The Davis Enterprise Friday, February 24, 2023

Turning

Point’s Kirk heads to UCD

By Monica Stark Enterprise staff writer

As part of a spring campus tour, Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk, a controversial conservative activist and radio talk show host, is scheduled to come to UC Davis on Tuesday, March 14, at 7 p.m. Not shying away from political discourse, the tour advertises that “students who disagree will be brought to the front of the line.” His first stop: UC Santa Barbara, Wednesday, March 1.

Kirk’s book, The College Scam: How America’s Universities Are Bankrupting and Brainwashing

Away the Future of America’s Youth,” asks parents why they send their kids to college, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on “a useless degree?” He argues that colleges are filled with far-left professors and that progressives repress speech.

Turning Point USA tweeted on Monday, Feb. 20, that after the student government at Michigan Technological University refused to fund their event, they fought back, and the administration allocated the money.

A week before Kirk’s scheduled UCD arrival, a campuswide town hall on “Free Speech at Public Universities” will be held at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, March 7, in the multipurpose room of the Student Community Center. Moderated by Kevin

See KIRK, Page A5

Art moving in and around

By Anne Ternus-Bellamy Enterprise

writer

Public art will be coming to two new locations in Davis.

The city announced Thursday that the “Balance Beam” — a steel-and-bronze piece that spent 20 years at the corner of Fifth Street and Pole Line Road — will be installed at the Veterans Memorial Theater’s north

lawn. Meanwhile, a “Frog Totem” purchased with city municipal arts funds in 2021, will be installed at San Marino Park.

The “Frog Totem,” created by the late artist Mary Fuller McChesney, is an 8-foot tall concrete composite piece. McChesney made the piece to promote wildlife conservation in her hometown of Petaluma.

The city’s Civic Arts Commission selected the work “because of its universal appeal to all ages, especially children, and its playful nod to the renowned Davis legacy of celebrating and protecting our frogs and other wildlife,” the city noted in a press release.

The sculpture says, “Save the Frogs” in English and “Salva las Ranas” in Spanish.

DHS Club host All Abilities Crafts Fair

By Aaron Geerts Enterprise staff writer

The Davis High School Community Club is a nonprofit powerhouse on a mission to bolster communal bonds through community service — and having fun together while doing so. With a number of successful events already under its belt, the organization of selflessness is gearing up to host an All Abilities Crafts Fair.

Almost two years ago, DHS junior — and DHSCC president — Bailey Paquette started the club with her friends and fellow board members, Grace Hadani, Monica Garibay and Cody Leveau. By collaborating with the Alli-

ance For Education Solutions and the Chang Foundation, the DHSCC was able to obtain its nonprofit status and host their first annual Special Needs Crafts Fair. After a smashing success, the DHSCC is ready for round two of this event they’re now calling the “All Abilities Crafts Fair.”

“The DHSCC recognizes that in many circumstances, neurodivergent (also referred to as special needs) individuals are left out based on factors they cannot control. We see it in sports, at school, almost everywhere we go,” explained Paquette.

“Many DHSCC members have close family/friend

relations to a neurodivergent individual, and find this cause close to our heart. Our goal in hosting this crafts fair is to give neurodivergent individuals an opportunity to connect with their peers in an environment inclusive to everyone, while participating in fun and engaging activities and crafts.”

Last year’s event was attended by nearly 150 families, and had studentrun crafts booths along with a number of neurodivergent business owners running their own booths as well. The DHSCC is hoping to repeat the success of that fun-filled day that

See FAIR, Page A5

The piece will be installed behind the San Marino Park patio on the edge of the open space trail area. Surrounding areas will be closed off during the installation process, the city said.

Meanwhile, the “Balance Beam,” created by artist Cedric Wentworth, will be installed at See ART, Back page

Davis City Council officially ends COVID emergency

By Anne Ternus-Bellamy Enterprise staff writer

The city of Davis will terminate its local COVID-19 emergency effective Feb. 28, the same day the county and state emergency declarations will end.

The Davis City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to end the local emergency, but also directed city staff to look into ways to maintain the increased community participation that was made possible the last three years thanks to remote public meetings.

Through the pandemic, commission meetings

have been conducted over Zoom, allowing live participation, and recordings of the meetings uploaded to the city’s YouTube channel for later viewing.

That was made possible in March 2020 when Gov. Gavin Newsom implemented several exceptions to the Brown Act’s teleconferencing rules to allow local agencies to continue to function during the stay-at-home orders.

That, in turn, marked a significant change from pre-pandemic days in Davis when only City Council and Planning

See COVID, Back page

Cedric Wentworth’s “Balance Beam,” above, will head to the Veteran’s Memorial Center’s north lawn. The beam was previously at the corner of Fifth Street and Pole Line Road. Mary Fuller McChesney’s “Frog Totem” sculpture, left, will be installed at San Marino Park, the city announced.

Courtesy photos

staff

For the record

Wednesday’s Field to Fork column said Nigel Walker runs Eatwell Farm; he is deceased and Lorraine Walker now runs it. Frances Andrews was a co-founder of Eatwell Farm. The caption for the main photo had the names wrong; Andrew Walker is on the right and Eric Walker is on the left. The farmers got garlic cloves from Terra Firma Farm and seed potatoes from Full Belly Farm; no onion starts from Terra Firma. The Enterprise regrets the errors.

About

Water board waives Delta fish rules

By Alastair Bland CalMatters

California’s water board decided Tuesday to temporarily allow more storage in Central Valley reservoirs, waiving state rules that require water to be released to protect salmon and other endangered fish.

The waiver means more water can be sent to the cities and growers that receive supplies from the San Joaquin-Sacramento Delta through the State Water Project and the federal Central Valley Project. The state aqueduct delivers water to 27 million people, mostly in Southern California, and 750,000 acres of farmland, while the Central Valley Project mostly serves farms.

The flow rules will remain suspended until March 31.

Environmentalists reacted today with frustration and concern that the move will jeopardize chinook salmon and other native fish in the Delta that are already struggling to survive.

“The flow standard they relaxed is probably the most important regulation we have,” said Gary Bobker, program director at The Bay Institute. He said the rule is aimed at simulating natural runoff in rivers, which is critical for native fish to reproduce and thrive.

The order from the State Water Resources Control Board, signed by Executive Director Eilleen Sobeck, comes eight days after Gov. Gavin Newsom suspended two state environmental laws and urged the board to act. Water suppliers and growers had criticized the state for “wasting” water during the January

storms by letting it flow through rivers out to sea instead of capturing it in reservoirs.

On the day that Newsom issued his order, the state Department of Water Resources and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation — which oversee reservoirs and water exports in the Delta — petitioned the board to lift the flow rules.

San Francisco Baykeeper Science Director Jon Rosenfield said this is the third year in a row, and the sixth time in 10 years, that the state has waived its rules that set basic flow standards in the Delta. The previous waivers were issued because of severe drought conditions, while the new waiver was triggered by the opposite: high-volume storm conditions.

“The governor is taking water from winter-run Chinook salmon, which just experienced their worst incubation season ever,” Rosenfield said. “The few that remain could be given a better chance of surviving to the ocean. Instead, they’re going to get worse conditions.”

Water that flows through

Council OKs Community Pool contract with DART

By Anne Ternus-Bellamy Enterprise staff writer

The City Council this week approved a contract with Davis Aquadarts (DART) for operation of Community Pool.

The contract is expected to save the city more than $196,000 annually in operating and capital costs.

the Delta and into San Francisco Bay helps young salmon complete their seaward migrations through the estuary, and it improves the estuary’s salinity conditions to the benefit of many species.

If the state’s flow rules had remained in effect, water would have to flow through the Delta at a rate of 29,200 cubic feet per second. But as of Feb. 21, outflow was less than half that,14,300, Rosenfield said.

The water board at its meeting today heard both criticism and congratulations from the public, illustrating the great divide in California.

Sobeck acknowledged in her order that fish benefit from the flow rules and they “are specifically intended to provide for some population growth of native estuarine species.” But after weighing the cost of harming fish with the benefit of providing water for farms and cities, she made the choice “to maintain and expand water supplies given prolonged drought and uncertain climatic conditions.”

Register soon for city’s summer programs

By Anne Ternus-Bellamy Enterprise staff writer

Registration for the city’s summer recreation programs and camps is coming.

The city will have firstcome, first-served, registration for Davis residents only beginning at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, March 8, for some popular camps and swim lessons and again on Wednesday, March 22, for all other programs.

The March 8 programs are restricted to one week per participant and include the always popular Camp Putah, Trekkers, Horse Camp and private swim lessons between June 19 and July 20.

The March 22 programs include all other camps as well as group swim lessons between June 19 and July 20.

The Summer Rec Guide

is now available online at www.cityofdavis.org/recguide Residents are asked to practice logging into the parks registration system and check the household member information.

“Check the age and grade of the youth household members,” the city instructed, adding that “residents should also be familiar with adding programs to the shopping cart prior to registration.”

For more information or

questions, contact Registration@cityofdavis.org or call the department office at 530-757-5626.

Additionally, the city is hosting a Children’s Summer Activity Fair on Wednesday, March 1, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Center, 203 E. 14th St. This free event will have dozens of organizations in attendance that are offering youth programs this summer and residents can get tips on how to register from staff.

DART has leased the complex for more than a decade, ever since the facility was closed to the public as part of the city’s 2011 budget adoption.

Community Pool is one of four city-owned pools and one of two that do not offer public programming. Both Community and Civic pools are used by competitive aquatic users, where Arroyo and Manor pools offer a mix of recreational and competitive activities.

According to consultants, the city has a below-average cost recovery rate for Community Pool and the pool will approach structural failure in less than 10 years.

Under the three-year contract approved by the council Tuesday, DART will assume full financial obligations for the pool and bring the pool into cost-neutral operation for the city.

