovation,” said Rice Majors, the associate university librarian for scholarly resources at UC Davis and the project’s principal investigator.

“That’s why, as we explore what future services might look like, we

want to leave the door open to future uses of digital books that may be enabled by artificial intelligence or other research methodologies that have yet to be invented.”

The project’s broad investigation aims to extend and strengthen the historical role of academic libraries in making information as broadly accessible as possible for use in research and education. Project teams will: n use focus groups and other methods to understand the needs of UC faculty and students for a range of research, education and clinical care scenarios n evaluate the legal frameworks under which libraries could provide expanded access to digitized books, including those still in copyright n review and analyze existing technology platforms and systems for sharing and interacting with digital books, and explore the possibilities for creating new systems

and services n determine the optimal composition of a digital book collection to meet user needs; what digitized collections are currently available or where more digitization efforts may be required; and how best to manage both print and digitized collections

During a 2022 planning phase, also supported by the Mellon Foundation, the UC libraries laid the foundation for this large-scale research and service design work.

The research will be informed by existing models including controlled digital lending, a set of practices and technologies by which some libraries lend digital surrogates of their print materials. It will also draw on UC’s experience with pandemic-era programs such as HathiTrust’s Emergency Temporary Access Service, or ETAS, which offered temporary access to digitized versions of in-copyright print books held by the user’s library. Because of HathiTrust’s

work and understanding of the current digital library experience, the team will coordinate closely with HathiTrust to lay the groundwork for a potential role in implementation.

Augmenting print

“Ultimately, we envision a service that leverages large collections of digitized books to better support scholarship and offer transformative advantages to scholars by augmenting print access with digital access to our collections,” said Erik Mitchell, the Audrey Geisel University Librarian at UC San Diego. He and Günter Waibel, associate vice provost and executive director of the California Digital Library, are co-principal investigators for the project.

Project LEND will be managed by Majors of UC Davis with a leadership team that includes UC faculty, postdoctoral fellows and librarians; senior personnel from HathiTrust; and an expert in e-book user experience from the Digital Public Library of America. To ensure service models are broadly applicable, the project team will also consult periodically with an advisory group of representatives from academic libraries outside UC.

The project’s funding counts toward UC Davis’ $2 billion fundraising campaign, Expect Greater: From UC Davis, For the World, the largest philanthropic endeavor in UC Davis history.

To learn more about Project LEND, the organizations involved and the team leaders, visit the Project LEND website or contact projectlend@ucdavis.edu.

— UC Davis News

Food Bank to distribute additional grocery gift cards

By Anne Ternus-Bellamy Enterprise staff writer

The Yolo Food Bank will coordinate distribution of 1,700 additional disasterrelief grocery cards in the coming days.

The food bank had previously distributed grocery gift cards purchased by PG&E in numerous locations throughout the county and will be distributing a second round to residents who lost power following the Jan. 8 storm. The gift cards are available while supplies last.

“We are grateful to our partner agencies who are working tirelessly to

distribute the disaster relief grocery cards to the most vulnerable residents they serve, and to PG&E for generously providing a total of 2,625 grocery cards to date valued at $40 each,” said Yolo Food Bank Executive Director Karen Baker.

“This effort is critical to individuals who face everyday food security concerns. The grocery cards give community members the ability to purchase replacement food or emergency food that meets their dietary needs and cultural preferences.”

Gift cards are available to residents of Davis, Clarksburg, Knights Landing,

West Sacramento and Woodland who have been affected by power outages.

For Davis residents, the Nugget Markets gift cards are being distributed in two locations:

n Aggie Compass | Memorial Union, 1 Shields Ave., Room 165 (530-7529254); and

n Empower Yolo, 441 D St. (530-757-1261

To be eligible, individuals must be a resident of the city affected by power outages.

Former Davis mayor and now Yolo County supervisor, Lucas Frerichs, said, “this continued series of

Merit Scholar semifinalists announced

By Aaron Geerts Enterprise staff writer

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation is on a mission to recognize and honor the academically talented students of the United States. On that mission, the NMSC has announced 17 Davis High School students as the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program semifinalists as well as an additional 34 DHS and 1 Da Vinci Charter Academy students as commended students.

To even enter the scholarship program, high school juniors had to take the 2021

Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test which serves as an initial screening process. The pool of nationwide semifinalists represents less than 1 percent of the U.S. high school seniors.

This is why it’s so significant that out of the 16,000 semifinalists nationwide, 17 are coming from DHS. They are: Edward Beckon, Asise Bhinder, Ian Bourne, Lucca Braudagan, Ellen Ferguson, Sean Gao, Emily Haws, Joanne Kim, Isabelle Lee, Kathy Li, Aniruddh Mahajan, Ahma Masselink, Joseph Mellema, Marley Michel, Kyle Watkins, Adam Wu and Hanni Yu.

powerful storms has caused numerous challenges due to downed trees, localized flooding, and repeated extended power outages.

“I’m grateful for the work of the Yolo Food Bank helping to provide emergency

resources in this time of need for our residents and our communities.”

— Reach Anne TernusBellamy at aternus@ davisenterprise.net. Follow her on Twitter at @ATernusBellamy.

Bob Dunning is on vacation. The Wary I will return Wednesday.

Julia ann EaslE y/uC Davis photo

When college campuses and libraries across the country closed during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, many began offering greater access to digital books as an emergency measure. These programs met an immediate need — and raised a host of questions about copyright law, the role of libraries and the potential for technology-enabled research.

WATER: Regional supply system still years behind normal levels

full, the ground is saturated and near-record rainfall has occurred in recent days.

“Drought is in the eye of the beholder,” said Jeffrey Mount, senior fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California. “If you’re in San Francisco, and you rely on surface storage from Hetch Hetchy, this is great … But if you’re in a small town in the San Joaquin Valley, where massive pumping of groundwater has dried out your well, it will take successive years of rain like this to make a difference.”

The San Joaquin Valley’s groundwater basins, where thousands of wells have run dry, are just one example of drought impacts that can take years to reverse. California’s aquatic ecosystems are another. Drought has harmed a variety of fish

Obituaries

species, and it will take years for them to rebound. Some, like Delta smelt and winter-run Chinook salmon, are endangered and, faced with an array of human-induced stressors, probably never will recover.

Determining when a drought begins and ends is tricky. While many experts refer to California’s 20132016 drought, as though it had a clear beginning and an end, others, like Mount, feel that particular drought hasn’t yet ended — the current drought is just an extension of it.

After all, most years in the past 15 have produced an underwhelming amount of rainfall. Since the big water year of 2006, only three — 2011, 2017 and 2019 — have been notably wet. Many climate experts believe California’s predominant weather pattern

in the future will be one of steady drought conditions broken periodically by very wet interludes.

“This might well be just another case of a wet year followed by a string of dry ones,” Mount said.

Reservoirs rising

Water is rapidly flowing into the state’s reservoirs.

Lake Oroville — the largest reservoir of the State Water Project, with a capacity of 3.5 million acre feet — was 28% full in early December and now is just shy of 50%. That’s an increase of 700,000 acrefeet, and experts predict it could rise by almost 500,000 more before February. (Each acre-foot is enough to support two or three families for a year.) Still, Oroville and most of the state’s other major

reservoirs remain mostly empty.

While a single very rainy season could refill even the largest of California’s reservoirs, the same cannot be said of the Colorado River’s huge reservoirs. Lake Mead and Lake Powell, which hold 50 million acre-feet combined, have been declining for decades. Seven states and 40 million people almost half of them in California — draw from these reservoirs, and even several wet winters will not come close to refilling them.

Among the many problems with this onslaught is that so much rain has fallen in such a short time. This doesn’t just damage structures and harm people; it also makes it challenging to store the water. In any rain event, much of the water will fall downstream of any dam, making it difficult or

impossible to capture.

But even the torrents of water entering the reservoir system cannot necessarily all be retained in storage. That’s because allowing reservoirs to fill so early in the year would create flood risks later in the winter.

To avoid this, the outflow gates in some dams are being opened wider to prevent overflow.

This strategy is especially necessary at smaller reservoirs, like Folsom Lake.

Outflow through the dam was running somewhere in the ballpark of 1,000 cubic feet per second in early December, said Michael Anderson, a climatologist with the Department of Water Resources.

Recently, he said, state reservoir operators were releasing roughly 30,000 cubic feet per second from the dam. Most of this water

eventually flows to the ocean. It may seem like water wasted, but it also could mean a city saved.

Not quite a record

By the numbers, this blast of wet weather has been stunning, if not necessarily record-breaking. The San Francisco Bay Area has taken a heavy pounding.

About the day this wet spell started, on Dec. 31, a nearrecord 5.46 inches of rain fell in downtown San Francisco, missing the 1994 one-day record by a tenth of an inch.

Between Dec. 26 and Jan. 9, more than a foot of rain fell in San Francisco. That’s more than half of the city’s long-term water year average of 22 inches. In the East Bay’s Tilden Regional Park, 17 inches of rain fell in about the same span.

March 9, 1942 — Jan. 3, 2023

Patricia Colenzo passed away peacefully on Jan. 3, 2023 at the age of 80, in Vacaville.

She is survived by her husband of 52 years, Salvatore (Sam) Colenzo; children Karin Seis (Richard), Kenneth Colenzo (Elizabeth) and Kristi Colenzo; grandchildren Jonathan and Samantha Seis, Madeline Shull, and Liliana Colenzo; and sister

Kathy (Terry) Pituch.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Genevive Posney, and sister Barbara Cusick.

Patricia was born in New Kensington, Pa., the oldest of three girls to Charles and Genevive

Giovanna Oettinger

June 29, 1933 — Jan. 9, 2023

Giovanna Piera Maria Francesca Cernitori di Montefiascone Oettinger died peacefully on Jan. 9, 2023, after a brief illness.

Giovanna was born on June 29, 1933, in Florence, Italy, where she grew up in a family of artists and doctors. Some of her earliest memories were of the dangers and deprivations that accompanied life during the second World War.

In 1954, Giovanna met William Bowsky, a Princeton doctoral student in history, who was doing research in Florence. They married in 1956, and Giovanna immigrated to the U.S. with Bill, traveling across the Atlantic on the Andrea Doria. Giovanna moved with Bill to Lincoln, Neb., after Bill completed his Ph.D. and joined the history department at the University of Nebraska.

Giovanna’s beloved daughters — Jana, Monica and Sara — were born in Lincoln before the family moved to Davis in 1967, when Bill became a professor of history at UC Davis.

After her first marriage ended, Giovanna subsequently married Martin Oettinger, a widowed professor in the economics department at UC Davis. In the process, she became the mother of her beloved sons, Neil and Gerald. Shortly after she married Martin, she embarked on what would become a decadeslong, and highly successful, career as a real estate broker in Davis. Sadly, Giovanna was widowed in 1986, when Martin died of cancer.

In 1988, Giovanna married Mortimer Schwartz, a UC Davis law professor, to whom she was married

Posney. She moved to Davis after marriage to husband Sam in 1970. She was a registered nurse, graduated with a BSED from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, in 1964. She worked as a child birth educator, was a Lamaze instructor, worked as a playground supervisor for the Davis Unified School District, was active in various ministries at St. James Parish, where she served for many years as a marriage and baptism coordinator.

until Mort’s death in 2016.

Giovanna had a spirit and spark that charmed all those who were fortunate enough to know her. She had a strong sense of justice, a generous heart, and an abiding concern for the underdog. She loved many things, among them: art, music, food and cooking, gardening, Italy, and walks in the woods (and hunting for wild mushrooms). She especially loved her family, who will miss her deeply but will treasure her memory. She also will be profoundly missed by many friends, especially her dear friend Louis Makowski.

Giovanna was preceded in death by her parents, Quintilia Mancini and Giulio Cernitori; daughter Jana; her three former

She was a Girl Scout leader, had many years of community outreach as a volunteer, and above all, was a loving wife, mother and grandmother and a friend to everyone she met. She enjoyed traveling, attending stage plays, cooking and spending time with her grandchildren.

There will be a viewing at St. James Church, 1275 B St. in Davis, from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 13, followed by a vigil service from 7 to 7:30 p.m. (4:30 to 5

husbands; and daughterin-law Beth Oettinger.

Giovanna is survived by her daughters Monica Dwyer and Sara Bowsky; sons Neil Oettinger and Gerald Oettinger; son-inlaw Mike Dwyer; daughterin-law Tasha Beretvas; grandchildren Siena Dwyer, Nico Dwyer, Karabelo Bowsky, Marcus Oettinger and Gabriella Oettinger; Mort’s son Hank Schwartz; and her brothers, Consalvo Cernitori and Igor Cernitori.

A private burial will take place on Sunday, Jan. 15. An open-house celebration of Giovanna’s life will be from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 15, at the Stonegate Country Club, 919 Lake Blvd. in Davis.

p.m. for family only please).

The funeral service will take place at St. James Church at noon Saturday, Jan. 14, followed by a Celebration of Life reception. The Catholic Rite of Committal will begin at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 16, at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery, 5810 Midway Road in Dixon.

Donations can be made to St. James Church, American Cancer Society or American Diabetes Association.

