The Davis Enterprise Wednesday, July 5, 2023

t Corporations and climate change

State may force large businesses to detail impact

By Alejandro Lazo CalMatters

Corporations have for years graded themselves on climate change, at times marketing themselves as environmental stewards while failing to fully disclose their emissions.

Now California is considering holding corporations more accountable: If approved by the Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom, two bills would make California the first state to require large corporations to disclose their greenhouse gas emissions and report their risks from climate change.

One bill — already approved by the Senate — would force about 5,300 U.S. corporations earning more than $1 billion and doing business in California to annually report their global emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases that contribute to climate change.

Another bill that won Senate approval would require more than 10,000 companies with

revenues exceeding $500 million to detail how climate change poses financial risks to their operations, not just in California, but around the world.

From Amazon and Bank of America to McDonalds, Chevron and General Motors, any company that meets the revenue thresholds selling or producing goods or services in California

would have to comply with the two wide-ranging measures.

The legislation would force companies to reveal their complete carbon footprint, even the emissions coming from the consumers who use their products. The laws would inevitably lead to highly publicized “top polluters” lists that make major corporations more accountable — and

uncomfortable — since their full role in causing climate change and its impact on their finances would be exposed.

The goal is to provide a more complete picture of the tons of global gases that large companies are responsible for and how their company is affected by the warming climate, according to the legislators who introduced

UC leaders react to Court decision

By Monica Stark Enterprise staff writer

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling to end affirmative action and their rejection of the Biden administration’s plan to discharge billions of dollars of student loan debt, UC leaders reiterated the commitment to provide equitable access to all Californians.

In a statement last week, UC Davis Chancellor Gary S. May wrote that affirmative action is intended to account for historical inequities experienced by marginalized communities in higher education and other endeavors and that the Supreme Court has decided

that this tool is no longer appropriate.

the two bills.

“This is basic transparency,” said state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, whose SB253 would mandate emissions reporting for billion-dollar companies doing business in California.

“It’s important to know which corporations are walking the walk, especially as we see corporations that market themselves as green.”

Leading the opposition are California’s Chamber of Commerce and two consortiums of large and powerful industry groups, including the Western States Petroleum Association, which represents oil companies, the Western Growers Association and an association of stock brokers and investment bankers.

The business groups say the emissions estimates could be inaccurate, resulting in misguided public policy, while putting an onerous burden on companies. The bill “will generate a lot of misinformation,” said CalChamber lobbyist Brady Van Engelen.

In addition, Van Engnelen called the other bill that mandates climate-related financial risk reports “a gold-plated exercise in gathering information.”

Yolo County posts record tax-assessment roll

Enterprise staff

MAY

UC Davis chancellor

He wrote that while public universities in California have recruited new classes of students without considering race and gender as main factors since 1996, opportunities available for underrepresented students will become fewer with today’s decision. “I worry that underrepresented students of color and women will find more challenges and obstacles on their way

to fields like mine, engineering, and in other science and technology fields. Without programs that engage students early in their education and encourage them to persist in fields they may not have seen as available to them, our nation may further neglect nurturing intellectual diversity and promote a lack of inclusivity. That takes the country backward, not forward.”

He reiterated UCD’s commitment to building on efforts like those at the School of Medicine, where half the class is from Black, Hispanic and Indigenous populations. “We are

See DECISION, Page A4

WOODLAND — Yolo County experienced another year of growth as reflected in the assessment roll value released today by the county’s Assessor/Clerk-Recorder /Registrar of Voters Jesse Salinas. According to Salinas the annual assessment roll reached $36.13 billion, a 6.87% increase over the prior year.

The assessment roll reflects the total net assessed value of all real and business property in Yolo County as of Jan. 1. “Local entities and services depend on the assessment roll values to

SALINAS

Yolo County assessor

operate,” Salinas said, “including public schools, community colleges, cities and the county. We as a community rely on these invaluable resources and the timely and accurate completion of the assessment roll.”

Yolo County’s assessment roll was delivered

See ASSESSMENT, Page A4

Briefly

‘The Backdrop’ looks at the nature of memory

Scientists at UC Davis are working to identify early indicators to identify people with pre-clinical Alzheimer’s disease. The hope is that earlier detection — before the brain is significantly damaged — would allow for more successful interventions and better outcomes.

In this episode, UC Davis psychology professor Charan Ranganath discusses the nature of memory and how he and his colleagues are working to find biomarkers in an area of the brain called the lateral entorhinal cortex.

“The Backdrop” podcast is a monthly interview program featuring conversations with UC Davis scholars and researchers working in the social sciences, humanities, arts and culture. It is available free, on demand at Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Stitcher, YouTube and Spotify.

“The Backdrop” is hosted by public radio veteran Soterios Johnson.

Police

investigate brazen retail theft

By Lauren Keene

Four suspects remain at large after allegedly stealing thousands of dollars’ worth of eyewear from a downtown Davis business last week.

Davis police Lt. Dan Beckwith said the suspects entered Optical Phases, 718 Second St., shortly before the store’s 6 p.m. closing

time Thursday.

“The subjects told the employee they were just going to look around, but began removing numerous name-brand eyeglasses from several of the shelves,” Beckwith said Monday.

As the employee called 911, the suspects — several of whom wore masks covering their lower faces — placed the stolen

Motorcyclist dead after Woodland crash

By Lauren Keene Enterprise staff writer

A solo motorcycle collision in Woodland claimed the life of a 34-year-old man early Sunday morning.

Woodland police Sgt. Richard Towle said officers responded at about 2:30 a.m. to the crash scene at North and Third streets, arriving to find the motorcyclist lying on the roadway with head injuries.

Medical personnel attempted CPR but the motorcyclist, identified as Woodland resident Pablo Jauregui Jr., was

pronounced dead at the scene.

“A preliminary investigation showed this was a solo vehicle collision where the rider lost control of the motorcycle while traveling westbound on North Street,” Towle said “The motorcycle collided with a curb and a large tree along the south edge of the roadway.”

The Woodland Police Department’s traffic bureau continues to investigate the fatal crash. Anyone with information is asked to contact officers at 530-661-7800.

merchandise into bags and fled the store within just a few minutes’ time. They were gone by the time officers arrived on scene.

Police released a video still shot of the four suspects. Anyone with information about their identities or similar incidents is urged to contact the Davis Police Department at 530-747-5400.

Teen arrested for attempted murder

By Lauren Keene Enterprise staff writer

Woodland police arrested a 15-year-old boy on attempted murder and other charges Thursday in connection with a shooting a day earlier.

Sgt. Richard Towle said officers responded shortly before 3 p.m. Wednesday, June 28, to reports of a shooting in the area of Mariposa Street and West Woodland Avenue.

"The investigation showed that two male juveniles had an argument, and one brandished a handgun and fired it," Towle said. Both juveniles fled the scene, where police

Three people injured in I-80 collision Saturday

By Lauren Keene Enterprise staff writer

Three people were hospitalized with major injuries early Saturday morning after their vehicle crashed into a tree along Interstate 80 in Sacramento.

occupants within the vehicle sustained suspected serious injuries."

Further details about the occupants were not immediately released.

reported recovering a 9 mm bullet casing. Detectives later identified the shooting suspect, who attempted to flee from police during a vehicle stop at about 3:20 p.m. Thursday but was soon apprehended and booked into Yolo County Juvenile Hall, according to Towle.

"Once in custody, he was verbally abusive and began spitting on officers," Towle said. In addition to attempted murder, the teen faces charges of brandishing a firearm, willful discharge of a firearm in a negligent manner, violation of probation, felon in possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition and resisting or obstructing officers.

Feeling the heat

California Highway Patrol Officer Rodney Fitzhugh said impaired driving is believed to be a factor in the collision, which occurred at about 4:10 a.m. on eastbound I-80 east of Mace Boulevard.

"For unknown reasons, the 2012 Hyundai traveled from the roadway where it collided with a sign, followed by a tree," Fitzhugh said. "As a result of this crash, the

The CHP continues to investigate the cause of the collision. Anyone with information is urged to call the Woodland CHP office at 530-662-4685.

In an unrelated incident, a woman escaped injury when her car crashed into a house shortly before 10 a.m. Friday.