Community Pool has not been available for recreational swim and lap swim for many years, and that will continue, but DART has agreed to open

the pool for community use on the 4th of July and during Celebrate Davis and has suggested additional community programming such as movie nights, parents night out Friday fun meets. The contract received letters of support from many aquatic groups in Davis, including Davis Water Polo, Davis Aquatic Masters, Team Davis and Aquastarz, according to city staff.

DART’s plan for offering pool time to outside entities would continue as it has in the past, prioritized in the follow ways:

n Priority 1: Historical usage based on groups that have consistently rented Community Pool. This includes groups that specifically require access to an “all deep” pool such as Davis Aquastarz and Davis Water Polo.

n Priority 2: City of Davis co-sponsored groups that specifically require access to an “all deep” pool.

n Priority 3: City of Davis co-sponsored groups

n Priority 4: City of Davis youth groups

n Priority 5: City of Davis adult groups

n Priority 6: All other rental requests.

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

Miguel gutierrez Jr./ CalMatters photo

The water level was low at Shasta Lake on April 25, 2022. As of Feb. 21, 2023, the reservoir was at more than 86% of historic average levels.

Briefly

Public forum looks at CAAP

The city of Davis declared a climate emergency and has drafted an updated Climate Action and Adaptation Plan that has aroused public concerns. Are these concerns valid? What does CAAP include and how might it impact you personally? And what actions and regulations is the state proposing that will impact CAAP as well as you personally?

Come hear Kerry Daane Loux explain it all and answer your questions at 11:15 a.m.

Sunday, Feb. 26, at Davis United Methodist Church, 1620 Anderson Road. Loux is a sustainability coordinator for the city of Davis and project manager for CAAP.

The Final Draft CAAP document and other information is available at https:// www.cityofdavis.org/ sustainability/2020climate-action-andadaptation-plancaap. Of special note, the Overview and Context for the CAAP on Pages 11-12 are useful information in advance of the discussion.

Acme auditions for next play

Acme Theatre Company invites all ninththrough 12th-grade students to participate in its upcoming free comedy in the park, “The Lady Demands Satisfaction” by Arthur M. Jolly — a swordslinging, familyfriendly, queer-downto-our-toes feminist farce.

Auditions will be on March 16, 17 and 18.

Rehearsals will be from 4 to 6 p.m. April 3 through May 26, Monday to Friday, with extended evening rehearsals, May 19-26. Performances will take place Memorial Day weekend, May 26-29 at the Davis Arts Center, 1919 F St. Roles are available for actors; assistant stage managers; technicians to help build the set, props, costumes, lights and sound; and ushers.

To sign up and for information, visit acmetheatre.net/auditions.

Join global climate strike

On March 3, Fridays For Future will stage its next Global Climate Strike. The organization will strike to send a message to world leaders telling them to end fossil finance.

Fridays For Future Davis members have been striking for the climate every Friday for almost three years, pressuring leaders in Davis as well as world leaders to start taking big enough steps to stop the Earth’s plummet into climate chaos. This Global Climate Strike is a time for the Davis community to join us and Fridays For Future groups around the world in demanding climate action from our leaders both local and global.

The group will gather at noon Friday, March 3, at East 14th and B streets in Davis for a march to Central Park with guest speakers and a strike demonstration. For information, reach out to coordinators on Instagram at @fridays forfuture_davis or through email at davis@fridaysfor futureusa.org.

City Council recruits for membership on advisory commissions

By Anne Ternus-Bellamy Enterprise staff writer

The city of Davis is recruiting new members for its advisory commissions.

Applications are now being accepted from residents ages 18 and up to serve on 15 different commissions that advise the council on matters ranging from street safety and natural resources to police accountability and planning.

Commissions gather, analyze and recommend options within their scope of authority to the City Council and “provide an avenue for determining the community’s feelings about issues and extending the reach of the democratic process,” the city noted in a press release.

Commissions have been meeting via zoom during the pandemic but will return to in-person meetings beginning March 1.

The application deadline is Friday, March 31. For an application visit https://www.cityofdavis.org/ city-hall/city-clerk/apply-to-serveon-a-city-commission.

Obituary

Applications may be submitted via email to ClerkWeb@cityofdavis.org, via mail to the City Clerk’s Office at City Hall (23 Russell Blvd., Suite 1, Davis, CA, 95616) or via the drop box located in the City Hall parking lot.

In addition to the application form, commission applicants will participate in a 15-minute interview via Zoom with a council subcommittee and city staff.

Applications are tentatively scheduled to be submitted to City Council for appointment in May. All applications and accompanying documents are considered public information and may be disclosed or released pursuant to the California Public Records Act.

For more information, contact the City Clerk’s Office at 530-7575648 or visit the City of Davis website at: https://www.cityofdavis. org/city-hall/commissions-andcommittees.

“Joining a commission is a great way to share your insight and expertise with our community and be a part of how city decisions are

Ronald Dean Clift

March 5, 1948 — Feb. 10, 2023

Ronald Dean Clift, 74, lost his battle to congestive heart failure, and passed away on Friday, Feb. 10, 2023, at his home in Davis with his wife by his side.

Ron was born on March 5, 1948, in Alamogordo, N.M, and was the son of a career Air Force father. As his dad was transferred, Ron lived in Paris, France; Italy; Midwest City, Okla.; Rapid City, S.D.; Gulfport, Miss.; and small towns in Montana. When his dad retired in Davis in 1963, Ron attended Davis High School, where he played

football and graduated in 1966. After, he went to UC Davis for two years. Ron learned how to code and worked as a manager for EDs and ended his career in technology working for HP.

Ron was an amazing football player and wore his No. 21 for the Blue Devils proudly. In 1965, Ron made a game-winning run that allowed the quarterback to score and beat Woodland High school his senior year. Ron continued his love of sports by becoming an avid golfer. He and

made,” said Mayor Will Arnold.

“We appreciate everyone who donates their time, effort and knowledge to improving our community by serving on a city commission.”

Applications are open for the Bicycling, Transportation, and Street Safety Commission, which advises on matters relating to transportation policy and infrastructure; the Civic Arts Commission, which guides acquisition of public artwork; the Finance and Budget Commission, which analyzes technical, financial and budgeting issues requested by the City Council; The Historical Resources Management Commission, which maintains inventory and recommends designation of historical resources; the Human Relations Commission, which promotes mutual respect, understanding and tolerance; the Natural Resources Commission, which promotes the preservation of natural resources; the Open Space and Habitat Commission, which advises open space issues; the Planning Commission,

his wife would take trips all over the country to play on the best golf courses. Ron’s humor was contagious. He continued interacting with others in the community by going to all his favorite restaurants, and getting to know the workers at Crepeville, Cattlemens, Paesanos, Tres Hermanas and Café Ber-

which reviews land-use decisions; the Police Accountability Commission, which provides communitybased accountability; the Recreation and Park Commission, which advises on public recreation and park planning; the Senior Citizen Commission, which advises on matters relating to policies and programs that serve seniors; the Social Services Commission, which identifies community socialservices needs; the Tree Commission, which renders decisions on tree removal; the Utilities Commission, which makes recommendations on rate-setting principles and reserve policies for Davis utilities; and the Unitrans Advisory Committee, which addresses Unitrans issues brought forward by residents and reviews any proposed Unitrans changes.

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

nardo. Ron and Donna were together for 40 years and married for 39 years.

Ron is survived by his wife Donna Clift; son Ryan Clift; daughters Korie Martinez and Rachel Clift; granddaughter Elysia Martinez; grandson Carter Clift; nieces Lauren (Clift) French, Anna Clift, Sara (Clift) Fefferman, Danielle Alvarez, Jenelle Alvarez, Elizabeth Peters, Monika Peters and Claire Peters; nephews Michael Peters and Timothy Peters; brother-in-law Jeff Peters (Kathy); and sisters-in-law

Cary (Valdrow) Meggers (Jacob) and Cynthia (Peters) Alvarez.

Ron was preceded in death by his parents, Vernon and Eileen Clift, and by brothers Dennis and James Clift.

Ron’s funeral will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, at the Davis Cemetery, with a celebration of his life immediately following at Tres Hermanas. Those who wish to sign a guestbook online may do so at www. smith-funerals.com.

CLIFT

State must do more for child-care providers

By Annette Nicholson Special to CalMatters

It’s 5 a.m. and the stars are still bright in the sky. I’ve already been awake for an hour, preparing to welcome the first family dropping their child off. Over the course of the day, I’ll read books, lead educational activities, watch over nap time and cook three hot meals before the last child gets picked up at 8 p.m.

Then I’ll wake up and do it all over again — seven days a week.

This work isn’t for everyone but I love it. Working communities like mine cannot thrive without child care providers.

Many of us are Black and brown women who exist near poverty, despite the long hours we keep. But this cannot remain the norm. California’s leaders need to eliminate the enduring relics of slavery built into this work which intentionally leaves us behind.

I have a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a masters in public health but left a well-paying medical administration job because it wasn’t fulfilling. I turned back to my roots caring for neighborhood kids when I was growing up in Missouri, and I opened up a home-based child care.

I now welcome seven kids into my home every day — the youngest is 14 months old and the oldest is 12 years old. Some kids are the fourth in their family to spend their vital early learning years with me. And I love and cherish each of them and their families.

But love doesn’t pay my bills. And I barely get by on the $10,000 in annual take-home pay (after expenses).

When my fence went down in one of the horrible storms we experienced last year, I knew I needed to get it fixed immediately for the safety of the children I serve. I also knew that would require tapping into my savings. At 61 years old, the savings I had intended for retirement have mostly gone into emergencies like this so I’m not sure when or if I’ll be able to retire.

Many are shocked to learn California’s child care providers take home so little and wonder how that can be legal. The ugly truth is majority Black workforces — like in-home care workers and child care providers — were intentionally excluded from federal labor protections after the Emancipation Proclamation and continued to be left out of the protections we’re most familiar with today, many provided through the New Deal.