City of Davis Notice of Public Hearing

The City of Davis Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing on the project, as described below, at a meeting beginning at 7:00 p m on Wednesday January 25 2023 in the Community Chambers City Offices 23 Russell Boulevard Davis, California Participants, staff and the public will participate in this meeting via teleconference or otherwise electronica l l y T h e s e m e e t i n g s a r e c o m p l i a n t w i t h t h e p r o v i s i o n s o f AB361 which allows for a deviation of teleconference rules required by the Brown Act during a proclaimed state of emerg e n c y I n fo r m a t i o n o n h o w t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n m e e ti n g s i s i ncluded in the meeting agenda In person attendance will not be permitted

Project Name: 3808 Faraday Avenue Advanced Manufacturing Building Project Location: 3808 Faraday Avenue Davis CA P r o j e c t A p p l i c a n t : B u z z O a t e s C o n s t r u c t i o n 5 5 5 C a p i t o l M a l l S t e 9 0 0 S a c r a m e n t o C A 9 5 8 1 4

Property Owner: PacWest Diversified LP 555 Capitol Mall Ste 900 Sacramento CA 95814

Project File: Planning Application #22-48: Final Planned Development #06-22 Design Review #17-22 Mitigated Negative Declaration #02-22, Right-of-Way Vacation #01-22

Project Description: The applica nt is requesting approval of planning applications to allow construction of a new 107 612 square-foot one-story building for biotech and advanced manufacturing and related site improvements on approximately 7 81 acres Site improvements include driveways delivery and yard areas parking l a n d s c a p i n g a n d d r a i n a g e , l i g h t i n g , o u t d o o r a m e n i t i e s a n d gathering areas frontage improvements a future outdo or water testing tank and other related improvements

A d d i t i o n a l l y t h e p r o p o s e d p r o j e c t i n c l u d e s a r e q u e s t f o r a R i g h t - o f - W a y ( R O W ) V a c a t i o n t o a b a n d o n a p o r t i o n o f Faraday Avenue to be incorporated in the development site and would increase the size of the parcel to be developed to approximately 8 33 acres The proposed project is contingent upon approval of the ROW Vacation which is separate from t he site design Abandonment of the right-of-way requires a determination of General Plan consistency by the Planning Commission The ROW Vacation also requires approval by the City Council following the Planning Commission’s consistency determination, in accordance with the California Streets and Highway Code

In addition the City of Davis has prepared an Initial Study for the project and intends to adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration as part of the Planning Commission hearing

LEGAL NOTICE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Yolo County Board of Supervisors will be conducting a public hearing on Tuesday, January 24 2023 beginning at 9:00 a m or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard in the Board of Supervisors’ Chambers in the Erwin W Meier Administration Building at 625 Court Street Room 206 Woodland California to act upon a recommendation from the Planning Commission to adopt a resolution to amend the 2030 Countywide General Plan to address Environmental Justice and Climate Action policies as mandated by the State and find that the project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) The amendments would update the Land Use and Community Character Element; Conservation and Open Space Element; and Health and Safety Element

Persons interested in this matter are encouraged to appear at the public hearing on Tuesday January 24 2023 and to offer comments during the course of the hearing Alternatively, written comments may also be directed to the Yolo County Board of Supervisors 625 Court Street Room 204 Woodland CA 95695 or by emailing clerkoftheboard@yolocounty org Copies of the full text of the proposed amendment is available at the Office of the Clerk of the Board 625 Court Street Room 204, Woodland, CA 95695, by telephone (530) 666-8195, or at the Yolo County Website (www yolocounty org)

Pursuant to California Government Code Section 65009(b)(2) and other provisions of law any lawsuit challenging the approval of a project described in this notice shall be limited to only those issues raised at the public hearing or described in written correspondence delivered for consideration before the hearing is closed Date: January 13 2023

Julie Dachtler

Senior Deputy Clerk of the Board of Supervisors #2130

FILED IN YOLO COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE

Jesse Salinas Yolo County Clerk/Recorder F20220949 12/19/2022

Business is

Public Comments:

Eric Lee Project Planner City of Davis, Department of Community Development and Sustainability 23 Russell Boulevard Suite 2 Davis California 95616; or via email at: elee@cityofdavis org no later than noon the date of the meeting For questions, please call the project planner at (530) 757-5610 extension 7237

The City does not transcribe its proceedings Persons who wish to obtain a verbatim record should arrange for attendance by a court reporter or for some other acceptable means o f r e c o r d a t i o n S u c h a r r a n g e m e n t s w i l l b e a t t h e s o l e e x -

COLENZO

Patricia Jean Colenzo

CLEANUP: More heavy rain on its way this weekend

From Page A1

happened throughout cities and the county,” she told a joint meeting of city and county leaders on Wednesday.

Weivoda added that “we see another atmospheric river coming into our area on Saturday, followed by another on Monday, and they’re forecasting that we should probably be see additional storms all the way through Jan. 21 … So it’s a very big winter storm event that we continue to have and continue to monitor.”

Clean up efforts continue in the city of Davis, many areas of which endured power outages and downed trees and limbs.

“The team’s been very

active over this series of storms that started back before the end of the year,” said Stan Gryczko, the city’s director of public works utilities and operations. “We’ve had a lot of localized flooding … we’ve basically got water everywhere, but from a stormwater perspective, we’re doing pretty good right now.

“We have a lot of trees down in the community … so in these little breaks that we get,” he said, “the teams are out actively trying to clear that debris as we can.”

As of Wednesday morning, city parks and fields were still closed due to downed trees and branches and the city requested that residents “not visit them as additional trees or branches

The Belfry campus ministry hosts beer-themed fundraiser

Special to The Enterprise

The Belfry, a Lutheran Episcopal Campus Ministry at UC Davis will host a fundraiser to fund replacement of the roof.

The event will feature guided beer tasting by UCD professor emeritus of brewing science Charlie Bamforth and AnaheuserBusch Endowed Professor of Malting and Brewing Science Glen Fox

“Cheers to the Belfry” will begin at 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, at The Episcopal Church of St. Martin, 640 Hawthorn Road in Davis.

The cost $50 per person and the event is limited to those 21 and older.

It is listed on Eventbrite as “Cheers to the Belfry.” For information, call Portia at 530-756-1550.

may fall from upcoming storms.”

Also on Wednesday, work was continuing to install new power poles on Second Street between L Street and Cantrill Drive, a stretch of road that had been closed since the Jan. 8 storm. That work was completed and the city announced Thursday morning the street was open.

Other roadways that had been closed earlier in the week, including the Pole Line Road overcrossing and the intersection of Lake and Covell boulevards have also since reopened.

— Reach Anne TernusBellamy at aternus@ davisenterprise.net. Follow her on Twitter at @ATernusBellamy.

PUBLIC NOTICE 00 11 16 – NOTICE INVITING BIDS 2022/23 PAVEMENT REHABILITATION PROJECT CIP No.

8250

1. Notice NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City Council of the City of Davis (“City”) invites and will receive sealed Bids up to but not later than February 2, 2023, 2:00 pm, at the City Clerk’s office of the City Manager, located at 23 Russell Boulevard, Davis, CA 95616, for the furnishing to the City of all labor, equipment, materials, tools, services, transportation, permits, utilities, and all other items necessary for the 2022/23 PAVEMENT REHABILITATION PROJECT, CIP NO. 8250. The main doors to City Hall will remain locked, so please call (530) 7575648 when you arrive and someone will meet you and provide a receipt for you. At said time, Bids will be publicly opened and read aloud at the City Office. Bids received after said time shall be returned unopened. Bids shall be valid for a period of 90 calendar days after the Bid opening date.

BID OPENING PROCEDURE

The bids shall be opened in Council Chambers at 23 Russell Boulevard, Davis, CA 95616. Bidders will comply with the currently active Yolo County Order on COVID-19. These can be found at https://www. yolocounty.org/government/general-governmentdepartments/health-human-services/adults/ communicable-disease-investigation-and-control/ covid-19

You are hereby directed to cause all workers and subcontractors on the Project to comply with all aspects of the current order.

2. Requesting Plans And Specifications

Plans and specifications (not including standard specifications and other documents included by reference), and proposal forms, may be obtained by logging on to www.blueprintexpress.com/davis or by calling BPXpress Reprographics at (916) 760-7281

The cost is $250 per set (plus shipping and handling) and is non-refundable. Any bidder that fails to purchase a complete set of plans, specifications and proposal forms from BPXpress Reprographics prior to the bid opening date and time OR is not included on the BPXpress plan holder list shall have their bid deemed non-responsive. In other words, the bidder must purchase the plan set from BPXpress Reprographics AND be on the BPXpress plan holder list to be deemed responsive. The only exception shall be in the event a bidder’s name is not included on the plan holders list but the bidder can produce proof of purchase of the plans, specifications and proposal forms from BPXpress Reprographics with a purchase date that occurred prior to the close of bidding. Any bid produced from plans, specifications and proposal forms obtained from sources other than those purchased from BPXpress by bidder shall be deemed non-responsive. Only bidders on the plan holders list shall receive addenda notifications It is the responsibility of each prospective bidder to pay the fee and download and print all Bid Documents for review and to verify the completeness of Bid Documents before submitting a bid. Any Addenda will be posted on www. blueprintexpress.com/davis. It is the responsibility of each prospective bidder to check the BPXpress Reprographics website listed above on a daily basis through the close of bids for any applicable addenda or updates. The City does not assume any liability or responsibility based on any defective or incomplete copying, excerpting, scanning, faxing, downloading or printing of the Bid Documents. Information on BPXpress Reprographics may change without notice to prospective bidders. The Contract Documents shall supersede any information posted or transmitted by BPXpress Reprographics.

Bids must be submitted on the City’s Bid Forms. To the extent required by section 20103.7 of the Public Contract Code, upon request from a contractor plan room service, the City shall provide an electronic copy of the Contract Documents at no charge to the contractor plan room. Contract documents will not be available for inspection or purchase from the City by potential Bidders.

3. Description Of The Work 2022/23 PAVEMENT REHABILITATION PROJECT, CIP NO. 8250 : The work shall include the rehabilitation and reconstruction package including mobilization, public notification, traffic control; hot-mix asphalt (HMA) patches and base repairs; concrete improvements, including curb ramp replacements for ADA compliance, sidewalk and curb and gutter repairs; bike and pedestrian path reconstruction requiring removal of asphalt concrete pavement and underlying subgrade materials; cold-milling asphalt concrete pavement, regrading of intersections to adjust cross slopes at crosswalks for ADA compliance; cold in-place recycling of asphalt pavement (CIR); reconstruction of bike paths with aggregate base (AB) and HMA; HMA and RHMA paving and overlay; slurry seals; adjusting utility covers to grade, installing traffic striping, marking and markers, and replacing traffic loops. Work shall be completed in accordance with the intent of the Project Plans and Specifications. All work shall be performed in accordance with the City of Davis Standard Specifications January 1996 Edition, Addenda through July 2017, General Prevailing Wage Rate, Labor Surcharge and Equipment Rental Rates, and the Contact Documents.

All work shall be performed in accordance with the Contract Documents and all applicable local and state laws and regulations.

4. Engineer Engineer's Estimate: __$10,172,000 Project Engineer: Melissa Marshall, Principal Civil Engineer, PE

5.

Unless otherwise provided in the Instructions for Bidders, each Bidder shall be a licensed contractor pursuant to sections 7000 et seq. of the Business and Professions Code in the following classification(s) throughout the time it submits its Bid and for the duration of the contract: Class A, or a combination of C12 and C8.

Subcontractor Substitution requests shall be made within 35 calendar days after the award of the contract. Pursuant to Public Contract Code Section 3400(b), the City may make findings designating that certain additional materials, methods or services by specific brand or trade name other than those listed in the Standard Specifications be used for the Project. Such findings, if any, as well as the materials, methods or services and their specific brand or trade names that must be used for the Project may be found in the Special Conditions.

6. Trenches and Open Excavations

Pursuant to Labor Code Section 6707, if this Project involves construction of a pipeline, sewer, sewage disposal system, boring and jacking pits, or similar trenches or open excavations, which are five feet or deeper, each bid submitted in response hereto shall contain, as a bid item, adequate sheeting, shoring, and bracing, or equivalent method, for the protection of life or limb, which shall conform to applicable safety orders.

7. Bid Security

Each Bid shall be accompanied by cash, a certified or cashier’s check, or Bid Bond secured from a surety company satisfactory to the City Council, the amount of which shall not be less than ten percent (10%) of the submitted Total Bid Price, made payable to City of Davis as bid security. The bid security shall be provided as a guarantee that within five (5) working days after the City provides the successful bidder the Notice of Award, the successful Bidder will enter into a contract and provide the necessary bonds and certificates of insurance. The bid security will be declared forfeited if the successful Bidder fails to comply within said time. No interest will be paid on funds deposited with the City. The Bid Bond submitted shall be provided by a surety duly authorized by the Insurance Commissioner to transact surety business in the State of California.

8. Performance Bond and Labor and Material Bond

The successful Bidder will be required to furnish a Faithful Performance Bond and a Labor and Material Payment Bond each in an amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the Contract Price. Each bond shall be in the forms set forth herein, shall be secured from a surety company that meets all State of California bonding requirements, as defined in California Code of Civil Procedure Section 995.120, and that is a California admitted surety insurer.

Pursuant to Section 22300 of the Public Contract Code of the State of California, the successful Bidder may substitute certain securities for funds withheld by the City to ensure its performance under the contract.

9. Labor Code Requirements

Pursuant to Labor Code Section 1773, the City has obtained the prevailing rate of per diem wages and the prevailing wage rate for holiday and overtime work applicable in Yolo County from the Director of the Department of Industrial Relations for each craft, classification, or type of worker needed to execute this contract. A copy of these prevailing wage rates may be obtained via the internet at: www.dir. ca.gov/dlsr/

In addition, a copy of the prevailing rate of per diem wages is available at the City’s Public Works Department and shall be made available to interested parties upon request. The successful bidder shall post a copy of the prevailing wage rates at each job site. It shall be mandatory upon the Bidder to whom the Contract is awarded, and upon any subcontractors, to comply with all Labor Code provisions, which include but are not limited to the payment of not less than the said specified prevailing wage rates to all workers employed by them in the execution of the Contract, employment of apprentices, hours of labor and debarment of contractors and subcontractors.

Pursuant to Labor Code Sections 1725.5 and 1771.1, all contractors and subcontractors that wish to bid on, be listed in a bid proposal, or enter into a contract to perform public work must be registered with the Department of Industrial Relations. No Bid will be accepted nor any contract entered into without proof of the contractor’s and subcontractors’ current registration with the Department of Industrial Relations to perform public work. If awarded a contract, the Bidder and its subcontractors, of any tier, shall maintain active registration with the Department of Industrial Relations for the duration of the Project. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the contractor registration requirements mandated by Labor Code Sections 1725.5 and 1771.1 shall not apply to work performed on a public works project that is exempt pursuant to the small project exemption specified in Labor Code Sections 1725.5 and 1771.1.