Parrilla said the driver accidentally pressed the gas pedal instead of the brake and struck the residence on Manet Place in northeast Davis. No one in the house was injured.

Cops bust reckless driver after South Davis return

By Lauren Keene Enterprise staff writer

A Sacramento man faces child-endangerment charges after allegedly driving recklessly in a South Davis neighborhood.

Police said 24-year-old Vincent Hernandez Gomes started his day Sunday “doing donuts” in the area of Drummond and Albany avenues, triggering a 5 a.m. call to 911.

Although the offender was gone when officers arrived, “after speaking with the reporting party,

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Woman jumps from Mace Blvd. overpass

By Lauren Keene Enterprise staff writer

A woman died after jumping from the Mace Boulevard overpass Friday night, according to the Davis Fire Department.

Battalion Chief Luis Parrilla said fire crews responded to the scene at about 10:10 p.m. after a passerby called police to report seeing a woman climbing up the fence on the east side of the

overpass.

She jumped and landed on the freeway’s eastbound shoulder, still alive but badly wounded, Parrilla said. She succumbed to her injuries while firefighters delivered CPR.

Yolo County coroner’s officials identified her as Jimesha Anderson, a 33-year-old Davis resident.

The Davis Police Department continues to investigate the incident.

the officer believed that the vehicle would likely return,” Lt. Dan Beckwith said.

Sure enough, the vehicle returned at about 5:30 a.m. “and began doing donuts at a high rate of speed in the intersection,” Beckwith said.

Police stopped and arrested Hernandez Gomes on counts of reckless driving as well as child endangerment after finding an underage passenger inside the car, Beckwith said. He was booked into the Yolo County Jail.

Courtesy photo

A Davis firefighter hoses down hot spots from a vegetation fire early Saturday afternoon along southbound Highway 113 south of West Covell Boulevard. The blaze broke out as temperatures crept into the 100s, and Battalion Chief Luis Parrilla said the fire crew Station 32 Crew "did a good job stopping the head of the fire before it hit nearby homes."

Bite into Davis Downtown’s Burger Battle

Special to The Enterprise

Davis restaurants are offering lots of juicy reasons to head downtown this month, as eateries compete for the title of Best Burger.

Nearly a dozen restaurants are taking part in the 2023 Davis Downtown Burger Battle, and the list is growing. Patrons are the judges, assigning points for every featured burger they try. It’s a great chance for burger fans to show support for a favorite establishment –and try some new ones. Entries include beef, veggie and vegan burgers, and some creative combinations of toppings and breads. Each participating eatery features one contest entry. Judges may rate one or all burgers – one entry per restaurant.

The eatery with the highest-scoring burger will receive a trophy and bragging rights. Throughout July, burger tasters scan a QR code at their table (request one if not available), and score the burgers for taste, presentation, creativity, patty, toppings and bun. Grading in each cat-

egory is from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest). In early August, the restaurant whose burger has the highest average score is declared the winner.

So far, participants include Third & U Cafe with a jalapeño burger, Bull ’N Mouth with its Down the Hatch Burger, Cloud Forest Cafe with a Valley Veggie, The Davis Food Co-op with The Vegan Vaquero Burger, El Patio Fresh Mexican Grill with a Mex Burger, Falafel Corner with a Badmash “Gangster” Burger, Handheld Sweet & Savory Pies with a Brie Burger wrapped in dough, Steve’s Pizza with a Sticky Burger with maple syrup and peanut butter, Three Ladies Cafe with a Veggie Teriyaki Tofu Patty Burger, J’s Grill & Catering with its Firehouse Burger, and Village Pizza & Pints with a Gorgonzola Burger with Bacon.

Read full descriptions of each restaurant’s burger entry at https:// davisdowntown.com/2023-burgerbattle.

Downtown Davis businesses still

wishing to participate in the program may visit https://bit.ly/BBregistrationform to sign up.

Davis Downtown leads and energizes the downtown as the primary business, entertainment and cultural center of Davis. Alive with activity seven days a week, downtown Davis draws locals and visitors alike to experience fine food and beverages, retail, professional services, arts and entertainment in an extraordinary and sustainable gathering place.

n Learn more about Davis Downtown events and programs at https;//www.davisdowntown. com.

n To stay abreast of activities, sign up for the Davis Downtown email newsletter athttps://www.davisdowntown.com/subscribe.

n For information on The Davisphere 2023 concert series, visit https://www.thedavisphere. com.

n Follow Davis Downtown on Facebook at @davisdowntown and on Instagram at @davis.downtown.

Courtesy photo

The Badmash “Gangster” Burger at Falafel Corner is competing in the Davis Downtown Burger Battle. It features lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, thousand island sauce, mayonnaise, house-made secret sauce, American and Swiss cheese, bacon and egg.

Firefighter union poised to get rare perk: Guaranteed raises, forever

By Anabel Sosa CalMatters

California wildfire firefighters could be in for a big pay raise soon through a rare legislative move that would require the state to boost their salaries automatically, effectively cutting the governor’s office out of negotiations over their wages

For years, the California Department of Forestry and Protection – or Cal Fire – has been unable to compete with local departments that offer better salaries and in turn has been losing its members at an escalating pace, union leaders say.

“We now have a world where you can work at Target and In-N-Out and make $22 an hour and our starting firefighter makes $15.56 an hour,” said Cal Fire Local 2881 president Tim Edwards. “Who’s gonna want to put their life on the line in a time where the state really needs firefighters when they can go work somewhere else and make more money?”

Now, after several years of devastating wildfires, state lawmakers are advancing a bill that would lock in automatic pay increases for them. It would compel the state human resources department to calculate wage increases for the 8,000 or so state firefighters every year based on what other 20 local fire departments pay.

The bill would boost the salary for Cal Fire employees to within a 15% range of the top 20 highest-paying fire departments in California.

If the bill becomes law, the firefighter union would become just the second group of California public employees to gain automatic pay raises instead of having to bargain over wage increases with the governor’s office.

The other is the union that represents California Highway Patrol officers.

The CHP contract sets officers’ pay on a formula that accounts for wages at other large California police departments. It’s a lucrative perk. Last year, CHP officers received a 6.2% wage increase — the biggest they have seen in 20 years and more than double what Newsom gave to other public employee unions that year.

Lawmakers, including Republicans, say it’s time for Cal Fire to gain the same kind of wage guarantee.

“Cal Fire is one of the greatest public safety organizations, in my opinion, in the world,” said Assemblymember Heath Flora, a Republican from Ripon who sponsored the bill.

“I really want the men and women in this state to be paid properly and for some reason we always felt like they’re overlooked. And I don’t really understand it,” said Flora, a former firefighter.

The bill is moving forward as the Newsom administration bargains with unions representing more than half of the state workforce, some of whom are demanding 30% raises.

The firefighter pay bill passed through the Assembly and is now headed to the Senate appropriations

Ingrid Welch

April 19, 1925 — June 10, 2023

Ingrid leonore Welch died on June 10, 2023 in Mill Valley. She was born April 19, 1925 in Greiffenberg, Germany, to Herbert and Eleonore Keferstein. She is preceded in death by husband Wayne Welch and sons Curtis and Herman (Kef) Kamai.

She is survived by sons, Gordon and Robert Kamai; daughter-in-law Gwendolyn Graham; grandchildren Alexander, Elizabeth and Charlotte Kamai; and grandson-in-law Aaron Athanos.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to

committee with no opposition even as the state faces a projected $32 billion deficit.

Cal Fire itself has not weighed in on the bill. Edwards, the union leader, said the department lost 10% of its firefighters last year.

Wildfires strain overworked crews

Cal Fire is the state’s largest fire department. It’s responsible for fighting wildfires, as well as protecting urban areas in several parts of the state.

The intensity of wildfires

in California is projected to worsen. The state saw its worst wildfire season on record in 2020, taking a toll on firefighters who spent weeks in the field.

The California Professional Firefighters, an umbrella union that represents some 30,000 firefighters, is lobbying for the pay bill. The union in a written statement to lawmakers said the risks of short staffing compounds the dangers that come with

the line of work and “also presents long-term health impacts from extended exposure to toxic smoke with no respiratory protection as well as the negative repercussions for behavioral health from lack of sleep, overwork, and months on end spent away from family.”