During emancipation, southern white families pushed the “mammy” stereotype — the rotund and happy Black woman who was more family than servant and, therefore, didn’t require fair pay. This self-serving and racist rationale prevailed. Generations of Black women were relegated to raise white kids while earning so little that they had no chance at upward mobility.

This exploitative legacy of racism has no place in 21st-century California, but it’s institutionalized in the reimbursement rates the state pays subsidized child care providers. It’s time that fair wages are provided through increased reimbursement rates. A study funded by behest payments to Gov. Gavin Newsom last year revealed we are paid just 25-30% of the cost of providing care, which leaves our already low wages left to cover the difference.

Enough is enough and fair is fair. The state must reimburse us for the care we provide in full. The current system is morally indefensible. Leaving this practice in place is a values statement – just not one California’s leaders would ever admit supporting.

— Annette Nicholson has been a childcare provider in Stockton for 15 years and is a member of Child Care Providers United. She wrote this for CalMatters, a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California's Capitol works and why it matters.

Big questions for gas companies

Any time one of California’s big privately owned utility companies doubles, triples and even quadruples the bills of its customers (compared with year-ago levels), it’s sensible to ask why. And to wonder whether that company is making windfall profits.

So it is today, when the nation’s biggest natural-gas utility, Southern California Gas Co., over the last two months more than tripled charges to most of its 21.8 million customers. Similar increases were inflicted upon gas customers of SoCalGas’ sister company, San Diego Gas & Electric, which serves 3.7 million gas meters. Both are subsidiaries of San Diegobased Sempra Energy.

For gas, these companies even serve customers in many cities with municipallyowned electric utilities, like Los Angeles.

To all appearances, the gas price hikes have been far more severe in Southern California than north state areas served by PG&E. Here’s a key question: what part does the corporate positioning of SoCalGas and SDG&E play in this?]

For PG&E, SoCalGas and SDG&E all get their gas from essentially the same sources: Drilling and fracking operations in the Mountain West, Texas, Oklahoma and western Canada. But where the price per therm topped out at about $2.30 in Northern California this winter, it has

Letters

Not representing us

For 50 years, the organization California Environmental Voters has released a California Environmental Scorecard where they evaluate and grade the environmental actions of every state legislator. They score our assembly members and senators based on their votes for the year on key environmental issues.

reached well over $3.40 in areas served by the Sempraowned utilities.

A therm is a unit of energy equal to 100,000 BTUs. One BTU, or British thermal unit, is the quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree.

SoCalGas has firmly maintained through the winter that its price hikes are purely the result of higher than usual wholesale gas prices, that the company has simply passed those charges along to customers. That may be literally correct.

But the claim raised eyebrows at California’s most effective consumer advocacy group, the Los Angeles-based Consumer Watchdog. The group put out a brief video contending Sempra’s utilities bought much of their recent supplies from the company’s own trading arm, which reaped large profits. The video is at https://www.youtube.com /watch?v=8SUxoP7LrpQ.

At the same time, Consumer Watchdog claims SoCalGas and SDG&E were

derelict in other areas and that the state Public Utilities Commission (PUC) must investigate its actions. Similar calls for a thorough probe of the price hikes came from California’s Democratic U.S. senators, Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla, who called on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to step in.

Said Feinstein, “These skyhigh and unpredictable rates have had grave effects on my constituents…Many faced the difficult circumstance of having to pay higher heat and electricity prices at the expense of other necessities such as food or housing costs, or choosing to forego heating and the use of home appliances.”

Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court maintains that whoever investigates must ask at least a few questions: Why did Sempra’s utilities fail to hedge contracts or have long term contracts necessary to deliver gas at cheaper off-season rates rather than having to buy at the height of the spot market in mid-winter?

He also asks why SoCalGas, for one, depleted its usually heavy inventories of gas in November and early December, when its pertherm prices were significantly lower and wholesale prices also far lower, rather than setting itself up to have need at the height of the market?

And he wondered how much parent company Sempra made from spot market transactions with its own companies in Southern California.

All are reasonable questions for which consumers need well-documented answers.

One other question also should be raised, given the way that California utilities like PG&E and Southern California Edison long have made up for penalties assessed against them for wrongdoing by raising rates after a bit of time has passed.

This is it: Are the winter’s huge price increases actually a way for SoCalGas to recoup all or most of the $1.8 billion it had to pay in damages for the 2015-16 leaks from its Aliso Canyon storage facility in the hills above the Porter Ranch section of Los Angeles?

And here’s a mandate for the PUC: Get solid answers to all these questions before ever granting another rate increase to either SoCalGas or SDG&E.

Email Thomas Elias at tdelias@aol.com. His book, “The Burzynski Breakthrough, The Most Promising Cancer Treatment and the Government’s Campaign to Squelch It” is now available in a softcover fourth edition. For more Elias columns, visit www.californiafocus.net

Aguiar-Curry received a score of 49% or a fail grade on key California environmental votes for 2022. A common practice of hers is to simply not vote on important issues. She has failed to vote on stopping freeway expansions in environmental justice communities; protecting Californians from toxic lead pipes; reducing plastic waste from online shopping; accelerated climate targets; climate accountability for transportation projects; aligning transportation with climate goals; healthy and heat resilient homes; climate corporate accountability act and stopping big oil’s greenwashing. She voted against the community drinking water protection act.

You can look online at the envirovoters. org 2022 California Environmental Scorecard.

Senator Dodd received a 72% and a C score. Three times, he didn’t vote. He has accepted oil money.

Are our legislators representing you during this climate crisis? They are not representing me. I think most Davis people care deeply about our climate crisis. And 28 legislators got a 100% scorecard. Why didn’t our legislators get 100%?

We need climate action. It is urgent. Let’s repeatedly call our representatives and ask them to do better and really address our climate crisis. Put their phone numbers next to your phone so you can call them rapidly and often.

Assemblywoman Aguiar-Curry is at 530757-1034, Senator Dodd is at 916-6514003.

Jean Jackman Davis

enterprise

Foy S. McNaughton President and CEO

R. Burt McNaughton Publisher

Sebastian Oñate

Editor

Speak

All parents matter

Upon reading the special letter submitted by the Davis Schools Foundation Board of Directors on Feb. 7, “Commentary: Trans kids need our support, despite threats,” I have a message to parents with perspectives contrary to the views of the DSF Board and Rachael Pepper: You are not alone with your concerns regarding the impact of gender curriculum in the schools and your opinion counts! I encourage you to be a part of the discussion and share your perspectives with the community.

I am the mother of three children in the district and have lived in Davis nearly 40 years. Despite being characterized as promoting hate and discrimination, concerned parents who disagree with the views of the DSF board and Rachel Pepper, are still valued and caring members of this community, wanting to create a nurturing environment for the wellbeing of all our kids.

The DSF stated, “Our community sometimes appears to exist beneath a bubble that insulates it from the passions and perils impacting the larger world outside our town.” While I agree that in many ways Davis is insulated, we should never insulate ourselves from listening to the various perspectives within our community. Having curiosity to understand one another and listening to each other is what makes us stronger as a community,

224-3553; email: https://www.padilla .senate.gov/contact/contact-form/

not being ignorant to diverse perspectives.

The DSF promotes only one viewpoint on the controversial topic of gender ideology in school, as evidenced by their choice of speakers and organizations they promote. They believe their view is the only acceptable opinion, however this one-sided approach is not helping parents to be fully informed of the complexities of this issue. Is having a different opinion from the DSF or Rachel Pepper considered promoting “socially acceptable hate”?

While serious threats should be investigated, too often these claims are used to discourage critical thinking and civil discourse; a trend that seems to be accelerating within our culture.

The opinions of all parents matter and should be considered since actions taken in school impact all our children and families.

Kathleen Seiler Davis

We welcome your letters

Include address and phone number 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 letters for brevity or clarity. Mail to The Davis Enterprise, P.O. Box 1470, Davis, CA 95617; or email newsroom@davisenterprise.net.

California Senate

President The Hon. Joe Biden, The White House, Washington, D.C., 20500; 202-456-1111 (comments), 202-456-1414 (switchboard); email: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact

U.S. Senate

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, 331 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20510; 202224-3841; email: http://feinstein.senate. gov/public/index.cfm/e-mail-me

Sen. Alex Padilla, 112 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20510; 202-

House of Representatives

Rep. Mike Thompson, 268 Cannon Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20515; 202225-3311. District office: 622 Main Street, Suite 106, Woodland, CA 95695; 530-7535301; email: https:// https://mikethomp sonforms.house.gov/contact/

Governor Gov. Gavin Newsom, State Capitol, Suite 1173, Sacramento, CA 95814; 916-4452841; email: visit https://govapps.gov. ca.gov/gov40mail/

Sen. Bill Dodd, State Capitol, Room 5063, Sacramento, CA 95814; 916-651-4003; fax: 916-651-4903; email: visit sd03.senate.ca. gov. District office: 555 Mason St., Suite 275, Vacaville, CA 95688; 707-454-3808; fax: 707-454-3811.

California Assembly Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, State Capitol, P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento, CA 94249-0004; 916-319-2004; fax: 916319-2104; email: visit www.asm.ca.gov/ aguiar-curry. District office: 600 A St., Suite D, Davis, CA 95616; 530-757-1034

KIRK: Last UCD Turning Point event resulted in a near-riot

Johnson, dean of the School of Law, the town hall will “discuss the role and responsibilities of public universities in supporting free speech,” according to a press release.

Participating in the panel discussion will be Ashutosh Bhagwat, professor in the School of Law; Michelle Deutchman, executive director of the UC National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement; Gregory Downs, professor of history and chair of the Academic Senate Committee on Academic Freedom and Responsibility; and Brian Soucek, professor in the School of Law.