This Project is subject to compliance monitoring and enforcement by the Department of Industrial Relations. In bidding on this Project, it shall be the Bidder’s sole responsibility to evaluate and include the cost of complying with all labor compliance requirements under this contract and applicable law in its Bid.

10. Retention Pursuant to Public Contract Code Section 7201, the City has made a determination that the project described herein is substantially complex, and therefore a retention of 5 % will be withheld from payment until after the work is complete.

Requests

11. Substitution

Substitution requests shall be made within 35 calendar days after the award of the Contract. Pursuant to Public Contract Code Section 3400(b), the City may make findings designating that certain additional materials, methods or services by specific brand or trade name other than those listed in the Standard Specifications be used for the Project. Such findings, if any, as well as the materials, methods or services and their specific brand or trade names that must be used for the Project may be found in the Special Conditions.

12. Not Applicable

13. Award City shall award the contract for the Project to the lowest responsive, responsible Bidder as determined by the City from the TOTAL BID PRICE (SUM OF BASE BID AND ALL ADD ALTERNATIVES). City reserves the right to reject any or all bids or to waive any irregularities or informalities in any bids or in the bidding process.

14. Notice to Proceed This Project, if awarded, will be awarded for a March, 2023 start date. The Notice to Proceed shall be issued no later than March 20, 2023.

15. Further Information/Questions

For further information, contact Melissa Marshall, PE, Principal Civil Engineer, MMarshall@cityofdavis.org. Questions will only be considered and answered via email. Questions will not be considered or answered 48 working hours prior to the bid opening.

16. Pre-Bid Conference There will be no Pre-Bid Conference for this project.

17. Time for Completion As defined in the Contract, section 00 52 13 CONTRACT b., the time for completion for this project is 180 working days.

Deliver Bids To: CITY OFFICES - CITY CLERK'S OFFICE 23 Russell Boulevard, Davis, CA 95616-3896 (Building is located on the corner of Russell Boulevard & B Street)

*Note* If you choose to mail your Bid Proposal via any of the overnight/express services, the outside envelope MUST be clearly marked as follows:

“SEALED BID FOR: 2022/23 PAVEMENT REHABILITATION PROJECT, CIP No. 8250. DELIVER IMMEDIATELY TO CITY CLERK'S OFFICE” Bid Due Date And Time: [February 2, 2023, 2:00 pm] SEE NOTICE INVITING BIDS, PARAGRAPH 1, NOTICE, FOR DETAILS.

END OF NOTICE INVITING BIDS Published January 13, 2023 #2135

PG&E crews work Tuesday on power lines damaged by the weekend storm along Second Street. The city announced Thursday afternoon that the roadway was open again.

Courtesy photo

EXPANSION: Proposal to council

throughout the county, including by opening the Davis clinic in West Davis in 1997. At that time, the clinic offered medical, prenatal and dental services and housed CommuniCare’s administrative offices.

In 2019, administrative offices were temporarily relocated to South Davis to renovate the 13,000-square foot clinic on John Jones Road.

That work has since been completed and the facility now houses clinical services with expanded behavioral healthcare, but there is still not enough space to house all the services needed, according to CommuniCare’s chief operating officer, Lynn Bramwell.

“So the current proposed project … represents phase two of our expansion in Davis,” he said. “The proposed building would allow our administrative offices to relocate back … with clinic services from South Davis, as well as add space for additional counseling rooms, health education

and group medical visits.”

Planning commissioners unanimously favored the plan on Wednesday, voting 7-0 to recommend City Council approval.

“I think it’s a great project,” said Commissioner Georgina Valencia. “I think it’s sorely needed.”

Commissioner Michelle Weiss called CommuniCare “a huge asset to this community.”

Since it was first established as the Davis Free Clinic by Dr. John H Jones, CommuniCare’s mission has been to provide free medical care to anyone who needs it, regardless of ability to pay.

With multiple facilities throughout the county, CommuniCare is a federally qualified health center serving primarily uninsured patients and those on Medical-Cal who live at or below the federal poverty line.

The expansion plan will head to the City Council next for final approval.

— Reach Anne Ternus-Bellamy at aternus@davisenterprise.net. Follow her on Twitter at @ATernusBellamy.

Pets of the week

Special to The Enterprise

Lots of animals are waiting for “forever homes” at the Yolo County Animal Shelter, 2640 E. Gibson Road in Woodland.

Among them is Sulley (A198309), a 1-year-old male mastiff mix with warm brown eyes who gives big wet kisses. Sulley is a big baby who loves belly rubs and playing with toys. Sulley is loyal with people he loves and ready to be part of a loving family.

Also hoping for a good home is Hazel (A198959), a 1-year-old female American bully mix who is a very sweet and social girl. Hazel is always ready to go on adventures and meet new friends. Hazel gets the wiggles when excited and will keep you entertained with her playful antics.

day, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. To meet any adoptable YCAS animals, visit friendsof ycas.org. To volunteer, sign up at tinyurl.com/yolo volunteerapp. Follow on at @ycas.shelter and Instagram at @yoloanimal shelter.

At Rotts of Friends Animal Rescue, you’ll find Glacier, a 12- to 13-weekold neutered male Anatolian or Caucasian shepherd cross. Both breeds are wonderful guardian pets. This pup was found in a field with his five brothers. Glacier is a super-friendly, bouncy totally adorable ball of fluff. He will be a very large dog when full grown so he needs a home with a yard to play in. Potential adopters need to be committed to training and socializing this cutie.

Call 530-681-1326 to meet Kobe. No small kids.

The next Rotts of Friends adoption event is from 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 14, at 34505 County Road 29 in Woodland. Come by 10 a.m., as it takes at least an hour to meet and adopt a dog; everyone who will be living with the dog should come out to meet it.

Bring proof of homeownership, such as a mortgage statement or property tax bill. If you rent, bring proof that you are allowed to have a dog in your home, such as a pet clause in your lease or a note from your landlord.

DEFICIT: ‘Volatile moment’

From Page A1

equivalent to the entire annual expenditures of the Czech Republic — half of it available for discretionary purposes.

Negotiations dragged on for weeks as they deliberated over how to spend the massive windfall, ultimately agreeing to expand the social safety net to more undocumented immigrants, create a new court system to compel some homeless and severely mentally ill people into treatment, and provide refunds to most taxpayers in the state.

But spiraling inflation and a weakening stock market, particularly in the California-based tech sector, has clouded the economic forecast for the state, which depends heavily on capital gains from its wealthiest residents. The Department of Finance expects tax revenues to total $29.5 billion, or 9.6%, less than assumed in last year’s budget.

Many of the appropriations were one-time

allotments or funding increases that would only take effect in future years if revenue estimates held up — commitments that are now at the greatest risk as the state puzzles over how to balance its books.

Newsom said that the state would not tap into its cash reserves to address the deficit, citing “the uncertainty of this next calendar year” and the need to maintain those funds in case of a greater downturn in the future, though his administration is not expecting a recession.

“We’re in a very volatile moment,” he said. “As a consequence of that, we’re not touching the reserves, because we have a waitand-see approach to this budget.”

That could create some conflict with the overwhelmingly Democratic Legislature as negotiations begin in the months ahead. Newsom will offer a revised spending plan in May, after income tax filings provide a clearer financial picture, and lawmakers must pass a

balanced budget by June 15 in order to get paid.

Noting that business trends could drive revenues even lower, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, a Lakewood Democrat, said in a statement that “the large reserves built over the last decade may be important for protecting California’s progressive investments.”

Instead, the governor has proposed to delay $7.4 billion in spending to future budget years and shift $4.3 billion in appropriations to other sources, such as construction projects on California State University campuses that would now be paid for with bonds.

His budget proposal would also eliminate $5.7 billion in previously funded expenditures, including $3 billion to address inflation and $750 million to pay down unemployment insurance debt, with another $3.9 billion in “trigger” cuts that could be reversed next year if the state has enough money.

For information on adopting, contact adopt ycas@gmail.com. All shelter animals are up-to-date on vaccinations, microchipped, and spayed or neutered.

Staff is available to assist via phone during business hours at 530-668-5287.

Shelter hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Fri-

Kobe is a young, neutered male Jack Russell mix and fun-loving ball of energy. Yolo Canine Academy is donating two weeks of boot camp training and lifetime free classes for any lucky person who adopts him. He knows how to pull a person on a skateboard, play Frisbee and is up for any strenuous exercise. Like hiking? Bike riding? Running?

All dogs adopted from Rotts of Friends are healthy, microchipped, upto-date on their vaccines and come with free lifetime obedience-training classes. For information, visit facebook.com/rotts offriends.

Glacier

Sulley

Hazel Kobe

Miguel gutierrez Jr./CalMatters photo

Gov. Gavin Newsom unveils his budget proposal for the 2023-24 fiscal year during a press briefing at the California Natural Resources Agency in Sacramento on Jan. 10.

Today

n Logos Books in downtown Davis will host a reception for watercolor artists Betty Berteaux and Dana Merry Richards for the 2nd Friday ArtAbout from 6 to 8 p.m. The exhibition “California Scenes” will run Jan. 7 to Feb. 3 at the bookstore, 513 Second St. Light refreshments will be available. Find more details and a map of venues at facebook.com/ davisartabout or https:// theartery.net/2nd-fridayartabout.

n Join the John Natsoulas Gallery in Davis to see selected sculptures and prints from the 50-year career of the legendary artist Mark Bulwinkle, the Oaklandbased innovator of graphically cut steel. The exhibition will be open from Jan. 11 to Feb. 26. A public reception with music and refreshments will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 13.

n The Artery will host a reception for the mother-and-daughter art exhibit: “Continuing on the Path,” featuring painter and sculptor Cathie James-Robinson and painter Amanda Cadelago from 7 to 9 p.m. at 207 G St. in downtown Davis.

Tuesday

n The Davis Genealogy Club invites the public to attend the free virtual presentation at the Davis Senior Center, “Two Steps Forward, One Step Back: Is this Genealogy or the Cha-Cha?” by professional genealogist Sara Cochran from 1 to 3 p.m at 646 A St. Find new clues by going back into records you already have and move forward in your research. To register to attend in person or via Zoom, email President@DavisGenealogy.org. Visit DavisGenealogy.org for more.

Wednesday

n The Genealogical Association of Sacramento will hold its regular meeting in the community room of the Belle Cooledge Library. The doors open at 11 a.m. and the meeting starts 11:30 a.m. All are invited. The speaker will be Laurie Markham and her topic will be “Finding Elusive Records on Family Search.Org.

n The Davis Progressive Business Exchange will meet noon to 1 p.m. at Lamppost Pizza, 1260 Lake Blvd. in West Davis. The primary speaker will be Frank Maurer from Quail Ridge Land Trust. He will be speaking about the land trust, which is a nature preserve. Maurer has been the caretaker and

custodian for many decades. The land trust is now under the care of UC Davis, which acts as caretaker and does natural research on the land, on the shores at Lake Berryessa. He will be soliciting donations for the purchase of land to add to the trust for future generations to visit and enjoy. Contact Bob Bockwinkel at 530-219-1896 or e-mail G. Richard Yamagata at yamagata@ dcn.org for information.

Thursday

n The Poetry Night Reading Series will feature Brad Buchanan with Frank Dixon Graham at 7 p.m. on the third floor (indoors) of the John Natsoulas Gallery, 521 First St. in Davis. There will be an open mic after the featured performers. Open mic performances will be limited to four minutes or two items, whichever is shorter. The open mic list typically fills by 7 p.m., so arrive early. Organizers recommend mask-wearing. Find out more about the Poetry Night Reading Series at http://www. poetryindavis.com.

Friday, Jan. 20

n The UC Davis Arboretum hosts a Folk Music Jam Session from noon to 1 p.m. Folk musicians can bring their acoustic instruments and play together informally during this jam session at Wyatt Deck (next to the redwood grove). Pull out your fiddles, guitars, mandolins, penny whistles, pipes, flutes, squeezeboxes (you name it) and join your fellow musicians for a little bluegrass, old-time, blues, Celtic, klezmer and world music over the lunch hour. All skill levels welcome and listeners are invited. Short-term parking is available in Visitor Lot 5 on Old Davis Road at Arboretum Drive. Hourly rates start at $1.75.

Saturday, Jan. 28

n The Belfry, a Lutheran Episcopal Campus Ministry at UC Davis will host a fundraiser to fund replacement of the roof. The event will feature guided beer tasting by UCD professor emeritus of brewing science Charlie Bamforth and Anaheuser-Busch Endowed Professor of Malting and Brewing Science Glen Fox. Cheers to the Belfry will begin at 4 p.m. at The Episcopal Church of St. Martin, 640 Hawthorn Road in Davis. The cost is $50 per person and the event is limited to those 21 and older. It is listed on Eventbrite as “Cheers to the Belfry.” For information, call Portia at 530756-1550.

UC Davis alumna wins bumblebee contest

By Kathy Keatley Garvey Enterprise staff writer

UC Davis alumna and pollinator enthusiast Ria de Grassi didn’t have far to travel to win the Robbin Thorp Memorial FirstBumble-Bee-of-the-Year Contest, encompassing the 1930-square-mile area of Solano and Yolo counties.

De Grassi spotted — and videoed — a black-tailed bumblebee, Bombus melanopygus, foraging on a prized ceanothus plant on Sunday afternoon, Jan. 8 in her backyard in Davis.

She recorded the video on her cell phone at 12:32 p.m. to win the third annual contest, sponsored by the Bohart Museum of Entomology and memorializing global bee expert Robbin Thorp (19332019), a distinguished emeritus professor of entomology. (See her YouTube video at https://bit. ly/3IDvl8G)

De Grassi, a former director of federal policy, livestock, animal health and welfare for the California Farm Bureau Federation, credits the storm, the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden, and her working relationships with bee scientists, including Thorp, as having a hand in either her find and/or her interest in plants and pollinators.

