The Davis Enterprise Friday, July 7, 2023

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State boosts scholarship program

By Mikhail Zinshteyn CalMatters

California cemented its status among the most affordable states to earn a bachelor’s degree after lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom fulfilled their promise to expand the state’s Middle Class Scholarship program by another $227 million in this year’s budget deal.

That overhauled scholarship, which debuted last year, is now a $859 million juggernaut. It’s also a growing slice of the state’s financial aid pie: Between 2016 and 2022, California lawmakers poured roughly $1.4 billion more into grants and scholarships, bringing the state’s total contribution to around $3.5 billion.

Using new data that examines how the Middle Class Scholarship helped students in its first year, a CalMatters analysis shows that the grant worked largely as intended, sending more money to students of higher-income families.

But the program has frustrated some advocacy groups, who want the state to spend more on lower-income students, especially those who are ineligible for existing state financial aid. For lawmakers grappling with a shaky state financial outlook while also attempting to rein in the cost of

college, this is a tough needle to thread.

The scholarship itself had growing pains in its first year. Many students who expected aid at the start of the 2022-23 academic year received their money months later as campuses and the state agency running the program rushed to jump-start a complicated program in a short amount of time.

Here’s the latest information and what you need to know about financial aid in California.

Who and how much?

Because of the Middle Class Scholarship, 302,000 students received an average of $1,970 more dollars toward their education in the 2022-23 academic year, according to data

Teen suspect’s hearings stay open to public, media

By Lauren Keene Enterprise staff writer

WOODLAND — Juvenile court proceedings for a Woodland teen accused of causing a fatal three-car collision will remain open to the public and the media, a Yolo Superior Court judge ruled Wednesday. Judge Janene Beronio struck down a courtroom closure motion from the 13-year-old defendant’s attorney, Martina Avalos, who contended that ongoing news coverage of the case brings undue prejudice upon her client.

CalMatters obtained from the state’s financial aid agency, the California Student Aid Commission.

Students from families with higher incomes received more money than those from lower incomes by design. That’s because students from wealthier families receive less financial

See SCHOLARSHIP, Page A5

Davis dogs get a new place to hang

By Aaron Geerts Enterprise staff writer

If there’s anything Davis loves as much as its bikes, it’s its dogs. With boundless love and affection for these four-legged Davisites, it’s only fitting that a Dogtopia (a franchise specializing in doggy daycare) is due to open later this month in a community that has fully embraced the ruff life.

Cindy Hespe hails from the Black Hills of South Dakota – and pronounces a flawless “Don’t ya know?” – and ended up in California for work years ago. She met her husband, Wayne Wiebe, in Sacramento in that time and the couple moved to Idaho for 12 years before returning to Davis in

Courtesy photo Davis Dogtopia owners Cindy Hespe and Wine Wiebe identified a need for doggy daycare in Davis.

2013.

Lifelong dog-lovers, the duo identified a need for doggy daycare in Davis after seeing — as Hespe put it — half of Davis at doggy

daycares in Sacramento. This sparked countless hours of research, and when it was all said and

See DOGS, Page A4

The teen faces two counts each of murder and gross vehicular manslaughter in connection with the April 8 crash that killed Woodland resident Tina Vital, 43, and her 4-year-old granddaughter Adalina Perez, and injured eight other people.

Authorities say the boy stole the family car that he drove at high speeds through town, striking two other vehicles traveling through the intersection of Court and College streets. The wreckage caught fire after the impact, engulfing Vital’s car. Although most juvenile court matters are closed-door proceedings,

See HEARINGS, Page A4

City brings in $300K grant for arts, culture

Special to The Enterprise

The city of Davis announced that the Arts and Cultural Affairs program is the recipient of a $300,000 grant from the California Arts Council’s California Creative Corps program, administered through the Sacramento Office of Arts and Culture. The grant will focus on supporting the community engagement component of the Hate-Free Together campaign.

The 2021 State Budget included a $60 million one-time allocation for the California Arts Council to implement a threeyear pilot program called

the California Creative Corps. The Creative Corps program hopes to demonstrate how artists from varying disciplines can be instrumental in the development and implementation of critical campaigns that help to address pressing issues in the community. Applicants of the grant were evaluated on criteria such as diversity, equity, inclusion and access, program design, community impact and organizational readiness.

In collaboration with UC Davis and Yolo See GRANT, Page A5

Anne Wernikoff/CAlMAtters photo

Students walk near Meiklejohn Hall at Cal State East Bay in 2020.

True justice demands openness

Over the years we’ve seen a number of successful attempts to allow the public to learn about things that many times were decided behind closed doors. So-called Freedom of Information laws have been extremely helpful to journalists in our pursuit of the facts.

Things are a bit murkier when it comes to juveniles who have been charged with a crime. Generally, the younger the defendant and the less serious the alleged offense, the more likely the juvenile’s name will not be seen in print.

However, that changes substantially with serious offenses, as evidenced by the horrific crimes of Daniel Marsh, whose name was not kept from the public, even though he was far short of being an adult.

“Teen suspect’s lawyer seeks to close courtroom,” said The Enterprise headline a few weeks ago over a story by Lauren Keene.

“The attorney for a Woodland teen accused of causing a fiery collision that killed two people and wounded eight others wants his juvenile court proceedings closed to members of the public,” said the opening paragraph of Keene’s story out of Woodland.