In a YouTube video on Jan. 23, Chancellor Gary S. May discusses how colleges and universities promote the expression of ideas and free speech. “As a public university, the connection between fostering a teaching and learning environment and allowing free speech is something we are obligated to uphold. We are obligated under the First Amendment, but we are also guided by our

Principles of Community, which calls for us to recognize that there are different perspectives and to commit ourselves to nonviolent exchange and the highest standards of conduct and decency toward all,” May said.

He acknowledges that over the last few years, as ideas behind freedom of expression have become more heated and divisive and when civic engagement takes place in a higher-ed environment, the event itself or activities around have become flashpoints for free speech-related controversy and backlash.

“Those incidents make it hard for everyone and cause further stress,” he said. At the same time, he said: “We can’t close off our campus to people some may disagree with.”

As the same free speech protections guided the Civil Rights Movement, they extend to those with “abhorrent views who choose to spread hate,” May continued. He asks how negative influences on campus can be dealt with. Quoting Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “Darkness

Hattie Weber Museum looks back at Selma march

Special to The Enterprise

The Hattie Weber Museum celebrates Black History Month with a new exhibit, "Davis Bus to Alabama 1965." Eleven photographs present the story of 34 Northern Californians who answered Martin Luther King, Jr.'s call for supporters of African-American voting rights to join his protest march, which had started in Selma and would end in Montgomery.

On March 21, 1965, 27 of them, from Davis and Woodland, boarded a chartered bus at Davis Community Church. Seven more would join at a stop in Sacramento.

Gerald Friedberg, a UCD professor, took the photos in the exhibit. They show the group

boarding the bus, three days later standing along the highway watching for King and his marchers, joining them for the final 15 miles, and the next day, marching through the city's neighborhoods to meet Gov. George Wallace at the Capitol. The presence in several photos of helicopters and National Guardsmen reminds us that the possibility of encountering violence was a constant concern.

Copies of short accounts of the experience, by Friedberg and the Rev. Duane Proett (pastor of Davis Community Church in 1965), will be available for those who would like more information. The museum, at 445 C Street, is open on Saturdays from 10 a.m. 4 p.m.

cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”He mentioned how UC Davis is partnering with the city of Davis and Yolo County on a new initiative called Hate-Free Together.

“I encourage you to get involved in Hate-Free Together and reconnect with our community,” he said, adding that details will be forthcoming.

As UCD, Davis and Yolo County formed Healthy Davis Together and Healthy Yolo Together, they are now advancing Hate-Free Together. “Starting in 2023, the campaign will invite the entire community to help condemn hate, create safety and cultivate change, and encourage an environment that promotes inclusiveness, celebrates diversity and rejects hate and bias in all forms,” according to a Dec. 1, 2022 press release.

According to an Enterprise article in October 2022, a brawl between “roughly 100 protesters and counterprotesters” led to a decision by UCD to cancel a

Turning Point USA event. UCD officials responded that officers were on site, brought in private security officers, and established a perimeter around the conference center following a safety plan created with Student Affairs. No serious injuries were reported, according to the article.

Turning Point blamed Antifa for the scuffle, and the Davis Phoenix Coalition inculpated the locally known faction of Proud Boys, who attended the protest donning clothing with Proud Boys logos, according to the article.

Since the brawl, a Change.org petition, titled “Disband White Nationalist Club TP USA at UC Davis” has garnered 855 signatures out of the stated goal of 1,000.

Statements in the petition include questioning “how a group that harasses minority clubs on campus and actively defends the extrajudicial murder of minorities in the streets is conducive to UC’s goal of creating an environment conducive to the discussion of diverse

ideas and point of view.”

The petition calls out a December 2017 TPUSA conference, whereby “attendee Juan Pablo Andrade was recorded telling several other conference attendees that ‘The only thing the Nazis didn’t get right is they didn’t keep f-----g going!’”

Also, the petition states that TPUSA “commentator” Candace Owens “has repeatedly defended the false and racist narrative that George Floyd died of a fentanyl overdose, and has been quoted saying that “Hitler just wanted to make Germany great.’”

According to the Daily Herald, a suburban Chicago newspaper, Kirk’s planned visit to Crystal Lake, Illinois, this weekend inspired a petition on MoveOn. org seeking to get the Holiday Inn to “stop hosting extremists” in the area, calling Kirk a “right-wing extremist.” As of Tuesday, it garnered nearly 800 signatures, stated the Herald.

— Contact Monica Stark at monica@davisenterprise.net.

FAIR: Volunteers look after specific needs

From Page A1

took place at the Heart Craft Studio in Rancho Cordova where this year’s event will also be taking place.

“It’s going to be close to the same thing as last year. We’ll be hosting 10, student-run crafts booths which will feature crafts and activities specifically chosen to cater to our special-needs attendees. And just like last year, we’ll be hosting as many neurodivergent, small business vendors as we can and all neurodivergent business owners interested are welcome to host a booth at the fair,” said Paquette.

“Last year we had an amazing time not only

creating an environment that brings together people of all abilities and is inclusive to everyone, but also providing these vendors with an opportunity to showcase their amazing, handmade creations.

“Like last year, there was this sweet girl who brought repurposed stuffed animals that she attached different parts of other stuffed animals she upcycled and made it into something new. There was also a boy who made his own soap, and we had some really cool vendors.”

The cherry on top of this event is the fact that it’s 100% student-run — other than the help of the Heart Craft Studio, of course. While many may not find

volunteering enjoyable, the student volunteers of the DHSCC flip that notion on its head as they knock out event after event with smiles on their faces.

“My favorite part of last year was seeing how happy everyone was working together. Like I mentioned before, school and other settings have people being separated by factors they can’t control and this event hosts willing volunteers who are looking to include everyone and meet the special needs of individuals whose needs may not be met at other crafts fairs,” said Paquette.

“For example, there’s a ‘calm station’ which we used a lot last year when kids are overstimulated or

need a break. We have a lot of things to help with that kind of stuff and I feel like those things may not be considered as much if it were just a regular crafts fair.”

The All Abilities Crafts Fair will return Saturday, March 11, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Heart Craft Studio, 3054 Sunrise Blvd. in Rancho Cordova. For more information, reach out to the DHSCC by email at dhscommunity club@gmail.com. Everyone is welcome to attend, attendance is free, but donations are always encouraged. — Reach Aaron Geerts at aaron.geerts@ mcnaughton.media.

COVID: Council supports continued remote access

Commission meetings were accessible via livestream and recorded. Members of the public interested in all other meetings had to show up in person.

The change increased public participation.

“We’ve had great public participation during COVID and maybe seen, if anything, more public participation than before and it’s been very convenient for commissioners to be able to participate from home,” said City Attorney Inder Khalsa.

“Unfortunately,” she said, “the Legislature does not take that view of things and with the end of the (California) state of emergency, which comes on Feb. 28, we will no longer be able to operate under those COVID remote meeting rules.

“It’s the end of the state of California state of emergency around COVID that changes the rules with respect to remote participation,” she added.

Beginning March 1, said City Manager Mike Webb, Brown Act bodies — including some 20 city advisory commissions and committees — will resume in-person meetings.

But council members indicated a desire to keep the public participation gains seen over the last three years.

Councilwoman Gloria Partida, for example, asked if it would be possible to continue recording meetings.

Webb replied that there has been quite a bit of conversation at the staff level about that.

“I would say the short answer to that is technology would allow for it; the staff resources as currently allocated do not. It effectively takes a staff person in person to help run the in-person meeting. It would take another person to run a Zoom platform operating at the same time, particularly if … there was any interactive component of that — public comment, presentations, things like that,” Webb said.

“There are other considerations.

For example, doing an audio recording of a Brown Act meeting, a commission meeting, and posting that recording online is probably the least staff-intensive approach to memorializing a meeting that’s taken place … but it has limitations on the user side of things.”

Assistant City Manager Kelly Stachowicz added that because the

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 are Daisy (A181697) and her son Spooky (A181700). This 6-year-old sweetheart has been waiting for a forever family for seven months.

Daisy is a loving, loyal and very affectionate pointer. She loves exploring on outings and meeting new friends. Daisy has lived with other dogs.

Also hoping for a good home is Felicity (A198986), a lovely 6-year-old German shepherd who is very affectionate and who is passionate about going on

day trips. Felicity enjoys long walks and especially loves to be groomed. Felicity knows obedience commands and because she loves treats as rewards is motivated to continue.

For information on adopting, contact adoptycas@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 Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. To meet any adoptable YCAS animals, visit friendsofycas.org. To volunteer, sign up at

city has so many Brown Act meetings, not all the meetings can take place in the community chambers at City Hall, which is equipped with the audio and visual technology for recording and livestreaming.

“We do have several meetings that take place in the conference room adjacent and some meetings that take place in the (Davis Senior Center),” Stachowicz said. “Each of those rooms have some challenges to doing recordings or things like that… so if it was council’s interest in us doing full recordings of things, we would have to work through how best to do those…”

That’s exactly what council members directed staff to do.

“I, personally, really appreciated the remote meetings, especially for some of these commissions (and committees),” said Mayor Will Arnold. “If it were up to me, some of those would remain Zoom meetings forever.

“If I were to lobby our state legislators,” he added, “I would want them to amend the Brown Act so that some of those things are allowed. But that’s not the situation that we’re in right now… That brings us to the question of whether we are able to solidify some of the public access gains that

were achieved over the course of the pandemic and that would be … remote access to meetings.

“You could have live recording,” he said, “where folks are at least able to tune in to all of our commission meetings. Or you could do a posthumous recording where it’s recorded and it can be uploaded and somebody could listen to it later like a wonderful podcast.”

Either way, Arnold said, “I am very interested in exploring all of those options… I would like to see staff explore the ways that we can make this work, the technology that we may have available currently…”

Webb said staff would probably want to try out those options “in some real-time settings.”

“Probably not at every commission meeting,” he said, “but we’d probably pick a few commission meetings that are coming up over the course of the next month or six weeks or so to try some things and see how they work in real time and allow that to inform our analysis coming back to you.”