The three previous winners (2022 was a tie) each photographed a bumblebee in the 100-acre UC Davis Arboretum. Fittingly, de Grassi bought her prized ceanothus at an Arboretum plant sale.

“I was doing cleanup in my backyard after Saturday night’s rain and a 50-plus mile-per-hour windstorm,” said de Grassi, now an agricultural policy consultant. “The wind had subsided to a breeze by then. As I walked past my Ray Hartman ceanothus — which I purchased from a UC Davis Arboretum plant sale years ago when I did a garden makeover to be pollinator-friendly — I noticed some extra-long ceanothus branches that needed to be pruned, including some with super-early blooming flowers.”

De Grassi returned with her pole trimmer and started cutting. It was then she noticed a bumblebee foraging on her ceanothus-and when she remembered the “friendly Bohart Museum contest” inviting folks to find and photograph the first bumblebee in the two-county area of Solano and Yolo.

“I fumbled to retrieve my cell phone from my pocket to record, just to get in on the fun,” said de Grassi. “These bumbles dart around a lot, they don’t stay put for photo ops.”

De Grassi knew Thorp from her professional work with the California Farm Bureau Federation and from her friendship with bee scientists Timothy Lawrence and Susan Cobey, formerly of UC Davis.

“Tim and Sue were active in the California Farm Bureau’s statewide Bee Advisory Committee that I managed,” she said. Lawrence is now a Washington State University Extension county director (Island County) and Cobey, a WSU bee breeder geneticist.

“(The late Extension apiculturist) Eric Mussen was the UC Cooperative Extension liaison to that same committee,” de Grassi remembered, “so as native pollinator topics would arise during committee work, Robbin’s name and research naturally became relevant to the discussion. A fond memory I have of Robbin is from a Bohart Museum open house (2017) when I told him about seeing a 1/2 black and 1/2 gold carpenter bee in my front yard. I’d never heard of a gynandromorph until he told me that that’s what I saw. He asked me to capture one if I ever saw another.”

“I love documenting nature’s cool stuff and especially the surprises we uncover when we pause long enough to notice,” de Grassi commented. The

caterpillars she discovered eating her coral fountain (aka “firecracker plant,” Russelia equisetiiformis) led to UC Davis distinguished professor Art Shapiro documenting it as a butterfly larval host.

“Gardening for pollinators has become my passion pastime. I like to give native and managed bees pesticide-free forage.”

As her prize, de Grassi will receive handmade bee gifts (including a zippered bee-motif bag and beemotif soaps) from Teresa Hickman of Vacaville, owner of “Handmade by Teresa.”

De Grassi holds two degrees from UC Davis: a bachelor’s degree in agricultural science and management and a master’s degree in animal science. She is a former chair of the UC Davis Department of Animal Science Development Board, and a former member of the Cal Aggie Alumni Association Board and the UC Davis Foundation Board of Trustees.

The Davis resident is no stranger to the UC Davis Arboretum (site of the previous winners). “I’ve walked

the Arboretum since the time I was an undergrad here. It’s my favorite place on campus and was absolutely my inspiration for plant choices in my urban garden makeover.”

Postdoctoral researcher Charlie Casey Nicholson of the Neal Williams lab and the Elina Lastro Niño lab, UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, won the 2021 contest by photographing a B. melanopygus at 3:10 p.m., Jan. 14 in a manzanita patch in the Arboretum.

UC Davis doctoral candidate Maureen Page of the Neal Williams lab and horticulturist Ellen Zagory, retired director of public horticulture for the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden, tied for first in the 2022 contest by each photographing a bumblebee foraging on manzanita (Arctostaphylos) in the Arboretum at 2:30 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 1. Page, who earned a doctorate in entomology, photographed a B. melanopygus, while Zagory captured an image of the yellow-faced bumblebee, B. vosnesenskii.

Kathy Keatley Garvey/Courtesy photo

UC Davis alumna Ria de Grassi confers with UC Davis distinguished emeritus professor Robbin Thorp (1933-2019) at a 2017 Bohart Museum of Entomology open house on bees.

Manetti Shrem presents Henderson exhibition

By Laura Compton Special to The Enterprise

A new exhibition featuring pioneering artist Mike Henderson’s rarely seen contributions to the history of contemporary painting and filmmaking, radical Black politics and to the story of California art opens Jan. 30 at the Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art at UC Davis.

This ambitious exhibition, “Mike Henderson: Before the Fire, 1965-1985,” marks Henderson’s first solo U.S. museum exhibition in 20 years. He is a UC Davis professor emeritus of art. Henderson started exploring the role and responsibility of an artist early in his practice. His “protest

paintings” — which he began while studying at the San Francisco Art Institute in 1965 — confront the anti-Black violence of the civil rights era.

One of these figurative works, “Non-Violence, 1967” — included in “Mike Henderson: Before the Fire, 1965-1985” — was shown at the Whitney Museum of American Art in 1969, and in “Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power” at the de Young Museum, San Francisco, in 2019. “NonViolence” and other large-scale works bridge the gap between the past and present, challenging and resonating with contemporary audiences as America continues to grapple with systemic racism and social justice issues.

Itzhak Perlman returns to Mondavi on Saturday

Alexander String Quartet plays Sunday

By Jeff Hudson Enterprise arts writer

Live music returns to the Mondavi Center this weekend, with superstar violinist Itzhak Perlman performing in Jackson Hall on Saturday night, and the popular Alexander String Quartet performing in Jackson Hall on Sunday.

Itzhak Perlman and Rohan De Silva

Violinist Itzhak Perlman, one of the most famous living violinists, always draws a big crowd wherever he goes, and his return engagement at the Mondavi Center at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 14 — a recital with pianist Rohan De Silva, Perlman’s frequent recital collaborator — will be no exception.

Perlman’s association with what is now the Mondavi Center

stretches back to 1999, when Perlman was the featured performer at a fund-raising gala that kicked off the campaign to build a world-class concert hall on the UC Davis campus. The Mondavi Center formally opened in October 2002, and Perlman first appeared at the new arts center in the 2003-2004 season. Since that time, Perlman has returned to perform at the Mondavi Center every few years.

Along the way, Perlman has received just about every accolade that can be awarded to a famous violinist, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which President Barack Obama presented to Perlman in 2015. Perlman was also the subject of an admirable documentary film in 2018. Now 77, Perlman continues to keep a busy schedule touring as a violinist, conducting orchestras from time to time, and teaching.

At this writing, the Perlman/De Silva recital is concert is basically sold out (the best seats went for $125). But a few tickets usually materialize at the Mondavi box office on the evening of the performance, so you may still be able to buy a ticket if you arrive early.

Henderson’s subsequent works offer new ideas about Black life and utopian visions in a unique visual language that merges abstraction, Afro-futurism and surrealism. In 1985, a fire in his studio damaged much of Henderson’s work from the previous two decades and partially obliterated these vital ideas about a time of tumult and change in California and the world.

After his studio catastrophe, Henderson never returned to this subject matter again. Many pieces that were thought lost have been recovered and restored by the Manetti Shrem Museum and anchor this new exhibition. A slideshow of destroyed artworks is included in the exhibition to

illuminate dozens of paintings that were not able to be restored.

Henderson and UC Davis

Henderson joined the groundbreaking UC Davis art faculty in 1970, teaching alongside Wayne Thiebaud, Robert Arneson, Roy De Forest, Manuel Neri and William T. Wiley. He taught for 43 years and had a profound effect on students. Henderson will take part in a featured conversation with UC Davis Chancellor Gary S. May at a public opening event on Jan. 29, 2:30 to 5 p.m.

“We are thrilled to give Mike Henderson’s work the showcase and scholarly attention it so richly

deserves,” said Manetti Shrem Museum Founding Director Rachel Teagle. “‘Mike Henderson: Before the Fire, 19651985’ offers visitors an integrated vision of Henderson’s politically striking contributions to both painting and filmmaking at a critical phase of his career. With this exhibition, the museum fulfills one of its highest purposes: to recuperate the art of a major California artist who is central to UC Davis’ legacy.”

Curator Sampada Aranke adds, “Henderson’s visions of identity, race and art history help us understand his place in American painting and filmmaking in the

Alexander String Quartet with Robert Greenberg

On Sunday, January 15 at 2 p.m., the Alexander String Quartet will return to perform chamber works by Antonin Dvorak in the Mondavi Center’s Jackson Hall. On the program will be the composer’s String Quartet No. 12 (“American”), composed in the 1890s when Dvorak lived in the United States for several years.

Also on the program will be Dvorak’s String Quintet, with violist Paul Yarbrough (a co-

founder of the Alexander String Quartet, who retired as a member of the group during the pandemic) appearing alongside new violist David Samuel for this performance.

Music historian Robert Greenberg also will speak, offering remarks that will provide a context for the music. Tickets are $65-$49 general, with discounts for students, online at MondaviArts.org and at the door.

The Alexander String Quartet, which is based in San Francisco, began performing at the Mondavi Center when the center opened in October 2002, giving concerts

several times each season. As a result of their many appearances at Mondavi, the quartet has developed a rather special relationship with the Davis audience ... some members of the audience have literally been attending the Alexander String Quartet’s concert at Mondavi for 10 or even 20 years. The current lineup of the quartet includes Zakarias Grafilo, first violin; Frederick Lifsitz, second violin; David Samuel, viola; and Sandy Wilson, cello (a co-founder of the group).

Courtesy of the artist and haines Gallery robert divers herriCk photo; Courtesy of the artist and haines Gallery

ABOVE: Mike Henderson, “Love it or Leave it, I Will Love it if You Leave it,” 1976. Mixed media, 69 × 108 inches. © Mike Henderson.

RIGHT: Mike Henderson, “Trust,” 1981. Acrylic on canvas, 63 × 59 inches. Fine Arts Collection, Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art. Museum purchase, Gina and John Wasson Acquisition Fund. © Mike Henderson.

Courtesy photos

Violin superstar Itzhak Perlman will perform Saturday at Mondavi with pianist Rohan De Silva.

Courtesy photo

The Alexander String Quartet will include plus emeritus viola player Paul Yarbrough on Sunday, who is coming back from his semiretirement to play the second viola part of the Dvorak Quintet with the four current members.

Arts

‘Wildcat’: Deeply moving

Every moment of this poignant film is compelling

Derrick Bang Enterprise film critic

I marvel at the foresight and intuition of documentary filmmakers who begin a project without having any idea if they’ll ultimately emerge with a story worth telling.

Co-directors Trevor Frost and Melissa Lesh definitely found such a story.

“Wildcat” is a remarkably powerful film: not merely for its fascinating and thoroughly engaging subject, but also for its constant tug on our senses, and the often painful intimacy with which this saga unfolds. Impossible as it would seem, the two people at the heart of this incredible journey often behave as if they’re wholly unaware of being filmed, except when they address the camera directly.

The setting is so beautiful, so hypnotic, that it’s almost surreal. At first blush, it feels romantic: tugging at that little piece of ourselves that sometimes wishes to really, truly get away from it all.

But that’s deceptive.

Frost and Lesh begin their film with a brief prologue, as a man navigates a

profanity and suicidal behavior

Starring: Harry Turner, Samantha Zwicker Available via: Amazon Prime

jungle setting with — amazingly — an attentive young ocelot that apparently regards him as a parent.

We then back up to earlier days, and the events that led to that moment.

Young British soldier Harry Turner returns home from a tour in Afghanistan, emotionally damaged by what he has seen — and done — and crippled by PTSD. Suicidal, believing himself a burden to his parents and younger brother, Harry flees civilization and heads to the most remote part of the world that he can reach: the Las Piedras region of the Peruvian Amazon rainforest.

He chances upon American biologist/conservationist Samantha “Sam” Zwicker, founder of a nonprofit dubbed Hoja Nueva (“New Leaf”), which is dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and reintroduction of keystone Peruvian Amazon wildlife species.

It’s a necessary response to the heartbreaking reality of young animals orphaned and abandoned, after their parents have been slaughtered by hunters and logging operations.

This film begins with Zwicker’s earliest efforts, when it’s not even clear whether an infant ocelot can be re-wilded; nobody has tried before. Frost and Lesh understood the time frame, going in: reintroduction, if successful, would take roughly 17 months … the length of time a kitten would spend with its mother, until setting out on its own.

Which makes their film, at minimum, a 17-month investment of time and effort.

Harry’s arrival is cathartic; the challenge gives him a sense of purpose. He throws himself 24/7 into the care, guidance and protection of this adorably wild kitten.

I was reminded of 2019’s ‘The Mustang,” and the degree to which bonding with a wild horse, and then training it, rehabilitates a convict with a violent past.

Frost and Lesh obtain stunning footage of the two of them together. Abetted by Harry’s considerable nighttime footage supplied, we get a tangible sense of being right there with them, in the jungle.

Moving forward, there’s a superficial resemblance to 2020’s “My Octopus

Teacher,” but without that film’s insufferably pompous pontificating. “Wildcat” is far more spontaneous, far more unaffected, far more in the moment.

It becomes clear that Harry and Sam aren’t merely professional colleagues; they’re also lovers, bonded as intimately with each other, as they are with the ocelot kitten. The nature of their relationship is similarly enchanting; apparently heedless of the Amazon’s many hazards, they often work in the shorts and T-shirts, frequently walking barefooted, playfully swimming in a nearby river.

(We gasp and think, seriously?)

This casualness does not extend to Harry’s impressively patient work with the kitten; he’s acutely mindful of the dangerous environment that includes larger predators, poisonous insects and spiders, and nasty, concealed traps set by hunters.

Then, just as we’re getting into the rhythm of this fascinating process, Frost

and Lesh hit us with an unexpected crisis. The raw agony of this setback, and its effect on Harry, is heartbreaking; he spirals downward. The timing also is unfortunate, because Sam has responsibilities back in the States, involving both her academic work and the need to maintain sponsorship funding for Hoja Nueva.