The Cal Fire union in its most recent contract attempted to address difficult working conditions by bargaining for a schedule that would give its members a better work-life balance. Cal Fire firefighters usually work four 72-hour shifts each month. Local fire departments tend to operate on 54-hour shifts.

“If I learned anything in the past decade, it’s that our wildfire season is absolutely out of control. It really never ends,” Flora said.

Cal Fire fighter salaries lag

If the bill passes, Cal Fire Local 2881 would still have to bargain with the governor over issues like discipline and working conditions.

Cal Fire firefighters are paid through a complicated formula that accounts for their scheduled overtime hours. Their hourly wages are as low as minimum wage, but their take-home pay adds up through overtime and other compensation.

The average monthly

total compensation for a Cal Fire battalion chief was $29,697, according to a 2020 salary survey. That was about 40.7% below what 20 local fire departments of various sizes paid firefighters at that rank, the survey said.

Lower-ranking firefighters earned $19,288 monthly in total monthly compensation, which was 15.8% below what local departments paid.

Outside of the Legislature, critics of public employee unions characterize the bill as a reckless giveaway to a powerful labor organization.

“Firefighters are already among the best-paid government workers in the state,” said Will Swaim, president of California Policy Center, an advocacy group that is critical of California public employee unions.

“No one else in California gets that deal,” he said.

Michael Genest, the former finance director under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, also called promises of future raised “irresponsible.”

“Governors and legislators always regret having made such promises when our budget goes out of balance,” he wrote in an email. “The wise move is to make decisions about the allocation of state revenues each year and even then to be careful not to spend more on anything than is prudent.”

Voices of Children (https:// voices.org. ua/en/ donat/). Condolences available at adobecreekfuneralhome. com or legacy.com.

WELCH

enterprise file/Courtesy photo

Flames gobble up a hillside near Winters as the Wragg fire rages in the summer of 2015.

DECISION: Public colleges already had to get creative

From Page A1

committed to the notion that a college degree holds a transformative power to shape a person’s life, no matter what their background or circumstances are and no matter what barriers they may face in their academic journey,” May wrote.

University of California President Michael V. Drake, M.D., California State University Interim

Chancellor Jolene Koester, and California Community Colleges

Chancellor Sonya Christian stated their disappointment with the Supreme Court’s decision to prohibit the use of race in college admissions.

“The benefits of campus diversity are clear: It leads to higher quality education for all by reflecting a plurality of ideas and perspectives, and it results in increased community benefit when diverse graduates enter the workforce,” they wrote.

Also, UC stated the student debt relief program would have made a significant impact on the lives of college graduates, particularly for those from low-income backgrounds who are more likely to take on debt to complete their education.

“It also harms society as a whole: Those with student loans are less likely to earn advanced degrees, purchase a home, start their own business or make other investments that benefit their community.”

UC encourages its students and alumni to consider all the loan repayment options developed by the Department of Education for borrowers struggling to pay back their loans. Those include plans with lower interest rates, plans that set payments based on a borrower’s income, and some plans that forgive loans for those who work in public service.

“College affordability is among the University’s highest priorities. As such, the University offers a robust financial aid program designed to ensure that a UC education remains accessible to all academically eligible California students, regardless of their financial resources. Sixty-one percent of UC’s resident undergraduates complete their degrees without any student loan debt, and 54 percent have their tuition fully covered by financial aid.”

The UC Davis School of

Medicine takes into account not only MCAT scores and grade point averages in its admissions policies but also factors in applicants’ economic backgrounds. Mark Henderson, a professor of internal medicine and the Vice Chair for Education and Associate Dean for Admissions, told STAT, a health, medicine, and life sciences news source, that because Davis had to use a race-neutral approach to admissions, he focused on economics.

“I’d call it class-based affirmative action,” he was quoted in the article, “How one medical school became remarkably diverse — without considering race in admissions.” “Class struggles have a huge overlap with race — that’s how we skirted the issue,” he continued. The article explains that applicants were “given high marks if they had a ‘socioeconomic disadvantage score,’ shifting admissions criteria away, (Henderson) said, from MCAT scores and GPAs to characteristics like grit, resilience, and perseverance.”

The article continues by stating that UCD’s med school provides $12 million in scholarships each year to economically disadvantaged students and that Henderson is proud that more than 40% of Davis medical students in this year’s class (as opposed to 13% nationally) demonstrated enough financial need that their application fees were waived. According to EdSource, an education industry publication, UC now looks to “share expertise” after decades without affirmative action.

Per the article, “Unable to consider race, UC has tried to promote diversity with holistic review and outreach programs. Among the institutions that may have something to learn from UC are the dozens of private colleges and universities in California, which unlike California’s public colleges, have previously been free to consider race in admissions but will now be outlawed from doing so.

Many of them are likely to seek UC’s guidance in developing new student outreach programs, refining their holistic review processes and potentially investing more in admission staffs, said Kristen Soares, president of the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities.”

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME Case Number: CV2023-1146

CLIMATE: Chamber tries to slow regulations

From Page A1

The reports would include vulnerabilities to shareholder value, consumer demand, supply chains, employee safety, loans and other economic threats that may be amplified by changing climate and more extreme weather events.

“Reporting regimes are kind of the wild west of the climate policy world,” Van Engelen said. “These reports aren’t free, it’s not like you just get to press Control-P and have a report.”

State Sen. Henry Stern, D-Calabasas, said his climate risk reporting bill, SB261, would not be a burden on industry because it adopts an internationally recognized standard for risk reporting and levels the playing field for corporations that already disclose climate risks to their businesses. Stern said he is working with the Chamber to address its concerns.

After both bills won Senate approval, they will next be heard by the Assembly’s Natural Resources Committee in the coming weeks.

Wiener authored a similar emissions bill that fell four votes short of passage on the last night of last year’s legislative session. He made some concessions to ease the burden on companies.

California already has a law requiring some companies — power companies, industrial facilities and fuel suppliers — to report greenhouse gases emitted exclusively in the state. But these new legislative efforts would substantially broaden that.

California is responsible for less than 1% of global greenhouse gases, with transportation the biggest source, followed by industrial emissions, power plants and agriculture.

Total emissions in the state declined 14% between 1990 and 2020 — but have likely grown since that initial pandemic year, when many

businesses shut down and people drove less, according to the Air Resources Board.

Unfortunately there’s no place that’s affected (by climate change) more directly than California,” said Steven M. Rothstein, a managing director with Ceres, a nonprofit sustainability group that supports both measures. “So the basic idea is that if you’re running a business, you want to have good information about your risks and your opportunities.”

Economic activity has long been the principal driver of the world’s changing climate, and over the last two decades, organizations have sought uniform standards for reporting corporations’ emissions and the risks they face from rising temperatures. The United Kingdom already requires companies to report their emissions and the European Union will begin requiring companies to track emissions next year and report them in 2025.

The Biden administration’s U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has proposed standards that would require publicly traded companies to report verified greenhouse gas emissions and report climate-related financial risks. The issue has become political: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, signed a ban in May on investment practices that take environmental and social concerns into account; President Joe Biden vetoed a similar bill earlier this year.

California’s proposals would have more impact because they would require private companies to comply and they would have more stringent emissions reporting requirements, said Catherine Atkin, a climate attorney who formed the group Carbon Accountable to advocate for the bill.

“The SEC is pursuing rulemaking on this, but it has been a little rocky. It’s unclear where exactly that’s going to land, so it’s really important for

California to lead,” Wiener said.

The new policies come as major corporations seek ways to promote themselves as green and socially responsible. Out of the top 500 U.S. companies that are publicly traded, 92% report about their activities related to environmental and social issues, according to the Governance & Accountability Institute.

The reality, however, is that facing few actual mandates, companies can selectively report their emissions and portray themselves favorably, leading in some instances to greenwashing.

Businesses would have to report not only the tons of gases they emit globally from their operations and energy use, but also from less direct sources, such as emissions from their supply chains, contractors and use of their products.

These less-direct sources, called “Scope 3” emissions, have raised the concerns of business groups. A 2021 article in the Harvard Business Review said such protocols could lead to the same emissions being reported multiple times by different companies, a critique that CalChamber echoes.

Harvard professor Robert Kaplan, one of the paper’s authors, said California lawmakers should allow companies to exclude emissions that come from the use of their products

“Companies have virtually no control over how their customers use their products and services,” he said. “But they have a great deal of control over the emissions in the products and services they purchase.”