The council ultimately voted unanimously to direct city staff to do exactly that and return in April with options.

ART: Frog sculpture in the park

From Page A1

the Veterans Memorial Center. The beam, which measures 21 feet long, is an example of Wentworth’s postmodern sculpture work. Wentworth created the beam in 1999 and it was donated to the city of Davis by James Kidd. As with the “Frog Totem,” when the beam is installed, surrounding areas will be closed off “and the public is asked to maintain a safe distance from the work area,” the city said. Residents can provide feedback or obtain additional information by contacting Rachel Hartsough, the city’s arts and culture manager, at rhartsough@cityofdavis.org.

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

tinyurl.com/yolovolunteerapp. Follow on at @ ycas.shelter and Instagram at @yoloanimalshelter.

At Rotts of Friends Animal Rescue, you’ll find Cheeky, a young, gray-andwhite spayed female French bulldog. She is a very sweet and affectionate girl who loves playing with other small dogs.

Because of her small size she doesn’t require a lot of exercise. She loves

cuddling up with her favorite people.

Julius is a handsome young neutered male red Doberman. Julius is a big, strong boy so he needs an owner who will be in charge. He’s very peoplefriendly but because of his energy, Rotts is looking for a home with no young children. He came to the shelter as a tripod, but missing a leg doesn’t slow this boy down at all. Julius

has had some obedience training already.

The next Rotts of Friends adoption event is from 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, 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.

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/ rottsoffriends.

Daisy & Spooky

Felicity

Cheeky Julius

Oscar shorts: Good things in small packages

Strong entries mark this year’s crop

By Derrick Bang Enterprise film critic

Many of the past several years’ worth of Academy Award-nominated live-action shorts have been grim and unbearably depressing.

Happily, this year’s voters have regained their senses of balance and humor, while still focusing on relatable real-world issues. Rest assured: Two of them still pack a gut-punch.

Unhappily, the Academy members who selected the animated entries remain too willing to reward weird style over narrative substance: a shortcoming that definitely compromises two of those entries.

But let’s start on a happier animated note. Australian director Lachlan Pendragon’s “An Ostrich Told Me the World Is Fake, and I Think I Believe It” is a droll claymation riff on 1998’s “The Truman Show” (and further inspired, Pendragon explains, by the 1953 Chuck Jones Warner Bros. cartoon, “Duck Amuck”).

A young telemarketer has long focused on toaster sales in an office crowded with numerous phone-bank workers … until, quite unexpectedly, the large avian of this film’s title informs him of a much larger world beyond his office walls.

Suddenly made aware that he has no knowledge of his childhood or upbringing — as also is the case with all his co-workers — our hero’s disorientation shoots into hyperdrive after realizing that his actions are controlled by Something Out There.

2023 Oscar shorts

Unrated, with some entries not suitable for children

James

Sandum

Available via: Movie theaters

Pendragon’s 11-minute film doesn’t really have a point, but it’s fun to watch.

That isn’t the case with Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby’s “The Flying Sailor,” a bizarre and clumsily animated depiction of an urban legend that emerged in the wake of the horrific 1917 Halifax Harbour explosion: the largest human-made explosion at the time, equivalent to 2.9 kilotons of TNT.

As the legend developed over time, an English sailor was sent skyward, blown out of his clothes, and landed — unharmed — two kilometers uphill. Canadians Forbis and Tilby intend their 7-minute short to be a parable on making peace with the moment, as one’s life flashes before panicked eyes … but the execution is too sloppy to be effective.

American filmmaker Sara Gunnarsdóttir’s “My Year of Dicks,” based on Pamela Ribon’s mortifying memoir “Notes to Boys (And Other Things I Should Not Share in Public),” is even more visually off-putting. Pam is an imaginative 15-year-old girl determined to lose her virginity, but the male pickings in 1990s

small-town Texas are a decidedly sorry lot; over the course of five chapters, she shuffles from one loser to the next, amid much profanity and sexually explicit dialogue. (This one is not for children.)

Although the narrative is at times wincingly funny — women will relate far more easily than men — the erratically colored, quasi-rotoscoped animation style is difficult to watch, and seriously detracts from the story. At 25 minutes, it becomes a slog. Fans of classic, hand-drawn animation will adore director Peter Baynton and Charlie Mackesy’s “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse,” faithfully adapted from the latter’s bestselling 2019 children’s book of the same title. This is the category’s prestige entry: executive produced by (among others) J.J. Abrams and Woody Harrelson, with the characters voiced by young Jude Coward Nicoll (the Boy), Tom Hollander (the Mole), Gabriel Byrne (the Horse) and Idris Elba (the Fox).

The story concerns a little boy, lost in a wintry wilderness, who desperately wishes to find his home. As he encounters and befriends a trio of creatures, this focus takes a back seat to quietly meditative explorations of kindness, friendship, empathy, humanity and resilience. In the words of the Mole, “If at first you don’t succeed, have some cake.”

This was a UK Christmas special just a few months ago. It’s certainly charming, but the conclusion is a bit unsatisfying. I mean, seriously?

My favorite is Portuguese director João Gonzalez’s “Ice Merchants,” a delicate parable set in an impossible alternate reality, where a father and son reside in a vertiginous house fastened to the side of a massive glacier. Each night they produce chipped ice; each day they parachute thousands of feet to the village far below, to sell the ice and thus earn money for provisions … and fresh caps, to replace those blown off during the lengthy descent.

(Getting back to their house,

Lush, hand-drawn animation is a highlight of “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse,” in the same style as the illustrations in Charlie Mackesy’s popular children’s book of the same title.

Courtesy photo

each afternoon, is a droll study in engineering ingenuity.)

The slightly scratchy handdrawn animation perfectly suits this fascinating 14-minute saga, which climaxes with a subtle nod to the devastating effects of global warming.

Moving to the live-action entries, all five are thoroughly engaging (although one, at 37 minutes, outstays its welcome).

My favorite: “An Irish Goodbye,” a hilarious study of fractured family dynamics from co-directors Tom Berkeley and Ross White. Estranged brothers Turlough (Seamus O’Hara) and Lorcan (James Martin) are re-united following their mother’s death. Turlough fled years ago, not able to handle his brother’s Down Syndrome; Lorcan remained behind, to help their mother run the family farm.

But with this parent gone, Turlough wishes to sell the farm, much to Lorcan’s anger. He therefore extracts a promise that

See SHORTS, Page B2

Rhythmic rumbas and booming taiko drums at Mondavi this weekend

By Jeff Hudson Enterprise correspondent

Rhythmic, danceable rumbas from the Caribbean island of Cuba, and thunderous drumming in a style that originated in ancient Japan, will be showcased in different performances at the Mondavi Center this weekend.

Alfredo Rodríguez and Pedrito Martinez

Afro-Cuban jazz stalwarts Alfredo Rodríguez and Pedrito Martinez team up at the Mondavi Center on Saturday, Feb. 25, at 7:30 p.m. in Jackson Hall.

Martinez (born 1973) is a percussionist, favoring hand drums, and a singer as well. Martinez grew up in Havana's Cayo Hueso neighborhood, and at an early age, he developed an interest in traditional African-derived rumba rhythms and dance. Martinez is also steeped in African-derived religious

tradition — his biography indicates that he is a Santería priest.

Rodríguez (born 1985) is a pianist (and singer). He received training in Havana's classical music conservatories, where he studied keyboard music by European composers from the Baroque-era's J.S. Bach through 20th Century figures like Igor Stravinsky. But growing up in Cuba, Rodríguez also listened to dance music at clubs, and soon developed an ear for Afro-Cuban music and jazz, which becomes evident anytime Rodríguez gets together to perform with Martinez.

Both Martinez and Rodríguez settled in New York during the late 1990s, and their common interest in Cuban music eventually led to their collaborative album "Duologue" (released in 2019 on the Mack Avenue label), which included their own adaptation of the iconic pop song "Thriller," famously associated with the King of Pop, Michael Jackson — in their

adaptation, Rodríguez and Martinez give "Thriller" a natural-sounding rumba groove that has surprised and delighted many listeners.

Tickets are $49-$25 general, with discounts for students, online at MondaviArts.org and at the door.

Yamato

The Japanese taiko drumming group Yamato — a local favorite — returns to Jackson Hall at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26. Expect a crowd.

Taiko drumming goes back hundreds of years in Japan. In the feudal times, battles between opposing clans often featured thunderous drumming on the sidelines, intended to sustain a fighting spirit among the troops (just as back in the 1700s, fife and drum corps provided stirring military music during battles in this country's Revolutionary War).

Nowadays, Japanese taiko drumming has become a popular Japanese cultural export ... you don't need to learn Japanese in order to be impressed by

the booming sound, and admire the physical stamina and muscular strength of the performers. Taiko drummers nowadays train like Olympic athletes, and taiko drummers can develop the sculptured physique of Olympic athletes as well.

Yamato's shows involve tightly choreographed movement. The smaller drums are carried ’round the stage, and the drummers wear costumes (which tend to show off the welldeveloped physique of the men). There are props, pounding rhythms, cycling melodies, dramatic stage lighting, sometimes misty stage fog.

In the reverberant acoustic setting of Jackson Hall, the sound of all those drums in unison can be downright thunderous. (And that booming sound, along with the spectacle of athletic performers wailing away on huge drums, can captivate certain kids at an impressionable age — note that Yamato's performance at Mondavi is at 2 p.m.,

rather than an evening show... this was undoubtedly deliberate.)

The drumming company Yamato bears an ancient name. The city of Nara (home to a world-famous Buddhist temple built well over 1,000 years ago) was once Japan's capital when the region was known as Yamato. The drumming group Yamato is relatively recent by comparison ... this year marks the group's 30th anniversary. During the past three decades, the Yamato drumming company has toured the world again and again, performing literally thousands of shows.