Fortunately, Harry rallies, and becomes even more focused and determined. Learning from earlier mistakes, when Sam returns they relocate their facilities to a more remote location upriver, farther from human contact. (By this point, we realize Frost and Lesh essentially embedded themselves with the Hoja Nueva team; how else could they have obtained so much mesmerizing footage?)

The saga pauses for a welcome, lighthearted interlude with the arrival of Harry’s parents, Mark and Colette, and his younger brother Jayden. They are (it must be said) the gamest, bravest and most accom-

Although attempting to teach his feline companion how to survive in the wild is exhaustive work that requires plenty of patience — and love — Harry also enjoys their more playful moments.

modating family on the planet; they plunge wholeheartedly into an environment and lifestyle that most of us would shun, ashen-faced.

It’s also obvious that much of Mark and Colette’s delight comes from recognizing that Harry has found a stable path, and calling.

Although this saga’s conclusion is preordained — Frost and Lesh wouldn’t dare do otherwise! — that doesn’t detract from the tension, delight and marvel of every step along the way.

Despite having collected numerous well-deserved festival and critics circle awards, “Wildcat” has not been short-listed for Oscar’s Documentary Feature Film category. That’s a shame, because Frost and Lesh’s film is just this side of perfect.

I don’t use that word very often.

— Read more of Derrick Bang’s film criticism at http://derrickbang. blogspot.com. Comment on this review at www. davisenterprise.com.

Wilkommen, bienvenue, welcome to DMTC’s ‘Cabaret’

By Jennifer Goldman Enterprise theatre critic

If you are looking for a hot and steamy burlesque style show to warm up the bleak stormy night, you should go see Davis Musical Theatre Company’s production of the hit musical “Cabaret.”

The show, directed and choreographed by Jan Isaacson with musical and vocal direction by Steve Isaacson, brings us back to the thriving nightclub scene at the Kit Kat Club in 1930s Berlin.

A struggling American writer Clifford Bradshaw (Cristopher Travos) is traveling around Europe exploring and trying to find inspiration for a book. He meets the smuggler Ernst

Ludwig (Joshua Stewart) on a train entering Germany who connects him to an elderly landlady named Fraulein Schneider (Lenore Sebastian) and recommends the Kit Kat Club for entertainment.

Soon, Cliff hooks up with Sally Bowles (Morgan Bartoe) a talented but pushy singer who promptly moves into his flat after being fired from the club and kicked out of her boss’ bed. As all of this is going on, we see the Nazis rise to power and the economic pressures hitting society.

DMTC went way beyond my expectations with this show. The set was simple but effective; the costumes were sexy, but not uncomfortably revealing; and the

choreography was spot on, and a number of audience members mentioned that they appreciated the diverse body shapes of the dancers. Every single member of the cast not only excelled at song and dance, but really mastered the use of facial expressions to convey the complex emotions they were experiencing, which is truly impressive in community theatre.

The Emcee (Kelvin Bates) painted with white pancake and cherry-red cheeks, was very entertaining, held our attention throughout, and had us laughing during the musical numbers “Two Ladies” and “If you Could See Her.” The first number celebrated life in a three-way

relationship (Kat Fio, Arianna Manabat) and the second involved dating a gorilla (Sarah Walter).

Travos went from cool, calm and hopeful to explosive anger and let us see Germany through an American perspective.

Liza Minnelli is famous for her role as Sally Bowles in the 1970s movie “Caberet” and it sure seemed like Morgan Bartoe was channeling her special charm during this show. She had her iconic black, cropped haircut, pouty lips, incredible voice and, most of all, confidence.

Sally’s true love is performing. She lives her life by sleeping around to get jobs and using men. She fools Clifford into thinking

she loves him and would have a family with him. Her character and performance are very enjoyable, regardless of her flaws, because she is a strong woman and usually gets what she wants.

I must mention the crowd’s favorite performance of the husband-andwife team of veteran actors Lenore and Gil Sebastian (Herr Shultz). Shultz is a Jewish fruit seller who lives in Schneider’s building. The couple falls in love and plans to marry, until Nazi politics interrupt their plans. It is such a joy to watch such talented actors, even through the heartbreaking realization that love is not enough. Lenore had us hanging on every

word when she sang “What Would You Do?”

Cabaret has a fun and charming first act, but then the reality of life sets in during Act 2. We are reminded that we must fight for social justice and not leave politics to others or history will repeat itself.

Antisemitism, sexism, homophobia and poverty must be condemned and actively fought against, especially as they are on the rise in our own country. Life today can feel shockingly similar to the story told in “Cabaret.”

“Caberet” runs through Jan. 29, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday matinées at 2 p.m. Tickets are available at DMTC.org.

HENDERSON: Exhibit will be on view from Jan. 30 through June 25

From Page B1

late 20th century while asserting his relevance to the vanguard of contemporary art as well as our own historical present.”

A robust slate of dedicated public programming is planned in conjunction with the exhibition at the Manetti Shrem Museum. Visit the museum website for further details and additional programs.

■ Winter Season Celebration: Public exhibition opening event featuring Henderson in conversation with UC Davis Chancellor Gary S. May (Jan. 29)

■ The “Reckoning” in American

Art History and Museums: A conversation among art historians and curators Bridget Cooks (UC Irvine) and Nana AduseiPoku (UC Berkeley). Moderated by Stacey Shelnut-Hendrick, deputy director of public engagement and learning, Chrysler Museum of Art. (Feb. 9)

■ Book Launch and Signing: “Death’s Futurity: The Visual Life of Black Power”: Curator Sampada Aranke in conversation with Essence Harden, visual arts curator at the California African American Museum, about Aranke’s first book. (April 20)

The exhibition is accompanied by a catalog, “Mike Henderson:

Before the Fire, 1965-1985” (UC Press, 128 pages), with a foreword by May. Exhibition curators Sampada Aranke and Dan Nadel; scholars Bridget Cooks (UC Irvine), Erin Gray (UC Davis), Justin Leroy (Duke University) and Carlos Francisco Jackson (University of Michigan); artists Ayanah Moor and Kambui Olujimi; and filmmaker and preservationist Mark Toscano consider the context of Henderson’s life, work and the dialogue it generates from a variety of disciplines and viewpoints.

Henderson (b. 1943) grew up in Marshall, Missouri, and studied at the San Francisco Art Institute,

where he earned his B.F.A. (1969) and M.F.A. (1970). He retired from UC Davis in 2012 as professor emeritus and lives and works in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Henderson has been the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship (1973), two National Endowment for the Arts Artist Grants (1978, 1989), and was recently awarded the 2019 Artadia San Francisco Award. He is represented by Haines Gallery, San Francisco.

Henderson’s paintings and films have been exhibited in the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the de Young

Museum, the Studio Museum, and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He is also an accomplished blues musician.

Winter exhibits

“Mike Henderson: Before the Fire, 1965-1985” will be on view from Jan. 30 through June 25. Also on view are “Loie Hollowell: Tick Tock Belly Clock” and “Roy De Forest: Habitats for Travelers | Selections from the Manetti Shrem Museum,” through May 8.

The museum is at 254 Old Davis Road in Davis.

Courtesy photo

The Girls of the Kit Kat Klub — back row from left, Natalie McCosker and Kat Fio; bottom row from left Emily Landerman, (on floor), Arianna Manabat and Rachele Wurr — in DMTC’s “Cabaret.”

Courtesy photo

Lenore Sebastian (as Fraulein Schneider) and real-life husband Gil Sebastian (as Herr Schultz) appear in DMTC’s production of the original 1966 version of Kander & Ebb’s “Cabaret.”

Courtesy photo

Jails failed to monitor COVID

By Aparna Komarla Special to CalMatters

At least 42,000 COVID cases have been identified among incarcerated people in California’s county jail system since March 2020, according to law enforcement data obtained through hundreds of records requests. Another 18,000 COVID cases were reported among sheriff’s office employees, a subset of whom work inside the jails.

These striking infection rates would not have been disclosed to the public if not for the California Public Records Act. Unfortunately, most sheriff’s offices in California have not been transparent about COVID outbreaks or deaths that occurred in custody throughout the pandemic. While the state’s prison system, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and a handful of sheriff’s offices provide online updates about outbreaks in custody, most local departments do not.

California is one of few states with an oversight agency for sheriff’s offices, known as the Board of State and Community Corrections, which acts as a central authority over the otherwise independently managed county jails. But while the BSCC has asked sheriffs to voluntarily share COVID data, they have not mandated it. The resulting dataset is incomplete and often erroneous.

For starters, COVID vaccination rates and the total confirmed cases for staff and incarcerated people are absent. Several counties, such as Merced, Riverside, Santa Cruz and El Dorado, provide little data or have simply chosen not to participate.

In the absence of a requirement, the decision to maintain records of cases and vaccinations and make the data publicly available is purely up to local sheriffs. As a result, the impact of the pandemic on roughly 60,000 people incarcerated in California’s county jails on a given day is largely undocumented, which the Covid InCustody Project has sought to change.

Without data, public health leaders and community members are left in the dark about incarcerated people’s health outcomes during the pandemic. They do not have the necessary information to make recommendations or policies that can prevent outbreaks or deaths.

We requested records from all 58 counties, and about 70% have responded with at least one data point. Many claim they do not have responsive records or refused to turn them over, citing HIPAA rules.

Several counties had massive outbreaks over the last two years. Contra Costa, San Mateo, Sonoma, Monterey, San Diego, Santa Clara, San Francisco, Sacramento and Alameda counties all reported outbreaks in which anywhere from 10% to 20% of the incarcerated population was infected on a single day.

Though sheriff’s offices have provided some data on cases and vaccinations, no county (except Alameda) provided a thorough and comprehensive response to our request to track compliance with the state Public Health Officer’s surveillance testing mandates. To prevent transmission from correctional staff to incarcerated populations, the Department of Public Health last year mandated periodic testing for unvaccinated staff. So far no county has provided a week-by-week record of unvaccinated staff members in the jail, the percent that complied with the mandate, and those that did not.

While there have been over 60,000 confirmed COVID cases among incarcerated people and jail staff that we are aware of, there is no way of knowing if public health orders were effective. State health officials said they do not have any records from sheriff’s offices to demonstrate compliance.

We are clearly only scratching the surface of the pandemic’s impact on California’s county jail system. The data retrieved so far shows that outbreaks and poor vaccination rates have not received enough public attention and scrutiny.

The Covid In-Custody Project is continuing to push for more data transparency using public record laws. The hope is that the data will help researchers and public health leaders learn how to respond better to future public health crises, especially when it comes to people behind bars.

— Aparna Komarla is the founder and director of the Covid In-Custody Project.

California shorted again

Always before, when California was shortchanged in the presidential primary election season, there was no one to blame but anonymous committees in both the Democratic and Republican parties.

No more. The 2024 California Primary is scheduled for March 23 — most likely long after most of the important decisions have been made in smaller states. If this comes off as now planned, it will be yet another in a long series of letting the tail wag the dog, and there will be one man to blame: President Biden.

There was little doubt Biden’s choice of South Carolina to replace New Hampshire and Iowa as the earliest presidential preference voters was payback.

Anyone who remembers the 2020 primary season will recall the Democratic race began as a mish-mosh with no particular favorite, except that Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders kept winning pluralities in early states, though never by definitive margins.

Then came South Carolina, which voted on Feb. 29, with a preponderance of AfricanAmericans on the Democratic side. After the dean of that state’s congressional delegation, the Black Democrat James Clyburn, strongly endorsed Biden, he won the state by a huge margin and

Letters

New Year climate news

other candidates like Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttegieg quickly endorsed him. Essentially, that ended the primary season. By that time, then-California Sen. Kamala Harris had long since dropped out. Biden, who says he intends to run for reelection next year, would love to see an even quicker ending to meaningful primaries in his party next year.

That, of course, would leave California essentially no voice in choosing the Democratic nominee, and maybe also the Republican. That’s not fair to California voters.

This state consistently provides Democratic presidential candidates with their national popular vote margin. It also provides two Democratic senators, without whom Democrats would be a Senate minority. This year there are 40 Democratic House members from California compared with just 12 Republicans. That was a net gain of one seat for the GOP, but without Californians,

Democrats would be a hopeless minority in Congress, rather than almost even as they are today.

So California makes a more meaningful contribution to the Democrats than any other state, including 54 Electoral College votes, without which Republicans would have won every election since 1996.

But Biden, who owes his November 2020 victory and his current job to California voters, gave complete preference to tiny South Carolina and its nine electoral votes.

That’s just wrong.

Democrats have long excused their disregard for California by claiming the state’s campaign costs are too steep for many early candidates. Yes, it costs more to campaign in California than Iowa, New Hampshire or South Carolina. But you also can win far more national convention delegates here. With a big win here, California could let a candidate virtually clinch the nomination every time.

Why shouldn’t the largest state have the biggest voice in picking nominees? It does the most to elect them later on.

Biden completely ignored this in his December letter to the Democrats’ Rules and Bylaws committee, which then decided to let South

Carolina vote first.

“We must ensure that voters of color have a voice in choosing our nominee …” Biden said. “For decades, Black voters have been the backbone of the party, but have been pushed to the back of the early primary process.” So let South Carolina go first, he said.

But an early California vote would involve more Black voters than South Carolina and exponentially more Latinos. So why push this state to the back, as both parties regularly do?

Added Biden, “There should … be strong representation from urban, suburban and rural America and every region of the country.” He used that reasoning to push South Carolina, but leave California out, even though it is as large as other entire regions.

This makes no sense, and California legislators should not accept it passively. There is no solid reason for them to stick with the current March 23 date putting California at the back of the bus.

The bottom line: California has long deserved a much larger voice in presidential selection, but likely once again will not get it.

— Email Thomas Elias at tdelias@aol.com. For more Elias columns, visit www. californiafocus.net

In the final paragraph of his Jan. 4 column, John Mott-Smith does his best to diminish a flicker of climate optimism from The New York Times, even amid its customary environmental apocalypticism. To see the words “buoyant optimism” these days from the Gray Lady, even if leavened in the same sentence by “abject despair,” is remarkable and at least a little encouraging.