Wiener said he “completely disagrees,” calling the protocol the “gold standard” for reporting greenhouse gases.

“Alternative accounting systems are totally inappropriate for understanding each individual corporation’s carbon emissions — which is the whole point of SB253,” Wiener said.

ASSESSMENT: County monitoring real estate

From Page A1

on June 29, representing the eighth consecutive tax roll delivered ahead of the statutory deadline of July 1, 2023. “I am extremely proud of staff as their collective efforts have exemplified the true spirit of professionalism and teamwork,” said Salinas.

This is the 11th consecutive year of growth. The year’s growth in property assessment is most notably due to a strong ongoing demand for single-family housing as well as a strong market growth in the industrial properties throughout the county. The city of Winters experienced a 10.78% increase, the largest Yolo County increase for

the seventh consecutive year.

West Sacramento and Davis experienced the second and third largest increases within the county at 9.52% and 6.20%, respectively. The city of Woodland increased by 6.11% and unincorporated areas of Yolo County grew by 4.34%. These percentage increases reflect a comparison of this year’s assessment values to the prior year. Detailed figures for every area within Yolo County are posted online and available at https:// tinyurl.com/ydw98np5

“Taxpayers should know that we’re closely monitoring the rapidly changing real estate market,” said Salinas, while reminding

the public that the taxable value represents the value as of January 1, 2023. The county encourages taxpayers to review their assessed value closely and contact the Assessor’s Office with questions or concerns at 530666-8135 or by email at assessor@yolocounty.org.

The Assessor’s informal review filing period for residential properties is July 2 Through Dec. 31. The 2023-24 assessed values are available athttps:// common1.mptsweb.com/ mbap/yolo/asr for review beginning in late August.

Tax bills are typically

mailed in mid-September. Appeal applications are accepted through Nov. 30. For questions regarding Assessment Appeals, call the Yolo County Clerk of the Board at (530) 6668195 or visit: www.yolocounty.org/ assessment-appeals. Connect with Yolo County ACE — Assessor/ Clerk-Recorder/Elections — on Facebook: @YoloACE, Instagram: @YoloCoACE, YouTube: @Yolo County ACE, and Twitter: @YoloCoACE to receive the most up to date information.

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The Netherlands floats a pretty good idea

Arecent New York Times article described how Indonesian leaders are looking at advancing sea level rise and have decided to move their capital, the sleepy little town of Jakarta (just kidding, more than 10 million peo ple live there) lock, stock, and Barrel, to higher ground, abandoning the entire existing city to the ocean.

The United Nations views this as an example of, and precursor to, massive dislocations of people as an estimated two-thirds of the world’s biggest cities, including New York, Mumbai, and Shanghai may be vulnerable to similar circumstances.

Yet another Times article titled, “Gauging Extremes in World’s Rainfall,” listed the most extreme wet and dry events in the last two decades. Using data from NSA’s Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment that apparently has a unique capability to measure fluctuations in water, a researcher from the University of Maryland identified over 500 wet and 500 dry weather events and concluded that extremes of both have been increasing dramatically all over the globe. Not surprisingly, they correlated this information with global average temperatures.

Another article, this one in Science, reported on a study out of the Nanjing University department of information science and technology. The study is on what would seem to be at least an oxymoron: flash droughts. We of course know about flash floods but apparently there is also such a thing as flash droughts; rapid drying when it’s warm/hot and rain would normally be falling but isn’t.

These droughts, characterized by rapid onset have apparently always been

with us, but, according to the study, they are coming more often and with greater severity. Even the regular “slow droughts” are coming more quickly. The cause? The study points to climate change as a major reason. The article states that, “As the burning of fossil fuels warms the planet, droughts of all kinds are becoming more likely in many places, simply because more evaporation can take place.” Fast onset droughts are difficult to predict and can be especially disruptive to people who depend on rain-fed irrigation.

Floods, drought, dislocations of millions of people; the climate crisis is front and center; we read about it, or experience it, every day. This is not news, so what is being done? One very positive development is the rapid increase in the spread of solar energy systems. Rapid?

Yes, but not fast enough. One idea to speed things up is to site the systems where they are not controversial.

To this point, the National Renewable Energy laboratory (NREL), a part of the U.S. Department of Energy released a study a while back (October 2020) that struck a chord with me.

I’ve long wondered why solar hasn’t been installed on, for example, the canal system that sends water from Northern California to Southern California. The state is involved in a pilot program to do just that now, but along comes this study that ups the ante considerably.

Davis Community Church contemplative gathering features harp music

Enterprise staff

Davis Community Church will offer a number of contemplative gatherings during July including an event featuring two harps.

Sacred Space is Sunday, July 9, 9-9:45 a.m. in DCC’s historic Sanctuary at Fourth and C streets in downtown Davis. Sacred Space offers a variety of contemplative practices to choose from such art, writing, contemplative reading, meditation and simple rituals.

The gathering, offered on the second Sunday of each month, is designed for those who need space to meditate, breath, listen and focus on their inner lives.

This month, the gathering will include harpists Toynette Johnson and Cara Yee. The harps will create a relaxing space for meditation. All are welcome to explore a more contemplative space for spiritual grounding.

Similarly, Davis Community Church will offer Open

In addition to the canals, the Central Valley Project (CVP) stores about 13 million acre-feet of water in 20 reservoirs. The NREL study suggests siting solar systems in all those reservoirs. Doubling down, the article explaining the study summarizes by stating that, “if floating solar panels are deployed on the more than 379,000 hydro reserves globally the resultant hybrid systems could generate anywhere from 16 percent to 40 percent of the world’s demand for electricity.”

The study indicates many advantages to this

proposal. First, the electricity from the floating panels could easily connect to the existing hydroelectric system the reservoir dams use to transmit electricity to the grid. Second, there are often few competing uses for the surface of the water behind dams, potentially making the permitting process simpler than using farmland or environmentally sensitive areas. Third, hydropower operators could conserve water during dry periods while still sending electricity to the grid. Fourth, floating panels would reduce evaporation from the reservoir.

“Floatovoltaics” is already being implemented in Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand,

Vietnam and the Netherlands, among other places. In many cases, installations are on lakes or other bodies of water that provide less benefit than might be attained by locating on reservoirs with a currently (no pun intended) operating hydroelectric power plant. This is not a new topic; I’ve written about it before. What I find hopeful is the report’s conclusion that floatovoltaics could scale to become a major factor in responding to the climate crisis. The Netherlands project consists of 72,000 solar panels constructed in 7 weeks and providing electricity to over 7,000 homes. The floating panels are a part of the more than 48 million panels installed in the

Netherlands, an average of two solar panels per person and the government’s goal is to make 70 percent of its electricity from renewables by 2030.

In the US, Duke Energy is installing a 1.1-megawatt floating system at Fort Bragg, or what used to be called Fort Bragg, in North Carolina, a good start on the 10 percent of our country’s electrical power that NREL estimates could come from floating systems on man-made bodies of water.

— John Mott-Smith is a resident of Davis. This column appears in the Davis Enterprise the first and third Wednesday of each month. Please send comments to johnmottsmith@ comcast.net

Sanctuary on three upcoming Wednesdays from noon to 12:45 p.m. On July 19, July 26 and Aug. 2, the sanctuary will simply be open to those who would like quiet space. Quiet piano music and visual meditations will be provided.

Davis Community Church offers an array of spiritual reflection and meditation programs, including a new Caregiver Reflection Series for those who are caring for a family member or friend. Centering Prayer, also known as Christian Meditation is offered weekly both online and in-person. Yoga Sutra Seated Meditation is offered weekly online. Also available is a monthly Passage Meditation group based on the Blue Mountain Center of Meditation method.

For details on current and upcoming programs, see the church website at dccpres.org/connect/ classes or call the church office at 530-753-2894.

Veterinary Emergency Team ready to help animals in fires

UC Davis-administered program to care for animals statewide

By Amy Quinton Special to The Enterprise

Evacuating, sheltering and caring for animals are enormous tasks made more difficult in a state under siege from wildfires.

But the California Veterinary Emergency Team, or CVET, is ready to lead a statewide coordinated effort to provide veterinary care when disasters like wildfires strike.