Taiko performers have been a popular element of the Mondavi Center's programming ever since the Center opened in 2002. The few remaining seats available for Yamato's Saturday matinee performance are mostly in the Upper Tier balcony; the downstairs is almost sold out. $65-$49 general, with discounts for students, online at MondaviArts.org.

Courtesy photo

The Mondavi Center will feature the athletic, high-energy taiko drumming of Yamato on Sunday.

Martin, Paddy Jenkins, Nawelle Evad, Mila Heilmann Kreutzmann, Sigrid Kandal Husjord, Ola Hoemsnes

SHORTS: More balanced lineup makes for easier watch

Turlough will remain long enough to complete the items on their mother’s bucket list of things she always wanted to do: a series of increasingly unlikely activities that must be accomplished in the company of their mother’s ashes, within an urn protectively carried by Lorcan.

Paddy Jenkins is a stitch as Father O’Shea, blessed with the gift of saying the worst possible thing at every opportunity.

Norwegian director Eirik Tveiten’s “Night Ride” is similarly droll, while making perceptive points about friendship, tolerance and inclusiveness. On a cold, wet winter night, Ebba (Sigrid Kandal Husjord) waits for the tram to take her home; when its driver shows little interest in maintaining his schedule, she impulsively takes matters into her own hands.

The situation becomes more complicated when additional passengers embark, most notably a delicate young woman named Ariel (Ola Hoemsnes Sandum). Events threaten to turn ugly, but then … ah, but that would be telling.

Director Alice Rohrwacher’s “Le Pupille,” set in a girls’ Catholic

school in 1940s Italy, is this category’s prestige entry, with Alfonso Cuarón among its many producers. It’s Advent season, but food is scarce during these war years; even so, one cunning little girl (Melissa Falasconi) is determined to somehow snatch a piece of Christmas cake from the equally wily Mother Superior (Alba Rohrwacher).

All of the young actresses are adorable, and their efforts to bend and/or breaks the nuns’ strict rules are endearing … but, at 37 minutes, this slight story takes far too long to reach its conclusion.

Danish director Anders Walter’s “Ivalu,” based on a graphic novel by Morten Dürr and Lars Horneman, slides into more serious territory. The story, set among an Inuit village in the Greenlandic wilderness, flirts with magic realism as young Pipaluk (Mila Heilmann Kreutzmann) wakens one morning to discover that her older sister Ivalu (Nivi Larsen) is missing.

The girls live with their father (Angunnguaq Larsen), who seems oddly unconcerned about Ivalu’s disappearance. Pipaluk’s subsequent search for her sister, a

quest seemingly guided by an overhead raven, takes place amid the towering mountains, glaciers, fjords and icy expanse of this hostile but gorgeous landscape; flashback memories show the sisters enjoying each other’s company during happier times.

We know where this is going, but that doesn’t make the outcome — a young girl rudely confronted, quite harshly, by adult concerns — any less powerful.

Best of all, though, is “The Red Suitcase,” by Luxembourg-based

Iranian filmmaker Cyrus Neshvad — the most suspenseful, tension-laden 17 minutes I’ve spent in a long time. Dialogue is minimal; the story draws its power from the young star’s shattering performance, and Neshvad’s Hitchcockian finesse with set-up and viewer expectation.

Ariane (Nawelle Evad), a veiled 16-year-old Iranian girl, deplanes at the Luxembourg Airport late one night, her only luggage a small red suitcase. She’s clearly terrified of having to head into

the concourse of arriving passengers.

Her concern becomes clear when we spot an impatient middle-aged man, carrying an unlikely bouquet, apparently waiting for somebody.

What subsequently transpires is a riveting, creepy-crawly dive into the seamy world of child brides and human trafficking: Neshvad’s spot-on and impressively timely show of solidarity toward Iranian women currently fighting for their rights.

Advocacy cinema doesn’t get much better.

The Academy Awardnominated animated, live-action and documentary shorts will screen March 5-11 at Sacramento’s Crest Theater. For additional information, visit http://shorts. tv/theoscarshorts.

— Be sure to join Derrick when he hosts 1966’s “The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming” at 7:01 Sunday, Feb. 26, as the second in a series of classic military comedies, presented at the Davis Odd Fellows Hall, 415 Second St. Read more of his film criticism at http:// derrickbang.blogspot.com. Comment on this review at www. davisenterprise.com.

UC Davis theatrical installation explores Ukrainian refugee crisis

Special to The Enterprise

Ignited by the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, “REFUGE – An Immersive Theatrical Installation” will be presented as a work in development by the UC Davis Department of theatre and dance. Conceived, directed, designed and composed by Granada

Artists-in-Residence David

Adam Moore and Victoria (Vita) Tzykun, “REFUGE” draws from Tzykun’s own experience as a Ukrainian refugee who fled with her family in 1990.

It will be performed March 2-5 and March 9-10 at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. in the Main Theater, Wright Hall.

“REFUGE” will be presented in an immersive, talk-through environment and will explore the universal subjects of home; belonging; ties to one’s heritage, language and cultural identity; stability versus chaos; separation; grief; and hope.

“What triggered the need to create ‘REFUGE’ is an intense feeling that it was my home that was being

invaded on February 24, 2022,” said Tzykun. “Like many of us in the Ukrainian expat community, I am actively, deeply worried about my friends and family in the region whose lives were being endangered and uprooted. But this sense of connection to the place is an unexpected feeling, as my family left Odessa (Ukraine) in 1990, and since then, I have been thinking that I no longer have a ‘home’ and that I am a ‘citizen of the world’ with no anchor.”

As co-creator, Moore addressed the production’s universal themes of displacement beyond the Ukrainian crisis.

“Working with a live situation as the core element of our storytelling demands great care and sensitivity from all of the creators involved,” he said. “It also brings a deeper level of responsibility and engagement for student performers tasked with creating characters who embody the experiences of millions of refugees from many times and places throughout human history.”

“No Fear” by Janine Echabarne. Her figurative pieces reflect the environment and inner states of being human.

Courtesy photo

Moore said that out of respect for the circumstances and experiences of those currently ensnared in the Ukraine crisis, “we’ve pointed the focus of this work not on the depiction of the current situation, but on a central question raised by the Russian invasion of Ukraine: What is home?”

He says this question is universally relevant

because everyone is in some way connected to the refugee experience. “From Indigenous people of California who were displaced from their ancestral lands, to Africans violently taken from their homes and forced into slavery, to Ukrainians who are currently struggling to find shelter in other parts of the world, we all carry traces of

previous homes within our bodies, our psyches, our stories, songs, cuisine and culture..”

Tzykun, a director, designer and multimedia artist, has designed for companies such as the Norwegian Opera, the Bolshoi Theater, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Santa Fe Opera, LA Opera and Houston Grand Opera, among

others. Her film and TV credits include design and art direction for Lady Gaga, production design for several award-winning films, and commercials for leading brands such as PBS, DirectTV and Qualcomm. Tzykun currently serves as a faculty member of the New York University Tisch School of the Arts and the National Theater Institute. Alongside Moore, Tzykun is a founding member of GLMMR, a New York City-based interdisciplinary art collective that fuses the worlds of fine art, audiovisual technology and live performance. The immersive installation is a journey that patrons walk through for a duration of about one hour. Latecomers will not be admitted.

Adult tickets are $10, faculty/staff tickets are $8, and student/senior tickets are $5. Tickets may be purchased at the UC Davis Ticket Office on the north side of Aggie Stadium, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays; by phone 530-752-2471; or online at theatredance. ucdavis.edu.

Artery hosts ceramics by Echabarne

Special to The Enterprise

Primarily known for her jewelry at the Artery since 1986, Janine Echabarne is making her ceramic debut in the Artery Gallery in downtown Davis with “Clay Selfie,” an exhibition running from March 3 to 27.

Echabarne has been creating with clay since the pandemic lockdown in 2020. The functional

pieces are sculptural planters for cactus and succulents. The purely figurative pieces reflect the environment and inner states of being human. The exhibition also includes simple unset stone pendants and designs in metal that are a bit risky in their designs.

Echabarne is delighted that guest artists Eddie O. Rodriguez, paintings, and Kiyono Kishi, collage,

are joining her.

The Artery, 207 G St. in downtown Davis, is open seven days a week; Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

The Artery will be open from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, March 10, for the reception of “Clay Selfie.” This coincides with the Davis Second Friday ArtAbout.

Courtesy photo

In “An Irish Goodbye,” Lorcan (James Martin, right) is grief-stricken over the loss of their mother, but his brother Turlough (Seamus O’Hara) just wants to sell the family farm and move on.

Katherine hung/uC regents photo

Designer and creator Vita Tzykun works with scenic element of “REFUGE.”