Mr. Mott-Smith reports, however, that he remains frightened by the prospect of an unlivable planet, doubtless based upon the superficialities of popular climate paranoia. Gloomy climate pronouncements and the usual mainstream solutions to climate challenges too often reflect ignorance of complicated and often inconvenient climate fact.

In the interest of affording Mr. MottSmith a happier new year, I offer the following, documented, particulars: there is

enterprise

A McNaughton Newspaper Locally owned and operated since 1897

Foy S. McNaughton President and CEO R. Burt McNaughton Publisher

Sebastian Oñate Editor

Official legal newspaper of general circulation for the city of Davis and county of Yolo. Published in The Davis Enterprise building, 325 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.

Speak out President

no trend in U.S. heat wave frequency or magnitude (U.S. Global Change Research Program, “Chapter Six: Temperature Changes in the United States,” Fourth National Climate Assessment, 2017; https://science2017. Globalchange.gov/ chapter/6/); deaths from heat waves in the U.S. are declining (Scott C. Sheridan, “Recent Trends in Heat-Related Mortality in the United States: An Update through 2018,” Weather, Climate, and Society, December 2020; https://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/wcas-d20-0083.1.xml); there is no consensus on the relative magnitude of human influence in hurricane activity (Sonia I. Seneviratne, et. al., “Weather and Climate Extreme Events in a Changing Climate,” IPCC, Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change); parts of the Great Barrier Reef record the highest amount of coral in 36 years (CNN, Aug. 4); solar panels produce about 300 times more waste than nuclear reactors when providing the same amount of energy (US GAO,

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

House of Representatives

https://www.gao.gov/key_issues/disposal_of_highlevel_nuclear_waste/ issue_summary; World Nuclear Association, https://www.world-nuclear.org/ information-library/nuclear-fuel-cycle/ nuclear-wastes/radioactive-wastemanagement.aspx; https://www.worldnuclear.org/information-library/factsand-figures/world-nuclear-powerreactors-archive/reactor-archive-decem ber-2015.aspx; IAEA, https://www.iaea. org/PRIS/home.aspx; BP, http://www. bp.com/en/global/corporate/energyeconomics/statistical-review-of-worldenergy.html).

Space constraints prevent recitation here of additional climate-related research detail that is well-documented and refutes much lay climate anxiety. There is very much more of it that few read and even fewer report. It would be a happier New Year for all if, simply in the interest of intellectual honesty, our columnists would pay greater attention to it and report more of it.

Jon Sugarman Davis

We welcome your letters

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;

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/

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.

Pearls Before Swine

By Stephan Pastis

Classic Peanuts

By Charles M. Schulz

Ambitious Sudoku 2

Blue Devil boys hoops battle Marauders but lose

CARMICHAEL — The Davis High boys basketball team had two strong quarters in Wednesday’s Delta League game against Jesuit.

But the host Marauders were solid from start to finish to post a 78-49 win over Davis (0-2 in the DL, 7-7). Jesuit (3-0 in the DL, 13-3) held a 19-9 lead after one quarter. But the Blue Devils caught up with the Marauders in the second quarter, almost outscoring the host 16-15. Jesuit led 35-24 at halftime.

Davis continues league action at home today, entertaining Cosumnes Oaks inside the North Gym. Game time is scheduled at 7:30 p.m.

Blue Devil girls basketball

Davis saw St. Francis jump out to a 20-11 lead in the first quarter and couldn’t catch up as the Troubadours posted a 64-44 win in Delta League action in Sacramento on Tuesday.

St. Francis led 31-18 over Davis (1-1 in the Delta League, 6-10) at halftime. The Troubadours continued their scoring ways in the second half, outscoring the Blue Devils 33-26 for the win.

Davis continues league play at Cosumnes Oaks on Friday. Game time is 7 p.m.

UC Davis gymnastics

The UC Davis gymnastics team was recognized with two weekly honors after the first meet of the season.

Sophomore Megan Ray was named the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Gymnast of the Week.

Junior Emma Otsu was named the Specialist of the Week accolades.

Ray shared the vault victory with a career-best score of 9.875 in the Aggies’ season-opening dual win at Sacramento State. She also finished tied for third on the balance beam with a 9.70.

This is Ray’s second career MPSF weekly award, and first as gymnast of the week.

Otsu finished in third place on vault with a score of 9.80 at the win against the Hornets. This is Otsu’s fourth career MPSF weekly award.

UC Davis took the string out of the Hornets in their Causeway match, 194.050-191.375, in the season opening meet at the University Credit Union Center on Sunday.

The Aggies travel to Tempe, Ariz., for a tri-meet against Arizona State and Easter Michigan today.

AGGIES: Back home on Monday

From Page B6

13 of its 23 assists in the first half.

“That’s exciting when you’re seeing that,” Gross said.

That helped UCD coast to a 43-25 halftime lead.

The Matadors had a 16-10 run halfway through the third. CSU Northridge guards Macy Smith and Jordyn Jackson were part of their team’s run in the quarter and managed to outscore the Aggies 21-20.

But Sussman and Turner continued to make

their shots behind the perimeter in the final 20 minutes of the game.

With 10 minutes left in the game, UCD held a commanding 63-46.

The Matadors still outscored the Aggies in the final quarter, 27-20. But both teams substituted about halfway through the quarter.

Aggie center Megan Norris almost had a double-double in the conference game. She finished with 11 points and nine rebounds. She also had five of the team’s 23 assists.

Other UCD scorers were Tova Sabel with seven points, Victoria Baker five, Mazatlan Harris three and Makaila Sanders two.

Jackson led the Matadors with 26 points.

On Saturday, the Aggies play at CSU Fullerton (1-4 in the Big West, 6-8). Game time is scheduled at 2 p.m.

Then UCD plays Monday at home against UC San Diego (2-2 in the Big West, 5-9) at 3 p.m.

— Contact Mike Bush at mike@davisenterprise.net. Follow on Twitter: @ MBDavisSports.

UNDEFEATED: ‘Really strong game’

From Page B6

half,” said Aguirre.

Davis led 1-0 at halftime.

In the second half, Franklin (2-2 in the DL, 9-3-3) took more shots and showed more of an offensive effort than they displayed in the first half.

The Blue Devils continued their offensive attack as well, but neither team scored in the frame.

“I think we had a really strong game in the first half,” said Aguirre. “Franklin stepped up their game in the second half, but our back line was able to hold them, which helped to secure another clean sheet. I am so proud of everyone’s contributions tonight that led to another league win.”

Blue Devils goalie Aubrey McLin made

back-to-back stops on two Franklin shots on goal in the 54th minute.

Franklin was close to getting the ball in the net at the 60-minute mark, but the ball carried to the left of the goalpost.

Aguirre had another shot on goal for Davis in the 63rd minute, but the kick was stopped by Franklin’s goalie.

At the 65-minute mark, Franklin shot a penalty kick that was easily caught by McLin.

McLin stopped another Wildcats kick with less than a minute left on the clock.

Aguirre mentioned how playing in these conditions is easy to do when you have a solid team and leader behind you.

“The weather definitely has an impact on your normal style of play,” said Aguirre. The Blue Devils face league foe Pleasant Grove High in Elk Grove today at 4 p.m.

uc davis athLetics/courtesy photo

UC Davis’ Megan Ray strikes a pose after her performance in the Aggies’ meet against Sacramento State at the University Credit Union Center. The Aggies took the sting out of the Hornets in their Causeway rival match.

BasketBall

Beasley, UCD men roar back for another win

Enterprise staff

NORTHRIDGE — Robby Beasley had a career-high 23 points as UC Davis roared back from a nine-point deficit to take a decisive 62-54 win over Cal State Northridge in a Big West men’s basketball game Wednesday night before a sparse gathering of 317 in the Premier America Credit Union Arena, formerly known as the Matadome.

The win, UCD’s second straight, evens its record at 2-2 in Big West play and 9-7 overall. The Matadors remain the only winless club in the 11-team Big

West at 0-5 and 3-13.

Beasley, a transfer from Montana who grew up in San Ramon, had three 3-pointers among his 15 points in the second half, the last breaking a 49-49 tie and giving the Aggies the lead for good with 3:42 remaining.

Beasley then added a basket and two free throws to push the count to 56-51 with 2:25 to go, and removed all doubt with two more hits from the foul line for a 60-52 advantage at 0:17.

Early on it appeared the Aggies would have no trouble with a Matador team that has clearly struggled in the

first half of the season as Beasley had a pair of 3-pointers around a bucket from Eli Pepper to stake the Aggies to an 8-0 advantage with the game just a minute and a half old.

The Matadors had other ideas, however, going on a 23-6 run to take a 23-14 lead — their biggest of the night — before UCD clawed back within 31-28 at the break.

A refreshed Matador squad again took control early in the second half, racing out to a 44-36 lead before the Aggie defense asserted itself and CSUN went on a 6:29 scoring drought during which UCD put

together a 10-0 run that concluded with a 3-pointer from Kane Milling.

After CSUN’s Dionte Bostick tied the game at 49, Beasley took over and the Aggies won going away.

Down the stretch, UCD dominated the offensive boards with second and third chances to deny Northridge any hope of a comeback.

UCD won the rebounding battle, 42-24, including 20-9 on offense.

Pepper added 20 points for the Aggies and led everyone on the floor with nine rebounds and four assists.

In other Big West action Wednesday night, UC Irvine and UC Santa Barbara both remained undefeated at 4-0, with UC Riverside a half-step back at 4-1.

Irvine dropped Cal State Fullerton to 3-2 in the Big West with a tense 70-65 win over the Titans, while UCSB routed Cal State Bakersfield, 60-48. Riverside stopped UC San Diego, 74-68.

The Aggies return home Saturday for a 2 p.m. Big West showdown with Cal State Fullerton.

Delta league girls soccer

Aggies’ treys take down Matadors

By Mike Bush Enterprise sports editor

Tess

Aggie teammate Evanne Turner found her shooting grove on the University Credit Union Center floor as well.

Their efforts led to the Aggies posting an 83-73 win over CSU Northridge’s squad on Wednesday in front of 373 fans in attendance. This was the second consecutive victory for UCD (2-2 in the Big West, 6-8).

The Aggies made 14-of26 3-pointers in the game.

“We’re really a pretty good 3-point shooting team,” said UCD head coach Jennifer Gross. “It’s been really frustrating that we haven’t see the ball go into the basket. We’ve been talking about this last week about playing a little bit more freely, having fun and being confident. I was really happy to see our team step up and be ready to shoot the open shots. It was nice to see them go down.”

Turner added, “Playing freely has done so much for our team.”

The Aggies broke free from the Matadors after the first quarter, in which the host held a 17-13 advantage.

Sussman, a guard who is a graduate student from Needham, Mass., started

the quarter with a 3-pointer. The 5-foot-10 Sussman made 5-of-7 behind the arc, which accounted toward 15 of her career-high 19 points in the game. That helped give UCD a 25-13 lead.

“Her leadership has been so consistent,” said Gross of Sussman. “It’s been great the last two games just to see her just having fun and taking the pressure off. I think we have a team where everybody believes in each other, yells at everybody ‘keep shooting.’”

Turner, a junior guard from Fontana, also lit up the Matadors’ backcourt defense in the quarter and game. She made five 3-pointers out of eight tries. She also finished with 19 points.

“The shots were really good,” Turner said. “My teammates put me in a lot of good position to knock down some good shots. I always try to set up myself up to get a really good shot for the team.”

The Aggies’ backcourt lit up the Matadors in the second quarter. Nya Epps and Sydney Burns also knocked down 3-pointers in the quarter. Burns had back-to-back treys to account for her nine points. Epps finished with eight.

Moving the ball was key for UCD, which had

Blue Devils remain undefeated

By Rebecca Wasik Enterprise correspondent

Pouring rain and strong winds didn’t stop the Davis High girls soccer team from continuing its undefeated streak on Wednesday.

Davis edged Franklin 1-0 at Ron and Mary Brown Stadium.

“Today was definitely one of our better games,” said Davis head coach Sara Stone, whose squad improved to 4-0 in league and 6-0 overall. “We are familiar with Franklin from previous years, and we knew we were walking into a lot of competition. I’m super happy with our performance. The girls executed very well. I told them if they did what was asked, they would reap the benefits and they did.”

In the first half, the ball made its way to both sides of the field. However, DHS’ offense was much stronger, taking several more shots and

kicks than the Wildcats.

Madison Lujan recorded a shot on goal for the Blue Devils in the 20th minute when her kick was stopped by Franklin’s goalkeeper.

Una Keller displayed strong defense at the 26-minute mark, thwarting a Wildcats goal by taking back the ball.

Lujan tried her luck again, using her head to push the ball towards the goal in the 28th minute. It was close, but the ball ultimately sailed to the left of the goalpost.

Kailani Compton took a shot in the 30th minute, but the ball again traveled to the left of the goal.

The Blue Devils’ persistent offensive push paid off when sophomore midfielder Audrey Aguirre banked a shot on a free kick by Keller.

“It was exciting to score against a competitive team and it felt great to take the lead before the

arya lalvani/enterprise photo

UC Davis guard Evanne Turner was one of three players who scored in double figures in Thursday’s Big West Conference game at the University Credit Union Center.

Sussman had a career night for the UC Davis women’s basketball team.

Mike Bush/enterprise photo

Davis midfielder Audrey Aguirre (7) battles for possession of the soccer ball with Franklin’s Jewel Anderson in Wednesday’s league game. Aguirre, only a sophomore, scored the game’s only goal. For more photos of the game, visit www.davisenterprise.com, click on the Sports tab and look for the story.

Mike Bush/enterprise photo

Blue Devil forward Olivia Johnson (10) uses her head to advance the soccer in the first half.

Consider advantages of buying a home now

There’s no doubt buying a home today is different than it was over the past couple of years. The shift in the market has led to advantages for buyers today. Right now, there are specific reasons that make this housing market attractive for those who’ve thought about buying but have sidelined their search due to rising mortgage rates.