Administered by the One Health Institute at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, CVET supports and trains a network of government agencies and organizations to aid domestic animals and livestock during emergencies.

This fire season, CVET is ready to assist counties across the state with veterinary rescue and care when local resources have been exhausted and state assistance is needed.

“We are 100 percent ready to deploy and respond should a wildfire or any other disaster require veterinary response or assistance,” said William Burke, associate director of planning for CVET.

A mobile command

Burke said CVET is equipped with 22-foot and 24-foot trailers that will serve as mobile in-field hospitals and exam rooms for injured animals, as well as a horse trailer and several vehicles. A 44-foot trailer is currently being retrofitted to provide additional exam space as well as sleeping quarters for veterinarians should the team be called to a remote location. The goal is to be as selfsufficient as possible, whether responding to wildfires, flooding or other disasters.

“Having ready-to-go resources on hand allows our veterinary team to show up with the resources they need to provide exceptional veterinary care in the field, treating burns, injuries, and other conditions as the need arises,” said veterinarian Ashley Patterson, associate director of operations for CVET.

Need for collaborative response

With an increasing need for coordinated veterinary care during emergencies throughout the state, the California Legislature passed a bill forming the new CVET in 2021. The team is modeled after the UC Davis One Health Institute’s Oiled Wildlife

Care Network, or OWCN, which works with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and more than 45 organizations throughout the state to help rescue and treat injured wildlife during oil spills. Its more than 1,600 active responders have cared for more than 10,000 oiled animals in more than 100 incidents since inception in 1994.

“The history of success of the OWCN has shown us the power of proactive partnerships with animal care professionals, scien-

tific organizations, universities and governmental organizations,” said CVET Director Michael Ziccardi. “With dedicated individuals from all facets of a disaster working together on preparedness before a disaster hits, a coordinated and effective response can occur to save animals in crisis.”

Since forming, CVET has partnered with a variety of state agencies, nongovernmental organizations and veterinary medical associations. CVET works in close

collaboration with California’s Office of Emergency Services, the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the California Animal Response Emergency System, the California Veterinary Medical Reserve Corps and many other response organizations throughout the state.

“We are grateful to the state, which has entrusted us with such an important public mission. Using our veterinary expertise to help prepare for and respond to disasters across California,” said Mark Stetter, dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine. “Although we hope to never see disasters, we know that when they come they can be devastating to our pets, horses and livestock. I’m glad that we are ready to help the next time there is a need.”

With the formation of CVET, the personnel, equipment, knowledge and legacy of the previous UC Davis Veterinary Emergency Response Team, or VERT, was folded into CVET. This expanded UC Davis’ veterinary disaster response capacity from a local county effort to a statewide response. UC Davis VERT typically triaged, evaluated, treated or rescued more than 1,000 animals every wildfire season.

— UC Davis News

UC Davis photos

The California Veterinary Emergency Team is equipped with 22-foot and 24-foot trailers that will serve as mobile in-field hospitals and exam rooms for injured animals, as well as a horse trailer and several vehicles.

Don preisler/UC Davis photo

An Alpaca burned in one of the LNU Lightning Complex fires is and treated by faculty, staff and students in the Large Animal Clinic at the Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

sports

UC Davis student-athletes sure are making the grade

Enterprise staff

A total of 78 UC Davis studentathletes were named to the Big West Spring Academic All-Conference roster, the league office announced on Thursday.

The awardee influx brings the Aggies’ season total up to 127 across fall, winter and spring Big

West Conference sports.Studentathletes from baseball, beach volleyball, softball, women’s water polo, men’s and women’s golf, tennis and track and field are all included on the springtime list.

Women’s track and field led all Aggie sports with 19 honorees.UC Davis earned 44 All-Academic recognitions in the fall across

women’s volleyball and men’s and women’s soccer and cross country. Men’s and women’s basketball added five more to the 2022-23 tally in the winter. To be eligible for All-Academic recognition, student-athletes must carry a minimum 3.00 cumulative grade point average, be a sophomore in academic standing with at least a

year spent at the institution, and have completed at least 50 percent of the team’s contests.

The Big West recognizes individuals academically per season — fall, winter and spring — for all conference-sponsored sports.

The fall Academica All-Conference Team honored student-athletes are from men and women’s

cross-country teams, plus men and women’s soccer and women’s volleyball.

The winter academic All-Conference Team consists of men and women’s basketball student-athletes.

UC Davis football is a member

See GRADE, Page B2

Three women pave the way for FC Davis

By Henry Krueger

Enterprise correspondent

Three FC Davis women’s soccer players scored two goals each that led to a win.

Tatum Zuber, Jackie Koerwitz and Gisselle Ibarra led FC Davis to an 8-0 victory over the Diablo Valley Wolves at the UC Davis Dairy Complex on Saturday.

The Lionesses, who tallied four goals in both halves, displayed an offensive resurgence after scoring three goals across the last four games.

“We just wanted to make sure we didn’t start slow,” said FC Davis head coach Zach Sullivan. “We had some good momentum and after scoring the first one, we scored a couple more right afterward to give us some confidence, so we kind of took control of the game from there.”

The Lionesses took a 3-0 lead in the first 20 minutes following goals from Zuber, Koerwitz and Kailyn Herrera.

Zuber scored again in the 39th minute, marking her third goal in two games this season.

FC Davis continued its goal-scoring spree in the second half, which opened with Leela Srinivasan finding the back of the net to extend the lead to 5-0 in the 47th minute.

With his team comfortably in front, Sullivan began replacing most of his starters with reserves. One of the players coming off the bench was Ibarra, who added two quick goals to increase her team’s advantage to 7-0.

The final goal was scored by Koerwitz, whose effort received praise from Sullivan.

“She’s a big-time player and she kind of got rewarded by scoring goals, but she does a lot of dirty work too,” Sullivan said.

After winning its first game since May 21, FC Davis (3-4-1) is tied for fifth in the Pac North Conference standings. Diablo Valley (0-7-0) sits in last place. Neither club has a chance to make the playoffs.

The Lionesses travel to Napa Valley to play their final regular-season game against 1839 FC (3-4-0) on Saturday at Justin-Siena High School.

The teams matched up twice last season, with FC Davis winning 3-0 in the first meeting before Napa Valley took the second game 4-3.

1839 FC is led in scoring by Hunter More and Tessa Salvestrin, who have each registered four goals this season.

“They have a good core group and they train together a lot,” Sullivan said of Napa Valley. “They almost play with the same group every time so their chemistry kind of grows as the season goes on. I think it’s a tough challenge.”

Both clubs have nearly identical win-loss records, meaning the outcome will likely cause a shift in the final standings.

— Henry Krueger is a Gonzaga University student and working as a correspondent for The Enterprise this spring and summer. He was an intern at the newspaper in 2022. Follow him on Twitter: @henrykrveger.

At left, FC Davis’ Kaylin Herrera uses her head to move the ball in Saturday’s game.

Below, FC Davis’ Erika Tilford, right, battles with a Diablo Valley Wolves player for control of the ball. The locals ended up with an 8-0 victory when all was said and done.

Christoph

Remembering all the best times in the pool

This will be my last monthly column on Mas ters Swimming.

Starting in June 2016, I must have written 84 columns, mostly about Davis Aquatic Masters, but also other clubs and water polo.

My favorite was probably the one about playing water polo while high.

“I decided to try marijuana after reading an article in the AARP magazine detailing the benefits and risks. I went down to the F Street dispensary in Davis to check it out. I bought an

ointment for pain (which won’t make you high) and an oil tincture (which will make you high). This cost $165 cash money. They don’t take cards.

“I took a good slug of the tinc-

ture before water polo and found it made me spacy.

“When I swam to the opposite end of the pool, I couldn’t remember why I was there.”

One reader, admittedly a relative, called it the funniest piece of sports journalism he had ever seen.

Another favorite was about the health benefits of swimming.

“One of those annoying phone solicitors called and tried to sell me something for back pain. I was ready: “I don’t have any back pain. I am a swimmer.”

After a moment’s silence, he

said he was glad to hear it and hung up.

“Swimming is the best thing in the world for back pain,” I often say. “Water polo is even better. It worked for me when physical therapy and pills didn’t. But folk wisdom might need the support of scientific minds.”