YOLOlaughs

By Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

By Scott Adams

Stephan Pastis

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: STEPHEN COLE CASE NO PR2023-0037

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate or both of STEPHEN COLE

A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by EVAN COLE in the Superior Court of California County of YOLO

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that EVAN COLE be appointed as person al representative to administer the estate of the decedent

THE PETITION requests the decedent's WILL and codicils, if any be admitted to probate The WILL and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court

THE PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act (This authority will allow the personal representative t o take many actions without obtaining court approval Before taking certain very important actions however the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action )

The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause wh y the court should not grant the authority

A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows:

03/21/23 at 9:00AM located at 1000 MAIN STREET WOOD-

LAND, CA 95695

IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney

IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issua n c e o f l e t t e r s t o a g e n e r a l p e r s o n a l r e p r e s e n t a t i v e a s defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or pers onal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law

YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court If you are a person interested in the estate you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of t he filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250 A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk

Attorney for Petitioner

STACEY K BRENNAN - SBN 242765

BOUTIN JONES INC

555 CAPITOL MALL, SUITE 1500 SACRAMENTO CA 95814

2/24 2/26 3/3/23

CNS-3672449# THE DAVIS ENTERPRISE

CA 95695 (APN: 027-430-001)

A public hearing on the proposed project is scheduled at the Yolo County Department of Community Services The Yolo County Zoning Administrator will consider the following matter on Monday March 6, 2023, at 11:00 AM or as soon thereafter as may be heard in the Cache Creek Room at 292 West Beamer Street in Woodland

ZF # 2 0 2 2 -0 0 8 0 : Pu b li c hea ri ng to consi der a re ques t fo r a Use Permit for a County determination of Public Convenience and Necessity for an ABC Permit to sell beer and wine at the C h e v r o n P o w e r M a r k e t i n W o o d l a n d a n d d e t e r m i n e t h e project is exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) based on the common sense exemption [CEQA G u i d e l i n e s S e c t i o n 1 5 0 6 1 ( b ) ( 3 ) ] T h e P r o j e c t i s l o c a t e d a t 1 6 4 0 7 C o u n t y R o a d 9 9 i n th e u n i n c o r p o r a t e d a r e a o f Yo l o County north of the City of Woodland (APN: 027-430-001) (Applicant/Owner: Ray Bell H&S Energy Products LLC C/O Hassan & Sons INC) (Planner: Tracy Gonzalez)

The Yolo County Zoning Administrator will consider this matter at the time and place stated above Staff reports with environmental documentation for the projects are on file in the Yolo County Community Services Department located at 292 West Beamer Street, Woodland, California, and will be available for r e v i e w b y c a l l i n g o r e - m a i l i n g T r a c y G o n z a l e z A s s i s t a n t P l a n n e r , ( 5 3 0 ) 6 6 6 - 8 8 0 3 o r t r a c y g o n z a l e z @ y o l o c o u n t y org

All interested parties should appear and will be provided an opportunity during the public hearing to present relevant information Written responses will also be considered at the hearing

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

*** NOTICE ***

If requested this agenda can be made available in appropria t e a l t e r n a t i v e f o r m a t s t o p e r s o n s w i t h a d i s a b i l i t y , a s r equired by Section 202 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Federal Rules and Regulations adopted in implementation thereof Persons seeking an alternative format should contact Stephanie Cormier Principal Planner for further information In addition, a person with a disability who req u i r e s a m o d i f i c a t i o n o r a c c o m m o d a t i o n i n c l u d i n g a u x i l i a r y a i d s o r s e r v i c e s i n o r d e r t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n a p u b l i c m e e t i n g s h o u l d t e l e p h o n e o r o t h e r w i s e c o n t a c t S t e p h a n i e C o r m i e r , Principal Planner as soon as possible and preferably at least

4 h o u r s p r i o r t o t h e m e e t i n g S t e p h a n i e C o r m i e r P r i n c i p a l

r v i c e s

9

W e s t

e a m e r S t r e e t W o o d l a n d

LEGAL NOTICE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING AND ORDINANCE SUMMARY

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Yolo County Board of Supervisors will be conducting a public hearing on Tuesday March 7 2023 beginning at 9:00 a m or as soon thereafter

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 approve an ordinance that would amend the Development Agreement for the E Parker residential subdivision project in Esparto, and determine the project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) The amendment would extend the termination date of the Development Agreement by two years until December 31 2024 The E Parker residential subdivision project is located within the unincorporated community of Esparto north of the intersection of State Route 16 and County

This would be the third extension for the project which was approved in 2007 and received

Persons interested in this matter are encouraged to appear at the public hearing on Tuesday, March 7, 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 Development Agreement amendment is available at the Office of the Clerk of the Board,

PROFESSIONAL OFFICE FOR LEASE Central Davis location on Kennedy Place, at J Street near Covell Great parking Beautiful wood built ins 600 square feet Call (530) 759-0200 or email rent1105kennedy@gmail com

t

o m m i s s i

u s t b e s u b m i t t e d a t t h e t i m e o f f i l i n g T h e P l a n n i n g

1 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 2:00 PM on Thursday, March 9, 2023, at the City Clerk s office of the City Manager located at 23 Russell Boulevard Davis CA 95616 for the furnishing to City of all labor, equipment, materials, tools, services, transportation, permits utilities and all other items necessary for the Davis Community Park Pump Track, CIP No 8311 (the “Project”) At said time Bids will be publicly opened and read aloud 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

2 Requesting Contract Book:

The Contract Book (including all plans and specifications) is required to be purchased for $130 per set from BPXpress Reprographics www blueprintexpress com/davis or by calling at ( 9 1 6 ) 7 6 0 - 7 2 8 1 B i d d e r m u s t p u r c h a s e t h e C o n t r a c t B o o k from BPXpress Reprographics AND be on the BPXpress plan holder list to be deemed responsive Only bidders on the plan holders list shall rece ive addenda notifications

Please see further detail on bidding requirements by going to https://cityofdavis org/city-hall/public-works/managementa d m i n i s t r a t i o n / r f p s a n d s e l e c t i n g t h e r e s p e c t i v e l i n k t o t h i s P r o j e c t

3 Description Of The Work Davis Community Park Pump Track CIP 8311: The design of the demonstration bike pump track will consist of compacted mounds of dirt obstacles shaped in a way that participants can traverse obstacles at slow or faster speeds while safely rolling on both wheels The track will be segregated into a beginners and an intermediate/advanced area to provide cyclists of all skills and a bilities to use the track The park layout will consider a mixture of pathways, intersections, and turns to allow rid er s to d ev el o p v ar io u s wa ys of tr av er s in g th e tr ack The work includes but is not limited to clearing grubbing earthwork import of soils construction of a fence temporary access road and staging area drainage improvements irrigation, landscaping, shaping and compaction of dirt berms All work shall be performed in accordance with the Contract Documents and all applicable laws and regulations

4 Engineer's Estimate: $400,000 Project Engineer: Kevin Fong, P E

5 Contractor's License Classification and Subcontractors: Unless otherwise noted in the bid documents each Bidder shall be a licensed contractor: Class [A] General Engineering Contractor's License

6 Bid Bond performance bond and material bond: Please see https://cityofdavis org/Home/Components/RFP/RFP/ 1200/3101 for more information on these requirements

7 Prevailing Wages: All employees on the job shall be paid prevailing wages and be registered with the Department of Industrial Relations See Contract Book for more detail

8 Award: City shall award the contract for the Project to the lowest responsible Bidder submitting a responsive bid as determined by the City 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 9 Notice to Proceed: This project will be awarded for a late summer/ early fall start date The Notice to Proceed shall be issued no sooner than July 10 2023 10

#07-22, Design Review #18-22 Project Description: The applicant is requesting approval of planning applications to redevelop the existing University Mall with a new commercial retail shopping center (The Davis Collection) The project i n c l u d e s d e m o l i t i o n o f t h e e x i s t i n g 9 6 6 8 0 s q u a r e - f o o t e nclosed mall and tree removal and redevelopment of the site with 101,246 square feet of new commercial retail space and r e l a t e d s i t e i m p r o v e m e n t s P r o p o s e d b u i l d i n g s a r e s i n g l estory The existing 13 210 square-foot Trader Joe’s building will remain and continue in operation, but will have exterior f a ç a d e i m p r o v e m e n t s T o t a l p r o j e c t s q u a r e f o o t a g e w i l l b e 1 1 4 4 5 6 s q u a r e f e e t

The overall site layout circulation and driveways will be similar to the existing site Adjustment and improvem ents to the site including two new freestanding pad buildings plaza and patio areas reconfigured drive aisles new landscaping and trees, removal of one driveway entrance on Anderson Road, loading docks in the rear of the buildings a sound wall along the northern property line bicycle parking 336 vehicle parking spaces and frontage improvements

Environmental Determination:

On August 25 2020 the City of Davis certified the University Commons Project Environmental Impact Report (2020 EIR) (SCH# 2018112044) The EIR evaluated the environmental impacts of the proposed University Commons Project (i e the original project) which consisted of the demolition of the existing University Mall building, retention of the Trader Joe s building and construction of a mixed-use development The redeveloped University Commons building that was analyzed in the EIR was for a multi-story building with 136 800 sf of retail space a 246 000-sf parking structure and several residential floors with 264 apartments located above retail level and parking garage

The currently proposed project, The Davis Collection, is retail only and does not include the residential component or parki n g s t r u c t u r e A n E n v i r o n m e n t a l C o n s i s t e n c y A n a l y s i s w a s prepared to analyze the currently proposed project to determine its consistency within the scope of the certified University Commons EIR and to determine whether construction or operation of the proposed project would result in any new or substantially more severe significant environmental impacts than t h o s e i d e n t i f i e d i n t h e 2 0 2 0 E I R , o r r e q u i r e n e w m i t i g a t i o n m e a s u r e s

Per CEQA Guidelines Section 15162(a), the proposed project w o u l d n o t r e q u i r e f u r t h e r e n v i r o n m e n t a l r e v i e w i f t h e p r oposed project would not result in new significant impacts or new significantly changed mitigation measures The Environmental Consistency Analysis determined that the proposed proje ct wo u ld not invol ve ne w si gni fic a nt en viron me ntal effe c ts o r a s ub s tan ti a l i nc r e a s e in th e s e v e r i ty o f p r e v io u s l y identified significant effects that were not previously identified i n t h e 2 0 2 0 E I R A d d i t i o n a l l y , n o n e w m i t i g a t i o n m e a s u r e s would be required The environmental impacts associated with th e p rop o s e d pr o j e c t wo u l d b e wi th i n th e s c o p e of i m p a cts analyzed in the 2020 EIR and would not be new or greater

Therefore no additional environmental review was required

Availability of Documents:

Information pertaining to the project is available on the project webpage at: The Davis Collection | City of Davis, CA; or for r e v i e w a t t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f C o m m u n i t y D e v e l o p m e n t a n d

Sustainability Planning Division 23 Russell Boulevard Davis California 95616 Staff reports for the public hearing are generally available five (5) days prior to the hearing date through the city’s website at: https:// www cityofdavis org/city-hall/ commissions-and-committees/planning-commission; and are also available by contacting the project planner

Public Comments: All interested parties are invited to participate in the meeting a s d e s c r i b e d i n t h e m e e t i n g a g e n d a , o r s e n d w r i t t e n c o mments to City Clerk s Office or to 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 xp e n s e o f t h e p e r s o n r e q u e s t i n g t h e r e c o r d a t i o n

Blue Devil girls lacrosse wins opener

Enterprise staff

The Davis High girls lacrosse team opened the 2023 season with a 13-12 win over California of San Ramon at Ron and Mary Brown Stadium on Tuesday.