Buying a home in any market is a personal decision, and the best way to make that decision is to educate yourself on the facts, not following sensationalized headlines in the news today. The reality is, headlines do more to terrify people thinking about buying a home than they do to clarify what’s actually going on with real estate. Here are three reasons potential homebuyers should consider buying a home today.

More homes are for sale right now

According to data from the National Association of Realtors, this year, the supply of homes for sale has grown significantly compared to where we started the year.

The supply of available home has shown steady growth throughout 2022, January through November, with the exception of a small dip in September, the National Association of Realtors reports, more than doubling during that time.

Numbers for December are not yet available.

This growth has happened for two reasons: homeowners listing their homes for sale and homes staying on the market a bit longer as buyer demand has moderated in response to higher mortgage rates.

The good news for you is that more inventory means more homes to choose from. And when there are more homes on the market, you could also see less competition from other buyers because the peak frenzy of competing over the same home has eased, too.

Home prices are not projected to crash

Experts don’t believe home prices will crash like they did in 2008.

Instead, home prices will moderate at various levels depending on the local market and the factors, like supply and demand, at play in that area. That’s why some experts are calling for slight appreciation and others are calling for slight depreciation.

The overall range of the price projections go from a high of a 5.4% increase by realtor.com to a low of

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Don McDonald

Real estate transactions

These are the local homes sold recently, provided by California Resource of Lodi. The company can be reached at 209.365.6663 or CalResource@aol.com.

BENICIA

TOTAL SALES: 5

LOWEST AMOUNT: $530,000.00

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $815,000.00

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $630,000.00

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $647,200.00

284 East 2nd Street - $630,000, 12-09-22 [3 Bdrms - 1409 SqFt - 1984 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-27-16, $404,500

521 Gloria Way - $668,000, 12-08-22 [3 Bdrms - 1197 SqFt - 1965 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 02-06-02, $285,000

355 East L Street - $530,000, 12-06-22 [3 Bdrms - 1516 SqFt - 1942 YrBlt], Previous Sale:  00/1990, $173,500

14 La Cruz Avenue - $593,000, 12-09-22 [3 Bdrms - 1124 SqFt - 1943 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 01-04-17, $380,000

549 Sandy Way - $815,000, 12-09-22 [4 Bdrms - 1729 SqFt - 1978 YrBlt]

DIXON

TOTAL SALES: 3

LOWEST AMOUNT: $400,000.00

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $605,000.00

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $480,000.00

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $495,000.00

1610 West H Street - $480,000, 12-05-22 [3 Bdrms - 1328 SqFt - 1993 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 07-03-18, $407,000

895 Royal Elf Court - $605,000, 12-05-22 [4 Bdrms - 2196 SqFt - 1980 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 07-11-18, $500,000

1136 Valley Glen Drive - $400,000, 12-07-22 [3 Bdrms - 2162 SqFt - 2004 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 11-10-04, $433,315

FAIRFIELD

TOTAL SALES: 18

LOWEST AMOUNT: $172,000.00

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $1,100,000.00

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $607,500.00

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $619,556.00

1604 Amaral Court - $1,100,000

12-06-22 [3 Bdrms - 2319 SqFt - 1963 YrBlt]

782 Ash Court - $560,000

12-09-22 [4 Bdrms - 1773 SqFt - 1978 YrBlt]

1899 Buckingham Drive - $515,000

12-06-22 [4 Bdrms - 1456 SqFt - 1963

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 03-27-17, $320,000

751 Chateau Court - $875,000

12-09-22 [5 Bdrms - 3007 SqFt - 2009 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 08-24-09, $485,000

554 Citadel Court - $725,000

12-06-22 [3 Bdrms - 2169 SqFt - 1998 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 03-30-20, $593,000

2187 Clipper Ship Drive - $570,000

12-05-22 [4 Bdrms - 2086 SqFt - 1984 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 03-24-00, $218,000

917 Kentucky Street - $450,000

12-08-22 [3 Bdrms - 962 SqFt - 1944 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 05-18-15, $175,500

505 East Meadows Drive - $711,000 12-09-22 [5 Bdrms - 2549 SqFt - 2002

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 04-22-09, $335,000

754 Normandy Court - $495,000

12-05-22 [3 Bdrms - 1350 SqFt - 1966 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 05-23-19, $400,000

2485 Palmer Circle - $715,000 12-05-22 [3 Bdrms - 1910 SqFt - 1994 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 06-20-16, $499,000

650 Peridot Place - $689,000 12-05-22 [4 Bdrms - 2164 SqFt - 2006

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 03-24-08, $390,000

2157 Portola Court - $665,000 12-07-22 [4 Bdrms - 2320 SqFt - 1976 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 11-30-16, $435,000

4881 Regency Place - $645,000 12-07-22 [3 Bdrms - 1868 SqFt - 1988

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 08-30-16, $405,000

1049 Roosevelt Street - $440,000 12-09-22 [3 Bdrms - 1221 SqFt - 1955 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 10-04-16, $282,000

2063 Swan Place - $550,000

12-05-22 [4 Bdrms - 1584 SqFt - 1969 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 03-03-22, $420,000

380 Tulip Street - $172,000

12-08-22 [3 Bdrms - 1335 SqFt - 1964 YrBlt]

332 Tulip Street - $550,000

12-09-22 [3 Bdrms - 1551 SqFt - 1966 YrBlt]

29 Twin Creeks Drive - $725,000

12-06-22 [2 Bdrms - 1566 SqFt - 1978 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 11-30-17, $525,000

RIO VISTA

TOTAL SALES: 2

LOWEST AMOUNT: $420,000.00

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $515,000.00

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $467,500.00

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $467,500.00

662 Summerset Drive - $420,000

12-07-22 [2 Bdrms - 1864 SqFt - 1999 YrBlt]

509 Twin Lakes Lane - $515,000 12-09-22 [3 Bdrms - 2302 SqFt - 2005 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 04-26-05, $470,500

SUISUN CITY

TOTAL SALES: 3

LOWEST AMOUNT: $405,000.00

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $595,000.00

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $566,000.00

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $522,000.00

954 Bauman Court - $595,000

12-09-22 [4 Bdrms - 2023 SqFt - 1990

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 11-18-16, $400,000

1400 Potrero Street - $566,000

12-05-22 [4 Bdrms - 1952 SqFt - 1992 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 03-11-10, $245,000

911 Yosemite Way - $405,000

12-06-22 [3 Bdrms - 1327 SqFt - 1988

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 08-08-01, $224,900

VACAVILLE

TOTAL SALES: 9

LOWEST AMOUNT: $385,000.00

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $827,000.00

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $510,000.00

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $547,889.00

261 Colonial Circle - $445,000 12-07-22 [2 Bdrms - 1144 SqFt - 1977 YrBlt]

316 Colonial Circle - $429,000 12-09-22 [2 Bdrms - 806 SqFt - 1977 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 09-18-14, $207,000

655 Edenderry Drive - $685,000 12-06-22 [3 Bdrms - 2572 SqFt - 1998 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 01-28-19, $550,000

348 Fir Street - $470,000 12-07-22 [4 Bdrms - 1594 SqFt - 1961 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 08-05-14, $250,000 606 Hillcrest Circle - $827,000 12-06-22 [4 Bdrms - 2202 SqFt - 1996 YrBlt]

167 Mckinley Circle - $385,000 12-09-22 [2 Bdrms - 1043 SqFt - 1964 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 05-25-21, $272,500 173 Novato Drive - $510,000 12-05-22 [4 Bdrms - 1628 SqFt - 1967 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 02-12-18, $430,000 1007 Woodcrest Court - $655,000 12-06-22 [4 Bdrms - 2362 SqFt - 2001 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-19-19, $540,000 312 Woodhaven Drive - $525,000 12-09-22 [4 Bdrms - 1840 SqFt - 1977 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 01-08-18, $425,000

VALLEJO

TOTAL SALES: 11

LOWEST AMOUNT: $285,000.00 HIGHEST AMOUNT: $800,000.00 MEDIAN AMOUNT: $550,000.00 AVERAGE AMOUNT: $546,000.00 1035 5th Street - $285,000 12-05-22 [3 Bdrms - 1032 SqFt - 1961 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 05-20-99, $127,000 85 Calhoun Street - $361,000 12-07-22 [3 Bdrms - 1025 SqFt - 1980 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-27-14, $140,000 145 Dwight Way - $555,000 12-09-22 [3 Bdrms - 1540 SqFt - 1963 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-04-14, $254,500 166 Farallon Drive - $390,000 12-07-22 [3 Bdrms - 1510 SqFt - 1973 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 03-07-03, $234,000

303 Jade Circle - $685,000 12-05-22 [3 Bdrms - 1483 SqFt - 1991 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-29-18, $608,000

373 Lofas Place - $480,000 12-08-22 [3 Bdrms - 1600 SqFt - 1956 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 09-29-20, $432,000

1008 Mariposa Street - $605,000 12-05-22 [3 Bdrms - 1770 SqFt - 1942 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 05-14-09, $210,000

8234 Rainwater Drive - $755,000 12-09-22 [3 Bdrms - 2266 SqFt - 2018 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 11-02-18, $670,000

601 Russell Street - $540,000 12-07-22 [2 Bdrms - 824 SqFt - 1943 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 07-26-22, $365,000

485 Wilshire Avenue - $550,000 12-05-22 [5 Bdrms - 1541 SqFt - 1955 YrBlt] 245 Windsor Way - $800,000 12-08-22 [3 Bdrms - 2684 SqFt - 1990 YrBlt], Previous Sale:  00/1990, $312,500

ON GARDENING:

Superbena Royale Plum Wine verbena is Garden Guy’s pick for Viva Magenta, Pantone’s Color of the Year

participate; we love this time of the year. Thus, Viva Magenta becomes somewhat subjective. That being said, I first nominate Superbena Royale Plum Wine verbena as a gardening pick for the color of the year.

TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

Viva Magenta is the hot new color for 2023, according to Pantone, the gurus of all things color. Specifically, it is Pantone 18-1750. In the garden world, flowers will never be able to be bred so specifically so as to reach a Pantone number. We as gardeners, horticulturists, landscape and container designers, however, want to

Before I decided to go out on this limb, so to speak, I asked Google, “Is plum a color of magenta?” The results said absolutely, that it was considered the darkest shade of magenta. Home improvement TV host Bob Vila has a post on Viva Magenta on his website, too (bobvila.com). He shows paint chip cards showing the various shades. There at the

Winter, Page 13

Norman Winter

NORMAN WINTER/TNS

Superbena Royale Plum Wine is an award-winning verbena and prolific at attracting butterflies like this Eastern Tiger Swallowtail showing up in March.

See

Open House Sat 1-4PM & Sun 2-4PM

3404 Black Mountain Cour t, Fairfield

Over 4000sf in Rancho Solano hills. 5 bed which includes a dnstrs junior, 2 bonus rooms. Cooks kitchen and an outdoor kitchen, great for enter taining. $1 ,099,900 Lisa Imhof f & Deanna Bessolo REALTORS® DRE#01790343

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January 14th & 15th

Open House Saturday 2-4PM

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3bd/2ba close to walking park & sites of countr y hills. Large great room w/gas fireplace. Spacious kitchen w/nook area. 1st floor owners bedroom w/walk in closet. Master bath w/soaking tub & walk in shower! 1st floor laundr y. Detached 2 car garage. $649,000

Open House Sat 1 1-1PM & Sun 1-4PM

51 81 Palace Cour t, Fairfield

5bd/3ba, 3007sf on a cul de sac w/full bd/ba 1st flr. Solar Cathedral ceiling in formal DR, sep LR, beautiful kitchen/bar/dining/FR. Hardwood flrs. $875,000

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Open House Sunday 1-3PM

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4BR 2.5BA w/updated & reconfigured Kitchen w/granite counters, updated bathrooms, newer dual paned windows, central heat/air, great room w/fireplace, tile floors in living areas, 1st floor bdrm. Detached garage w/laundr y area. $555,000 Sandy Stewar t & Associate REALTORS® DRE#01038978 (707) 696-7063

ALL THINGS REAL ESTATE:

Buyer can’ t force seller to accept lower price

and this is heading toward mediation and arbitration.

Thank you in advance for your insight.

Q: I wanted to get your opinion on whether I may have any rights in a situation I have found myself in. I am the buyer and also represented myself as the agent. I made an offer to purchase a building for $1.64 million, there was a seller counter No. 1 at $1.8 million then a buyer counter No. 1 at $1.74 million. The buyer counter No. 1 expired because they go with another offer instead. A week later that buyer does not perform, the sellers sign my original purchase agreement and open escrow with it, they do not check the box stating subject to attached counteroffers in the purchase agreement, escrow is not given any counteroffers. I wire my earnest money deposit, I receive and sign escrow instructions at the $1.64 million price, I lock a rate, I complete the inspection and the appraisal in that same week. In the following week, the listing agent produces my expired buyer counter No. 1 signed by his sellers and states that the buyer counter No. 1 at $1.74 million should be the purchase price. I have read so much about contract law in the past week and I still can’t find what I’m looking for. I would appreciate any guidance, or just explanation of the law, or my potential rights, if any. I would like to buy the building at the $1.64 million price but they have stopped communication,

A: Sounds like a lot of people not reading carefully before they sign things and, consequently, a lot of confusion.

At its simplest, the law regarding the formation of a contract is short and sweet. Somebody, either buyer or seller, makes an offer and the other party accepts it. And magically, you have a contract. Probably, anyway.

But of course, if things were really that simple people wouldn’t need lawyers – and that’s bad!

So, there are myriad possible legal issues that mess with the idea of contract formation being simple.

A famous case everybody gets in law school involves a farmer who sells a barren female cow to a neighboring farmer. After the sale, both farmers find out the cow is miraculously pregnant. Apparently, the value of a pregnant cow is far higher

than one that can’t get pregnant. Go figure.

The farmer/seller then sues the farmer/buyer to get the now-more-valuable cow back.

The farmer/seller won because neither the buyer nor the seller knew the cow could get pregnant let alone was with calf.