Greg Johnson, a swimmer who is a retired physical therapist from UC Davis, told me that taking weight off the lower back muscles will take care of the pain.

And another was: “How to make an old man happy.” Matt

Zachan, head coach of Davis Aquatic Masters, organized a cheer from everyone in the pool when I finished my Brute Squad Lite. I appreciate Matt’s skill and kindness.

I won’t stop swimming, but I will be writing about it less.

Thanks to my readers and critics. It has been fun — mostly.

— Mark Braly’s Masters Swimming column had been running since June 2016. Contact him at markbraly@sbcglobal.net.

Above, FC Davis’ Leela Srinivasan (center) takes control over the soccer ball in Saturday’s home game against the Diablo Valley Wolves at the UC Davis Dairy Complex.

Lossin/ EntErprisE photos

Former Aggie returns as assistant field-hockey coach

Enterprise staff

UC Davis field hockey head coach Austin Pile announced the hiring of Izzy Porco as an assistant coach for the Aggie program on Monday.

A recent UCD graduate, Porco is a familiar face to Aggie field hockey as the former student-athlete joins Pile's coaching staff after playing a role as a talented defender the past five seasons.

"I think Izzy will be a great addition to our staff. Her understanding of the student-athlete experience at Davis is second to none," Pile said. He added, "she has first-hand knowledge of our tactics, philosophies, and game planning. She will be able to hit the ground running as we prepare for preseason."

Originally from Louisville, Ky., Porco graduated from Assumption High in 2018 as a three-year varsity letter winner and

three-time KHSAA league champion (2015, 2016 and 2017). This includes a state championship title and top-10 national finish in 2016. She was a two-time Hockey Spirit Award winner as a sophomore and junior and was named Kentucky Defensive Player of the Year as a senior in 2017 to add to her list of accomplishments.

The Kentucky native brought her talents to the Aggies as a freshman in 2018. She showcased her defensive prowess, as she logged her first of 10 career defensive saves and started all 19 games for UC Davis.

As a sophomore, in 2019, Porco recorded her first career goal against No. 7 Iowa.

During her junior season in 2020-21, she played all 11 games for UCD.

In 2021, Porco led the

Aggies in defensive saves with six which is tied for the most all-time in a single season by an Aggie.

In her senior season, Porco played 14 games as a defender for the Aggies. She scored her fifth career goal in her final game for UCD and accounted for two of the Aggies six defensive-saves on the year.

"Her energy and love for UC Davis is unrivaled and her passion for this team is something nobody can match," Pile said.

Porco, ended her UCD playing career with 75 career games, 74 starts, 4,156 minutes, five made goals, seven assists, and the most all-time for defensive saves in a career by an Aggie with 10.

Sacramento Kings

SACRAMENTO — The Sacramento Kings announced Sunday that they have re-signed Keon

Ellis to a two-way contract. Per team policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed.

Ellis appeared in 23 games (all starts) for the Stockton Kings, the G League affiliate of the Sacramento Kings, averaging 16.8 points (51.7 FG%, 44.4 3PT%, 78.4 FT%), 5.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.6 steals and 30.4 minutes in his first season.

A former Alabama standout, Ellis appeared in 33 games (all starts), averaging 12.1 points (.439 FG%, .366 3pt%, .881 FT%), 6.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.9 steals and 30.9 minutes per game during his senior season (202122).

During the 2021-22 season, the 6-foot-6, 175pound guard earned All-SEC Defensive Team accolades, led the SEC and ranked 24th nationally in free throw percentage (.881), finished fifth in the

GRADE: Aggies shine on the field and in class

From Page B1

of the Big Sky Conference.

Below is the list of UCD spring allacademic honorees.

Baseball

Danny Carrion, Nate Freeman, Andrew LaCour, Nick Leehey, Nathan Peng and Kaden Riccomini.

Beach volleyball

Morgan Coolbaugh, Alicia Letvin, Colleen McGuire, Kylie Miller, Tabitha Mitchell and Mia Olen.

Men’s golf

Jacob Westberg

Women’s golf

Abby Leighton and Elle Rastvortseva.

Softball

Anna Dethlefson, Taylor Fitzgerald, Mia Hildebrand, Alyssa Ito, Grace Kilday, Sommer Kisling, Libbie McMahan, Sarah Nakahara, Bella Pahulu, Leah Polson, Sarah Reineman and Sarah Starks.

Men’s tennis

Brett Brinkman, Mitchell Davis, Coleton Hootman, Andras Necz, Ryan Torres and Andrei Volgin.

Women’s tennis

Kristina Evloeva, Lauren Ko, Olive

SEC in steals (1.94), eighth in three-pointers made per game (2.03) and 14th in rebounds (6.1).

The Sacramento Kings also signed their two NBA Draft picks.

They signed Jalen Slawson to a two-way contract. Per team policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed.

Slawson was the 54th overall pick in the 2023 draft.

At Furman during the 2022-23 season, he averaged 15.6 points (55.5 FG%, 39.0 3pt%, 77.5 FT%), 7.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.5 steals and 30.7 minutes per game in 36 games, all starts.

Slawson led 13th-seeded Furman to a Southern Conference Championship and a 2023 NCAA Tournament win over the fourth-seeded Virginia Cavaliers.

Slawson, at 6'7 and 215, earned SoCon Player of the Year, All-SoCon First Team

Maunupau, Carly Schwartzberg, Arianna Stavropoulos and Michelle Zell.

Men’s track & field

Michael Cooper, Simon Fuller, David Hunter, Ryan Ishibashi, Kurtis Lee, Brody Roberts, Austin Vasquez and Sam Wilson.

Women’s track & fuekd

Chloe Arriaga, Emma Arriaga, Sierra Atkins, Alexys Ford, Sarah Garessley, Jayme Hendrickson, Oriana Jalal, Madison Kackley, Ashpreet Kler, Julia Marriott, Sydney McCann, Alyssa McKeever, Kerrington Smith, Lauren Spellman, Brena Videll, Katelyn Vuong, Kayley Walker, Brianna Weidler and Amelia Wiggs.

and SoCon First Team AllTournament honors during the 2022-23 season. Guard Colby Jones was also signed, and per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Selected with the 34th overall pick in the draft, Jones spent three seasons at Xavier (2020-23) where he averaged 15.0 points (50.9 FG%, 37.8 3pt%, 65.3 FT%), 5.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.3 steals and 33.9 minutes per game in 36 games (all starts) during his junior season. Jones, 21, earned All-Big East honors and was one of 10 finalists recognized for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award during the 2022-23 season.

While competing at Xavier, he ranked amongst the Top 20 in the Big East in scoring (11th), rebounding (17th), assists (seventh), steals (15th) and field goal percentage (14th).

Mike Bush/enteRpRise fiLe photo UC Davis’ Grace Kilday goes on the run toward second base in a Big West Conference game at CSU Bakersfield on April 2.

Schools, state deal with court ruling

By Daniel Farber Special to CalMatters

Since 1978, the U.S. Supreme Court has allowed universities to use affirmative action as a tool to increase racial diversity, but on Thursday the court slammed the door on this practice, holding that it violates the Constitution.

The decision is extremely controversial, and there is much to be said about the court’s reasoning. But for present purposes, we should focus on a narrower question: the decision’s impact in California.

At state universities like UC Berkeley, the immediate impact should be small. But private schools like Stanford will be heavily affected.

The reason is straightforward: California law has banned affirmative action since 1996 when it passed Proposition 209. So for schools like Berkeley, the court’s ruling does not represent much of a change. No doubt scholars will be scouring the opinion to see if any details of the process need to change, but basically the court has imposed on schools nationally the same rules that already applied in California.

For private schools, the impact will be broader because they were not subject to California’s ban on affirmative action. If they accept any form of federal funding, they’ll have to comply with the new Supreme Court decision. This will probably mean adopting something like the application process used across the University of California system.

They remain free, however, to maintain other aspects of their admissions process like personal interviews or preferences for the children of alumni or major donors.

Some schools may try to take advantage of a door that the court left open by justifying affirmative action as a remedy for past racial exclusion. Past precedents dealing with the remedial use of affirmative action in government set-asides will be closely scrutinized, assuming they can make the case. Schools will have to show that there’s a clear link between their programs and instances of past illegal conduct.