The Blue Devils, who trailed by an 8-7 score at halftime, outscored California 6-4 in the second half for the victory.

On Thursday, Davis (1-0) played at Whitney of Rocklin in a non-league game that starts at 7 p.m.

Then the Blue Devils play another non-league road game at Amador Valley of Pleasanton at 11 a.m.

UCD men’s soccer COLUMBUS, Ohio —

The UC Davis men’s soccer program sees another alum sign to a professional

loCal roUnDUp

side, as Maximilian Arfsten has reached agreement with the Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer (MLS), announced by the club on Tuesday.

Arfsten was selected 14th overall by the Crew in the 2023 MLS Superdraft, securing a first-team roster spot after his brilliant showing in the 2022 MLS NEXT Pro season with San Jose Earthquakes II, in which the Fresno native provided an attacking return of nine goals and six assists.

The forward has signed a contract through the 2024 season with options for 2025 and 2026.

The former Aggie midfielder made 21 starts and appeared in 24 matches

for San Jose Earthquakes II and made an immediate impact in the final third with 15 total goal contributions.

Arfsten highlighted his exceptional season by netting two braces during his campaign, scoring twice against Colorado on May 15 before turning in another two-goal performance against Minnesota on Sept. 18.

Arfsten enjoyed a terrific career at UCD, as he was named to the 2019 Big West Conference AllFreshman Team before his brilliant final season in 2021 when he was named Big West Offensive Player of the Year.

He finished second in the conference with eight goals while matching a league-best seven assists.

UC Davis athletiCs/CoUrtesy photo

Former UCD men’s soccer player Maximilian Arfsten, shown here celebrating during a 2019 home game, is continuing his professional soccer career in Ohio.

Sabel shoots lights out but UCD women lose

Enterprise staff

Tova Sabel enjoyed the best offensive performance as a member of the UC Davis women’s basketball team this season.

But UCD never found its rhythm on the offensive end while Cal State Fullerton seemed to be firing on all cylinders as the Titans earned the 70-58 Big West Conference win on Thursday night inside the University Credit Union Center.

Sabel, a junior guard from Stockholm, Sweden, had a career-best 31 points on 11-of-22 shooting and knocked down seven 3-pointers. She also grabbed a team-high seven rebounds in her 34 minutes of scintillating action.

“Tova was definitely a spark offensively tonight,” said UCD head coach Jennifer Gross. “She was able to step up and hit shots for us, especially as we were fighting to get back into the game.”

UC Davis (9-7 in the Big West Conference, 13-13 overall) particularly struggled in the first quarter and never regained its footing, shooting just 33.3 percent as a team and 27.3 percent from deep.

Cal State Fullerton was moving the ball effectively and made the most of its open looks, posting a team field goal percentage of 47.8, getting massive contributions from Fujika Nimmo, who had 25 points, and Una Jovanovic with 15 points.

Aggie guard Evanne Turner was the only other Aggie in double figures, pouring in 14 points. She also pulled down five rebounds and handed out three assists.

Cal State Fullerton sparked the first quarter with an 8-0 run. The

Champs!

Titans were blistering hot in the first 10 minutes, going 10-of-15 from the field and 4-of-4 from long range to take a 26-11 lead after the opening quarter.

“We got off to a slow start tonight and struggled to get our offensive flow going,” Gross said. “We got some good looks throughout the game, but the shots didn’t drop for us.”

Sabel and Turner started to get things going on the offensive side of the ball, combining for 21 of the team’s 27 first half points. Despite the late rally in the second quarter, UCD trailed 40-27 at halftime.

The Aggies started the third quarter to tighten up defensively to hold the Titans without a field goal for over four minutes. Unfortunately, the offensive woes would continue for the hosts, as UCD was next to endure a long stretch without a basket, as the Titans held a 54-41 going into the fourth quarter.

It was the Sabel show for the last 10 minutes as she nailed four 3-pointers, exploding for 12 fourth-quarter points to breach the 30-point threshold.

The Aggies will Senior Day on Saturday, as Tess Sussman, Megan Jones, Lena Svanholm and Makaila Sanders will be honored prior to tipoff against rival Cal Poly at the University Credit Union Center. Game time is scheduled at 2 p.m.

Then UCD will play its last two Big West games on the road. The Aggies will play at UC Santa Barbara on Thursday, March 2 and at Long Beach State on Saturday, March 4.

The Big West Conference tournament will start on Tuesday, March 7, in Henderson, Nev.

Vaca-Lorenzi hat trick helps Blue Devil boys win section D-I crown

By Mike Bush Enterprise sports editor

SACRAMENTO — Simon VacaLorenzi has scored many goals for the Davis High boys soccer team this season.

But the ones he netted on a blisteringly windy Thursday night helped Davis beat Whitney 4-0 to claim the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I title on Conway Field at Cosumnes River College.

The win was sweet for top seed DHS (20-0-2), which knocked off the defending section champions in No. 2 Whitney (14-2-5).

Davis head coach Alex Park won his first section title since taking over the program in 2012. The Blue Devils played for the D-I title in 2014, but Oak Ridge came out with a 2-1 win.

This was the second time this season Davis and Whitney have played each other. Their first meeting was on Dec. 2 at Ron and Mary Brown Stadium, where the Blue Devils and Wildcats from Rocklin ended in a 3-3 tie.

Both Davis and Whitney, by

advancing to the section title game, automatically earned berths in the California Interscholastic Federation Regional Soccer Championships. According to Will DeBoard, the section's assistant commissioner, teams in Divisions I through IV playing for the section title earn an automatic regional berth. The D-V and VI champions only advance.

The CIF State plans to release the brackets on its website — www.cifstate.org — on Sunday.

The Blue Devils led 1-0 before Vaca-Lorenzi, a senior forward, cashed in his hat trick toward the end of the first half.

His first goal came at the 35th minute of the game. Vaca-Lorenzi went inside the box, getting the ball after DHS forward Rigo Guerra had a shot on goal. Then Vaca-Lorenzi punched the ball into the back of the net for a 2-0 score.

Blue Devil forward Lucas Liu had a shot on goal afterward, but the soccer ball bounced off the post and went out of bounds.

Then Vaca-Lorenzi recorded his second goal a minute later. He was

able to split two Wildcat defenders, and with the assist from Guerra, Vaca-Lorenzi aimed his shot and hit the twine for a 3-0 score.

Vaca-Lorenzi punched in his final goal of the night in the 39th minute. This shot was uncontested, as the Whitney goalie was out of the position when the Blue Devil scored the goal.

Davis' first goal came at the 14th minute when midfielder Nicolas Montano took the ball cross-field and nailed the shot into the middle of the net.

Blue Devil goalies Declan Fee and Joey Clark, also seniors, took turns in defending the net in the first and second halves, respectively.

Vaca-Lorenzi has slotted 18 goals this season.

He scored four for the Blue Devils in a 5-1 win over Pleasant Grove in a Delta League home game on Jan. 13.

Notes: Another story with comments from Vaca-Lorenzi and Park, and the Blue Devils playing in the CIF NorCal playoffs, will appear Sunday on The Enterprise's website, www.davisenterprise.com, and print edition.

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

Short of healthy players, UC Davis men scratch road contest

UC Davis men’s basketball head coach Jim Les (middle) joins his assistant coaches and players walking off the court at halftime of Monday’s Big West Conference home game against UC San Diego at the University Credit Union Center.

Mike Bush/ enterprise photo

Enterprise staff

The UC Davis men's basketball team is unable to compete in its next game at Cal State Fullerton on Thursday, due to limited student-athlete availability, according to Aggies Athletic Director Rocko DeLuca.

The game will not be rescheduled and will be declared a no-contest per Big West Conference policy. The team will continue to closely monitor the health of its student-athletes ahead of Saturday's game at Cal Poly.

“We are disappointed that we cannot compete in this critical late season contest,” DeLuca noted. “However, after consulting with our medical professionals, it is clear that, while difficult, this is the best decision for our studentathletes' health and wellbeing.”

The Aggies, coming off a 76-66 win against UC San Diego on Monday, are tied for sixth place in the Big West with a 9-7 mark. Fullerton is fifth at 11-6, while Cal Poly is last at 1-15.

Earlier this season the Aggies beat Fullerton,

83-79, and also stopped Cal Poly, 65-63, by scoring the last 15 points of the game.

The Aggies will close out the regular season with two home games next week.

UCD welcomes UC Santa Barbara on Thursday, March 2 at the University Credit Union Center. Game time is scheduled at 6 p.m.

Then UCD entertains Long Beach State on Saturday, March 3, at 1 p.m.

The Big West Conference tournament starts Tuesday, March 7, at The Dollar Loan Center in Henderson, Nev.

Leroy yau/uC Davis athLetiCs photo

UC Davis guard Sydney Burns, seen here in action earlier this season, and the Aggies play their final home game of the season on Saturday.

Christoph Lossin/enterprise photo

Davis forward Simon Vaca-Lorenzi (17) recorded a hat trick in the section’s D-I title game on Thursday.

Christoph Lossin/enterprise photo

Members of the Davis High boys soccer team celebrate on the field after beating Whitney 4-0 in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I title game at Cosumnes River College on Thursday.