The law would say there

was “no meeting of the minds” because of the mutual mistake and therefore the sales contract was void.

Your situation sounds a lot like the farmer and the cow (at least it would if the cow was worth almost $2 million). But the principle is the same. Neither you nor the seller

• Create a revocable living trust. Avoid costly & lengthy probate. Plus, there are tax advantages in a trust.

• Create monthly autopay principal reductions on your mor tgages. Even a small amount will not be missed and it will take years off your loan.

• Explore a self-directed IRA to buy income proper ty.

• Look into Prop 19 when considering selling . Major proper ty tax savings. Transfer Prop 8 taxes to new California residence.

• Consider 1031 Exchange from a rental to a rental in your retirement town.

• Calif legislators recently passed legal Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU). For single family residences. Formerly Granny Units. Link below for details. https://www.hcd.ca.gov/ planning-and-community-development/housing-elements/ building-blocks/accessory-dwelling-units.

Call me and I can share with you how to create wealth in Real Estate!

Tim Jones

had come to a meeting of the minds regarding the sales price. Consequently, the seller is likely able to just back out.

The second legal theory that gives the seller an easy out involves the way the purchase contract and counteroffers were initially dealt with.

Under most circumstances, once an offer (or counteroffer) is: 1. Rejected outright, 2. Expires under its own terms, or 3. Is itself countered; the offer is deemed rejected and no longer capable of being accepted. It’s as if it was never made in the first place.

In your case, though, what appears to have really happened was the seller took your $1.74 million and,

in effect, copied and pasted it onto their new offer to you. A court could find that you accepted their new offer when you sent in your earnest money and moved forward with purchasing the property. Maybe.

A court would have to decide how much action you took to determine whether they can deem that you in effect accepted the “new” offer.

The bottom line is simply this: There’s no way to force the seller to sell for the $1.64 million price. Your two options are to buy at the $1.74 million price or make an argument for mutual mistake and walk away.

Tim Jones is a real estate attorney in Fairfield. If you have any real estate questions you would like to have answered in this column you can send an email to AllThingsRealEstate@ TJones-Law.com.

Winter storms dampen cold market

Broker owner Brian Stumbaugh made a comment to me the other day that really struck me as something that gives me hope about 2023.

He reminded me that historically, the market is slow from Thanksgiving to the Super Bowl. He pointed out to me that this year, inventory is low and although there are thousands of renters who should buy and homeowners who should sell, many are sitting on the sidelines.

Brian has an all-cash buyer who has been looking for a onestory home for five months between $800,000 to $1.7 million in the Green Valley area and currently there are only five homes in all of Fairfield that fit the parameters, and none are in Green Valley. Broker owner Ryan Preston shared with me the current numbers on this market and confirmed 326 homes sold in December throughout Solano County and there are only 528 active and coming soon listings in the county, including new builder homes.

This is less than a two-month supply of homes and the average “days on market” is around 32 days. Ryan says in his opinion, “It’s a great time to buy and sell. Most first-time homebuyers tend to be short on cash to close and in today’s market Realtors can negotiate closing cost credits from the seller to lower the cash to close.”

Both Preston and Stumbaugh emphasized that because of this past 10 years of substantial appreciation, sellers who need and want to move up can afford to credit their buyers with incentives and still walk with a lot of cash/profit. It’s a win-win.

The first quarter of 2023 looks soft, however right after the 49ers win the Super Bowl and the heavy rains subside, I believe the inventory will increase substantially because tens of

thousands of people bought their starter home from 2010 to 2020 and have now outgrown the home and need and want more space.

As far as the mortgage market goes today, it may be raining and pouring but the average mortgage company is snoring and there is no flood of refinance business. This month in America, there are only 270,000 home-

owners who would benefit from refinancing in comparison to January 2022 when there were 7 million folks who needed to refinance. There are usually 500 sales per month in Solano County, so the 326 sales in December are obviously like a drenched wet blanket covering my industry.

The Mortgage Bankers Association is suggesting a 10% to 15% decline in volume the first quarter of 2023 over the fourth quarter of 2022 and a 40% increase in volume in the second quarter over this cold and rainy first quarter.

Now is the time for homebuyers and sellers to start the due diligence for purchasing later

in the year. Call a Realtor and a loan officer today to review your options.

Jim Porter, NMLS No. 276412, is the branch manager of Solano Mortgage, NMLS No. 1515497, a division of American Pacific

Mortgage Corporation, NMLS No. 1850, licensed in California by the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation under the CRMLA / Equal Housing Opportunity. Jim can be reached at 707-449-4777.

Jim Porter

Solano County Listings: Homes for sale

PRICE ADDRESS CITY BEDS BA (F/H) SQ. FT. LOT/AC MLS # PRICE ADDRESS CITY BEDS BA (F/H) SQ. FT. LOT/AC MLS #

$785,000 515 West Cherry St Dixon 4 3/0 2755 0.124 322083817

$4,500,000 6156 Clark Rd Dixon 4 4/0 5906 78.98 322047718

$350,000 225 Pennsylvania Ave #A2 Fairfield 3 2/0 1084 0.0258 322065570

$475,000 363 Santa Susana Ct Fairfield 3 2/0 960 0.13 322103874

$499,000 2373 Cabrillo Dr Fairfield 4 2/0 1704 0.13 322086472

$555,000 2737 Almondwood Wy Fairfield 4 2/1 1512 0.08 322080695

$560,000 832 Tulare Circle Fairfield 4 2/1 1934 6006 322080552

$675,000 223 Madison Street Fairfield 4 1/0 1020 0.17 322105113

$824,999 3032 Muse Wy Fairfield 4 3/0 2841 0.1346 322078149

$875,000 2818 Watson Ct Fairfield 5 3/0 3000 0.1977 322104028

$875,000 5181 Palace Ct Fairfield 5 3/0 3007 0.168 322082111

$1,099,900 3404 Black Mountain Ct Fairfield 5 3/1 4003 0.2146 322100196

$1,144,000 1098 Skywest Ct Fairfield 3 2/1 2709 24455sf 322098903

$420,000 101 Cedar Ridge Dr Rio Vista 2 2/0 1671 0.1293 322064595

$529,900 914 Javan Wy Suisun City 4 20/ 1532 0.14 322105241

$315,000 518 Arcadia Drive Vacaville 2 1/0 990 0.02 323000338

$389,000 146 Isle Royale Cir Vacaville 2 2/0 1212 0.13 322103633

$429,000 101 Isle Royale Cir Vacaville 2 2/0 1152 0.15 322080839

$509,000 424 Mandarin Cir Vacaville 2 2/0 1323 0.1163 322066345

$525,000 484 Manchester Wy Vacaville 3 2/0 1602 0.13 322083162

$550,000 200 Coulter Way Vacaville 3 2/1 2120 0.10 323000798

$567,500 801 S Orchard Ave Vacaville 3 2/0 1230 0.12 322073187

$574,999 296 Plantation Way Vacaville 4 2/1 1840 0.13 322062209

$585,000 148 Shefield Dr Vacaville 4 2/1 1799 0.14 322089957

$589,900 1116 Amber Ridge Ln Vacaville 3 2/1 1990 0.1002 32209946

$589,982 748 Bluebird Dr Vacaville 3 2/0 1478 0.1253 322103320

$665,000 1061 Red Mulberry Ct Vacaville 3 2/0 1898 0.127 322105014

$669,000 324 Crow Canyon Ct Vacaville 4 3/0 2003 0.1913 322100614

$675,000 764 Shannon Dr Vacaville 3 2/1 2262 0.1474 322099214

$685,000 312 Bridgeport Ct Vacaville 4 3/0 2148 0.1258 322104241

$700,000 245 Wykoff Dr Vacaville 2 2/1 1566 0.4332 322103932

$735,000 8024 Claret Court Vacaville 4 3/1 2941 0.16 322074811

$750,000 201 Wrentham Dr Vacaville 5 3/0 2286 0.22 322099300

$807,500 878 Daffodil Dr Vacaville 4 3/1 2762 0.1377 322102280

$1,100,000 896 Granada Ln. Vacaville 4 3.5 3395 16860 322100642

$1,199,000 842 Elderberry Loop Vacaville 5 4/1 4058 0.2947 322043728

$475,000 305 Campbell Ave Vallejo 4 2/0 1686 0.1148 322103190

$499,995 450 Carousel Dr Vallejo 3 2/0 1310 0.1373 322104455

$580,000 701 Keats Dr Vallejo 4 2/0 10500 10018sf 322091636

$629,000 3931 Central Ln Winters 3 2/0 1782 5.52 322102413

$875,000 8457 Plesants Valley Rd Winters 2 1/0 22.16 321006700 $1,500,000 9211 Boyce Road Winters 3 1/1 1500 31.00 322099831

LOTS AND LAND

PRICE ADDRESS CITY LOT/AC SUB TYPE MLS#

$850,000 Gaddini Road Vacaville 14.89 AGRI 322085720 $4,500,000 6156 Clark Rd Dixon 78.98 AGRI 322049465 $225,000 2060 Pinecrest Ct Vacaville 1.15 RESA 322048328 $359,950 Gibson Canyon Vacaville 1.55 RESA 22029146 $399,000 English Hills Rd Vacaville 6.09 RESA 322096839 $399,000 3872 Ciarlo Ln Vacaville 8.96 RESA 322102308 $699,000 3874 Ciarlo Ln Vacaville 19 RESA 322102228 $875,000 8457 Plesants Valley Rd Winters 22.16 RESA 321000406 $15,000,000 Mankas Fairfield RESA 21825708

MOBILE/FLOATING HOME

PRICE ADDRESS CITY BEDS BA(F/H) SQ. FT MLS # $35,000 9 Dali Ct Fairfield 0 0 800 322100984

MULTI-UNIT

PRICE ADDRESS CITY UNITS BLDGS SQFT MLS $735,900 549-551 Pacific Avenue Fairfield 2 1 2479 321043438

bottom of both were colors that matched Superbena Royale Plum Wine to perfection. (Of course, Bob doesn’t say that, he just shows that on the card.)

Superbena Royale Plum Wine verbena is an award-winner and one that has been out for a number of years. With so many flowers available in the industry, you may never have seen it. Last year was a banner year for color in my backyard. Orange, red, blue, yellow and purple colors were in abundance. Oh my gosh, the Superbena Royale Plum Wine stood out like a rare jewel, a color of royalty.

Butterflies were going to it first in March and last in October. I asked myself, how I could have missed this verbena for so many years? Of course, the answer is, if every company has 15 or more verbenas, the independent garden center simply can’t have enough shelf space. There are even more petunias.

Superbena Royale Plum Wine will reach about 12 inches tall with a 2-foot spread, hence the “royale” designation. In contrast, the Superbena Whiteout and Superbena Stormburst will spread 30 to 36 inches in the South. That Superbena Royale Plum Wine was the winner of the Leader of the Pack - Summer title in the North Carolina State JC Raulston Arboretum trials says everything you

need to know.

Superbenas like the Royale Plum Wine need a lot of sun with a soil that drains freely. This is one reason they are so easy in containers. Good, lightweight potting mixes by their nature drain well. Once you have prepared your planting beds as such, you will have one of the best blooming ground covers you can buy.

Superbenas need to be in an active state of growth to get the most riotous blooming performance. This requires you to get to know them, feed them occasionally and cut them back to generate new growth. Leaving woody, tired stems sprawling in the garden or hanging over the rim of your containers will rarely yield the performance

you desire.

If Superbenas could speak, they would tell you they were created to grow and bloom. Cutting out tired stems and giving a light fertilization will reward you with lush green growth and weeks of blooms and usually a perennial performance at The Garden Guy’s zone 8a house. Time will tell if the recent arctic blast followed by several inches of rain did them in.

I tucked my containers, chock-full of verbenas, in the garage for about five days and they all are putting on good growth and even starting to bloom. Those in the ground aren’t showing me anything yet. But even if I have to buy every year, you simply can’t beat the verbena for their performance

and their ability to attract butterflies and hummingbirds.

To me Superbena Royale Plum Wine could be the poster plant for Viva Magenta. Put a large eastern tiger swallowtail on it and you’ve got nature’s version of harmony in color. I’m planning on working with you more on this year’s Viva Magenta color of the year, so stay tuned.

(Norman Winter, horticulturist, garden speaker and author of “Tough-as-Nails Flowers for the South” and “Captivating Combinations: Color and Style in the Garden.” Follow him on Facebook @ NormanWinterTheGardenGuy.)

Advantages

From Page 3

minus-5.1% by Zelman, the National Association of Realtors reports. The Realtors association projects an increase of 1.2% while Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae project decreases of minus-0.2% and minus-1.5%, respectively.

If you consider the big picture and average the expert forecasts for 2023 together, the expectation is for relatively flat or neutral price appreciation in 2023. So, if you’re worried about buying a home because you’re afraid

home prices will crash like they did in 2008, rest assured that’s not what expert projections tell us.

Mortgage rates have risen, but they will come down

While mortgage rates have risen dramatically this year, the rapid increases we’ve seen have moderated in recent weeks as early signs hint that inflation may be easing slightly. Where they’ll go from here largely depends on what happens next with inflation. If inflation does truly begin to cool, mortgage rates may come down as a result.

When that happens, expect more

buyers to jump back into the market. For you, that means you’ll once again face more competition. Buying your house now before more buyers reenter the market could help you get one step ahead.

As Lawrence Yun, chief economist for National Association of Realtors, says: “The upcoming months should see a return of buyers, as mortgage rates appear to have already peaked and have been coming down since mid-November.”

When mortgage rates come down, those waiting on the sidelines will jump back in. Your advantage is getting in

before they do.

Bottom line

If you’re thinking about buying a home, you should seriously consider the advantages today’s market offers. Let’s connect so you can make the dream of homeownership a reality.

Don McDonald (DRE License No. 01436448) is a founding partner of Re/Max Elite Partners (License No. 01215931) in Fairfield. Reach him at 707-495-0774, don@ remaxelitepartners.com or www. remaxelitepartners.com. Locally Focused-Globally Connected.