Despite the failure of a recent effort in 2020, there has been continued talk about repealing Prop. 209. Whatever California does with its own law, federal law would continue to limit what state schools could do.

Unless they can prove that a program is addressing unequal admissions, the court’s decision will make affirmative action in university admissions illegal even if Prop. 209 disappears.

Beyond university admissions, the court’s decision will impact other race-conscious programs nationally. The court said that it has found only two government interests strong enough to justify such programs: One is remedying “specific, identified instances of past discrimination that violated the Constitution or a statute.” The other is “avoiding imminent and serious risks to human safety in prisons, such as a race riot.”

A constitutional amendment proposal in the California Assembly would allow racebased programs if there is rigorous evidence that the program would “for purposes of increasing the life expectancy of, improving educational outcomes for, or lifting out of poverty specific groups.” Programs relating to sexuality or gender are also allowed, but these raise different legal issues and that’s a discussion for another day.

The affirmative action case doesn’t directly speak to the constitutionality of the Assembly initiative. However, given the Supreme Court’s very narrow description of past precedents, such as the prison exception, it seems doubtful that the Assembly initiative would pass muster. A general improvement in life expectancy, educational outcomes or poverty levels just isn’t comparable to the imminent risk to safety described by the court. With programs that consider an individual’s race now off the table, addressing racial disparities will be harder. But that’s nothing new for California schools and state government. The rest of the country may be looking to us for guidance about how to meet the challenge.

— Daniel Farber is a law professor at UC Berkeley, where he teaches and writes about constitutional law and environmental law. His most recent book is “Contested Ground: Understanding the Limits of Presidential Power.”

Restitution plan stymied before it’s revealed

California’s three-yearold Reparations Task Force might have been much better off had it taken a week or so after the latest U.S. Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action before revealing its plan for mone tary and other compensation to the descendants of African-American slaves.

For the court’s 6-3 decision ending affirmative action in college admissions (and likely in many other areas, too) makes it very plain that if California lawmakers actually adopt many of the task force’s 100-plus recommendations, they will quickly be struck down in courts that abide by decisions of the nation’s highest judicial body.

That’s because receiving benefits from the task force’s suggestions — and that’s all they really are — would depend mostly on ancestry and race rather than anything that has happened to any living individual.

That’s a complete no-no, wrote Chief Justice John Roberts in the Supreme Court’s governing opinion eliminating race-based affirmative action at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, which served as stand-ins for all the other institutions that have practiced affirmative action for decades.

Meanwhile, the justices essentially upheld what California universities and some employers did after this state banned affirmative action via a 1996 ballot initiative.

Black phoebe nest at Arts Center

Roberts wrote that if individuals have demonstrably overcome handicaps, overt racial or religious bias, poverty and other serious roadblocks to success, it’s fine to give them special consideration in college admissions. But race or ancestry by itself is no longer enough to merit such treatment.

That’s essentially what California universities have done since the late 1900s. The results have created student bodies not quite as diverse as before, but still allow for a very robust mix of races and ethnicities at this state’s colleges. Essentially, the California campus’ route around the end of affirmative action has been endorsed for use nationwide.

The same thing should happen with the Reparations Task Force recommendations, which provide formulae for the state to award billions of dollars worth of grants to the descendants of former slaves. They would be compensated not only for slavery, but also for post-slavery discrimination including injustices perpetrated by courts, health care systems, universities,

We are writing this letter to commend Stacie Frerichs, director of the Davis Arts Center, for her recent exemplary actions of community wildlife conservation. The day before the Arts Center was due to be tented for termite mitigation, Stacie found an active black phoebe nest with eggs in an area to be tented.

Out of immediate concern for the wellbeing of the birds, Stacie contacted us (members of the Yolo Audubon Board of Directors) to ask what should be done in such a situation. We had the perfect contact — Project Phoebe — a graduatestudent project at UC Davis focused on black phoebe nesting in urban environments. From them, we all learned the specifics about the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. Under this landmark act, the

Speak out

President

California

real estate agents, red-lining banks, apartment landlords and employers, among others.

The task force recommends a blanket apology for treatment of African-American slaves, former slaves and their descendants in California, even though it was never formally a slave state. The group said nothing about other forms of slavery practiced here for many decades, including forced labor by Native Americans whose settlements were often destroyed, similar forced labor by imported Chinese workers and some other human trafficking offences.

There is no mention of the fact that California fought to end slavery in the Civil War, although prior to that, slave owners could and sometimes did bring enslaved individuals here with them. The state’s African-American slave population rarely exceeded 10,000.

But the distinguishing fact about the task force recommendations is that they hinge almost entirely on ancestry — only direct descendants of African-American slaves need apply for any benefits if a procedure is ever established.

That runs directly contrary to the Supreme Court’s logic in striking down affirmative action. So it probably won’t fly in any court where a lawsuit might be filed against the restitution plan or any materially significant part of it that state lawmakers might

nests of black phoebes along with more than 1,025 other native species are federally protected. This law is intended to ensure the sustainability of populations of all migratory bird species. The statute makes it unlawful to remove all listed species or their parts (feathers, eggs, nests etc) without a federal permit.

Despite tight timelines to complete fumigation before the approaching summer programs, Stacie was determined to do the right thing for the birds. She delayed the termite fumigation and is working with the city’s wildlife manager to monitor the progress of the nest. The interface of wild and human life is frequently inconvenient and potentially expensive. Too often the default is to favor human desires and needs at the expense of wildlife.

Stacie’s actions and decisions that day are shining examples of how we as citizens, business owners, conservation organizations, and community leaders can balance the needs of our local wildlife with our own. We offer Stacie our

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

House of Representatives

someday pass.

Of course, that does not rule out an official apology from the state for whatever role California played in sustaining or encouraging slavery. Nor would it rule out special grants to schools that serve predominantly minority student bodies. Such grants exist today.

Nor does it negate the recommendation that the state Department of Justice lead an effort to root out racial bias in courts and prisons. It also does not prevent carrying out the recommendation for “listening sessions” about racial injustices, collecting personal testimonies for historic preservation and use of school curricula to help end racism. None of those things provide direct material benefits to any individual, even if they could lead to major improvements in the lives of many who believe they suffer discrimination today.

But direct financial benefits to individuals based on this plan are unlikely to materialize, despite the strong sense among many African Americans that this would be yet another injustice against them.

— Elias is author of the current book “The Burzynski Breakthrough: The Most Promising Cancer Treatment and the Government’s Campaign to Squelch It,” now available in an updated third edition. His email address is tdelias@aol.com

gratitude and support for protecting the nesting phoebes. As of this writing we are happy to say the 9hoebe eggs have hatched and are on their way to fledging as new members of our Davis community.

Ryan Janke and Sonjia Shelly Davis

We welcome your letters

Letters to the editor make a community newspaper lively, but a few rules must be followed. Addresses and phone numbers should be included for verification purposes; they will not be published.

Limit letters to 350 words. Anonymous letters will not be accepted. We reserve the right to edit all letters for brevity or clarity.

Mail letters to The Davis Enterprise, P.O. Box 1470, Davis, CA 95617; bring them to 325 G St.; or email them to newsroom@davisenterprise.net.

California Senate

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, B03 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20510;

Rep. John Garamendi (3rd District), 2368 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20515; 202-225-1880. District office: 412 G St., Davis, CA 95616; 530753-5301; email: visit https://garamendi. house.gov/contact/email

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

Sen. Bill Dodd, State Capitol, Room 2082, 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 https://a04.asmdc. org/. District office: 600 A St., Suite D, Davis, CA 95616; 530-757-1034

Explore rich history of Davis Cemetery

By Aaron Wedra

Special to The Enterprise

As a volunteer at the Hattie Weber Museum of Davis, I’ve had the opportunity to delve into the captivating history of our town. Biking around Davis, I recently rediscovered another gem that has opened a world of new research possibilities — the Davis Cemetery.

Each grave beckons the visitor to connect with the past, offering a glimpse into the lives of remarkable individuals as well as the captivating story of the cemetery itself. I was also left saddened at the stories untold — as is too often the case — of minority groups.

According to the official website: “The Davis Cemetery is perhaps the oldest cemetery in Yolo County, and was named a ‘historical site’ by the Davis City Council in 1985. The earliest remaining grave markers in the Cemetery are from 1855, on land originally owned by Colonel Joseph B. Chiles. Few burial markers from the mid-1800s exist today. The earliest settlers, predominantly Chinese, now lie unmarked due to the havoc caused by vandals and grass fires over the years, which destroyed all but one remaining wooden grave marker.

“However, headstones of all descriptions still mark the burial place of many pioneers … The Davis Cemetery District

View from the Saddle

currently maintains one 27-acre cemetery. The Davis Cemetery, formerly Davisville Cemetery, consists of 16 acres of active cemetery and 14 acres of undeveloped land.” One advantage of bicycling was being able to push through the thick grass of the open field to the east and explore the undeveloped acreage.

Every visitor to the cemetery embarks on a unique exploration guided by their own interests and curiosities. Since I am a member of the Odd Fellows, I was particularly fascinated to find at least one section of the cemetery that seemed to have been dedicated to members of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. (You can discern an Odd Fellow’s grave by looking for the three-links symbol.)

One of the primary, and somewhat archaic, tenants of the IOOF is to “bury the dead.” I wonder if some of the graves were paid for by the governing lodge for members who couldn’t afford a gravestone. This might be true for some of them; however, it is unlikely in the case of Gottfried Schmeiser (1835-1901), who owned a fair amount of property but was still buried in this section.

Schmeiser is perhaps one of the more well

known of Davis’ departed. According to Davis Wiki: “In the mid-1800s, Gottfried Schmeiser, a young carpenter, left Germany for the New World. After obtaining a land grant signed by Ulysses S. Grant, he headed west to ‘settle’ his land. By 1868, he had built a lovely home, planted fields of wheat and an almond orchard, and married his neighbor, Sophia Oeste, for which Oeste Drive is named.”

Continuing my unique exploration and research of the cemetery, I encountered two more noteworthy individuals. One of them is Harriet Elisha Weber, for whom the Hattie Weber Museum of Davis is named. Harriet served as Davis' first paid

librarian and was among the original trustees of the Davis Cemetery District. From 1910 until her retirement in 1953, she dedicated herself to the Davis community at the city's first freestanding library building, now known as the Hattie Weber Museum.

It was touching to discover her tombstone, as it reminded me that she was a real person who made an impact on our community. As a docent at the museum bearing her name, I felt a connection to her legacy. Additionally, I was intrigued to learn that Dennis Dingemans, one of my recent mentors at the museum, also had ties to the Davis Cemetery District.

Sy photo

Dingemans (who shares my love for biking) serves as the Director Emeritus at the Hattie Weber Museum. During my first two years as a volunteer, he

would warmly greet visitors and willingly share his vast knowledge of Davis history. On Saturdays, it was a common sight to see him cycling to and from the museum.

I want to extend an invitation to embark on your own journey of discovery by visiting the Davis Cemetery. Explore the grounds, stroll through the arboretum, and witness the diverse array of headstones that chronicle our town’s history. To assist in locating specific graves, the cemetery provides a convenient “Burial Search” software available on their website. Their office is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and the grounds are open from sunrise to sunset every day.

Aaron Wedra is the marketing Director for The Bike Campaign and a volunteer at the Hattie Weber Museum.

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Tips for getting the best from cooking with gas

Special to The Enterprise

With many people focused on achieving a cleaner and healthier lifestyle, taking actionable steps such as recycling, using less hot water and eating nutritious foods can help lower your carbon footprint. Another step for a clean lifestyle: cooking with an environmentally friendly, clean energy source like propane.

Propane is already powering more than 12 million homes with reliable energy people can count on. Plus, gas-powered cooktops are preferred by 96% of professional chefs, including nutritionist and chef Dean Sheremet of “My Kitchen Rules,” who partnered with the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) to educate homeowners on the benefits of cooking with gas.

“There is a lot of misinformation about cooking with gas in the news,” Sheremet said. “It’s important to remember, the act of cooking itself impacts indoor air quality, regardless of the energy that powers the stove.

Having a qualified technician install and perform regular service for the stove, maintaining proper ventilation using a hood or opening doors or windows and following common sense safety measures can ensure the safe use of any stove.”

Because ventilation when cooking is key, it’s important to note that cooking with propane results in lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions than electric cooking, on average. That’s because more than 60% of electricity production comes from natural gas or coal generation plants, which release more CO2 emissions as part of the generation process.

Beyond the environmental benefits, propane-powered cooking appliances provide convenience, modern design and performance in kitchens, allowing home chefs to prepare healthy meals for their families in a short amount of time. Sheremet values the efficiency of a propane cooktop when creating nutritious meals like Skirt Steak with Salsa Verde and Spaghetti and Clams, which can be whipped up in minutes using a clean energy source.

“Chefs, and parents like me, prefer gas for a variety of reasons,” Sheremet said. “My son, Atlas, is often in the kitchen

when I’m cooking, and we know sometimes kids don’t listen when we tell them to not touch a pan or the stove. Propane cooktops allow for greater control of heat levels and their instant flame turnoff capabilities help them cool faster than traditional electric stoves, which can remain dangerously hot for a period after they have been turned off.”

Learn more about cooking with propane and find recipes from Sheremet at Propane.com/ ChefDean.

Dos and don’ts

Cooking with a reliable and environmentally clean energy source like propane can take your home chef skills to the next level. However, there are steps to take to ensure safety while maximizing the benefits of cooking with your gas range.

Do:

n Follow the manufacturer’s installation and operating instructions.

n Keep pot handles turned inward to protect against accidents like knocking the pot off the stove or little ones reaching for the handles.

n Keep the range surface clean.

n Keep flammable materials away from burner flames.

Don’t:

n Do not cover the oven bottom with foil as it can restrict air circulation.

n Never use gas ranges for space heating.

n Do not allow children to turn burner control knobs.

n Do not leave food

unattended on the cooktop.

— Family Features

Spaghetti and Clams

Recipe courtesy of chef Dean Sheremet on behalf of PERC

Ingredients:

Salt

8-12 littleneck or other small clams in shell, scrubbed

¼ pound spaghetti noodles

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

½ to 1 garlic clove, minced

½ dried red chile pepper

½ cup vermouth or white wine

1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

Putting it together:

Bring large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Soak clams in cold water.

Add spaghetti to boiling water and cook until slightly underdone. In large saucepan over medium-low heat, add olive oil, garlic and chile pepper. Saute

gently, reducing heat, if necessary, so garlic does not brown. Add vermouth and clams; cover. Clams should open in about 2 minutes. Add hot drained pasta, cover and shake pot gently. Simmer 1-2 minutes until spaghetti is cooked to taste.

Discard unopened clams. Add half the parsley and shake pan to distribute evenly. Transfer to plate or bowl and sprinkle with remaining parsley.

Skirt Steak with Salsa Verde

Recipe courtesy of chef Dean Sheremet on behalf of PERC

Ingredients:

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup red wine vinegar

2 thinly sliced scallions

3 tablespoons capers, drained and roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus

additional, to taste, divided

½ teaspoon black pepper, plus additional, to taste, divided

1½ pounds skirt steak

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, divided

¼ cup pistachios

1 romaine heart

1 radicchio

½ cup crumbled goat cheese

Putting it together:

Whisk olive oil, vinegar, scallions, capers, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Pour about 1/3 of dressing (about 1/3cup) over steak and turn to coat.

Add parsley and 1 tablespoon mint to reserved dressing; stir and set aside until ready to use. Cover and refrigerate steak 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours.

In small saute pan over medium heat, toast pistachios, tossing often, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

Set grill to medium-high heat or heat grill pan on stovetop over medium-high heat. Grill steak about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to plate and rest 10 minutes.

Cut romaine hearts lengthwise into quarters. Arrange romaine and radicchio in layers on large platter, leaving room on one side for steak. Sprinkle with goat cheese, pistachios and remaining mint.

Slice steak into 3-inch pieces then slice against grain to cut steak into wide strips. Add sliced steak to platter. Drizzle reserved dressing on romaine and steak.

Bike on down to the cemetery, and see what it has to say.

Here lies

Davis pioneer.

Skirt Steak with Salsa Verde. Spaghetti and Clams.

family feature S photSo

Make safety first to get the most out of cooking on a gas cooktop.

Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

Stephan Pastis

Charles M. Schulz