“Yolo County prosecutors have charged the 13-year-old with two counts each of murder and gross vehicular manslaughter in connection with the April 8 collision

that fatally injured Woodland resident Tina Vital, 43, and her 4-year-old granddaughter Adalina Perez. Authorities say the boy stole the family car that he drove at high speeds through town, striking two other vehicles traveling through the intersection of Court and College streets. The wreckage caught fire after impact, engulfing Vital’s car.”

Horrific stuff, to be sure, and one wonders what was going on in this 13-year-old’s head. What he may or may not be found guilty of remains to be seen, but the evidence is overwhelming that he was driving the car that caused the deaths of two people.

Yes, innocent until proven guilty, but facts are facts, no matter what outcome the legal system eventually comes up with down the road.

Fortunately, Keene’s story included comments from two people I respect greatly, Davis Enterprise editor Sebastian Oñate and Yolo County Chief Deputy District

Attorney Jonathan Raven. Both came down solidly on the side of the public’s right to know, especially in serious cases.

Oñate said the court should uphold our right to know “on a case that has had an enormous impact on the Woodland and Yolo County communities.”

Furthermore, Oñate noted that “California’s Welfare and Institutions Code provides the public with the same right to attend hearings for certain serious crimes allegedly committed by juveniles, including both murder and manslaughter, as they would if the defendant were an adult.”

Amen.

And trust me, in a community the size of Woodland, anyone who wanted to know the identity of this 13-yearold already knew his name long ago. News travels fast in a small town. Added Raven, “We firmly believe in transparency which promotes information for citizens about what their government is doing. Courtrooms should not be closed to the public absent some unusual and extenuating circumstances.”

Fast forward to this week and Keene has now reported that “Juvenile court proceedings for a Woodland teen accused of causing a fatal three-car collision will

remain open to the public and the media, a Yolo Superior Court judge (Janene Beronio) ruled Wednesday.”

Good news all around.

This sad and tragic case will not go away by closing the courtroom doors so the public never knows the details of the case or the outcome of the proceedings.

Oñate, speaking for The Davis Enterprise and everyone who cares about the public’s right to know, noted, “The law was clear on the matter; the public is best served by openness in serious crimes of this nature. Beyond the tragic loss of life, and the direct and indirect impact on so many people, this case touches on wider public-safety issues that will be important for the community to hear. Transparency in our court process is an important part of sustaining a functioning democracy. It was good news for all Yolo County residents that this important principle was upheld.”

I have no doubt that this juvenile will receive a fair trial. Keeping the courtroom doors open will not compromise his case in any way.

There are no winners in this tragic case, but the public’s right to know is a value always worth fighting for.

— Reach Bob Dunning at bdunning@davisenterprise.net.

YoloCares to host free dementia-care workshops

By Gia Martucci

Senior Center on July 26 and the Woodland Senior Center on Aug. 8 and will be free of charge

to attendees. The Alzheimer’s Association and Del Oro Caregiver Resource Center will be in attendance to offer additional support to participants.

YoloCares, in partnership with Your Home Assistant, will offer free inhome respite care for participants who are primary caregivers to dependent seniors during workshops, free of charge. Availability is limited to 14 families and will be offered on a first come, first served basis.

PAC is a nonprofit advocacy and educational organization led by Teepa

Snow, one of the world’s leading experts in dementia and other forms of brain change. The mission of PAC is to destigmatize dementia and other forms of brain change through public education and workshops for caregivers and clinicians.

Beth A. D. Nolan, Ph.D. will lead each session and serves as the Director of Research and Policy for PAC. Formerly an Assistant Professor at the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Public Health, Dr. Nolan received her Ph.D. in applied gerontol-

ogy. She has worked with a variety of human service agencies to implement evidence-based programs for behavioral health, criminal justice, medicine, and senior living, and now works to help move caregivers to become care partners.

The workshop series, “A Positive Approach to Dementia Care,” will offer four unique sessions which will explore the intricacies of dementia, how the disease progresses, and will offer insights and strategies to help caregivers improve daily interactions with

their loved ones.

“Caregivers of loved ones living with dementia often find themselves unsure of how to respond to their loved one as their moods and behavior changes — it can feel bewildering if you don’t understand how dementia affects the brain.

This workshop will give caregivers a great set of tools and will help them develop empathy and understanding for their loved one’s journey with dementia,” says Louise Joyce, Director of Community Programs.

Man accused of knife threat

Davis police arrested a man who allegedly threatened another person with a knife Tuesday afternoon.

Officers responded at about 3:10 p.m. to Slide Hill Park in East Davis, where they found the suspect and his alleged victim still on the scene, according to Lt. Dan Beckwith.

“The reporting party told officers that the suspect had approached him with a fixed-blade knife and threatened him,” Beckwith said. “Officers detained the suspect and located a fixed blade concealed on his person.”

Daniel Sequoya Armstrong, 48, of Davis, was arrested on suspicion of carrying a concealed dirk or dagger and booked into the Yolo County Jail.

Project Linus gathers July 12

Do you enjoy quilting, knitting or sewing?

Join Project Linus to make blankets for children who are seriously ill, traumatized or otherwise in need. Come to the gathering at the Davis Senior Center on Wednesday, July 12, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. to share ideas, patterns and lots of good conversation.

Project Linus members may take home donated fabrics and yarn each month to complete a blanket. Finished blankets can be brought to the next monthly gathering or to the Joann Fabric store in Woodland.

For general information, drop-off location questions or fabric and yarn donations, contact Diane McGee at dmm yolo@gmail.com.

Science Café gathers July 12

Davis Science Café is back Wednesday, July 12, with “The Womb’s Wisdom: Predictive Insights from the Delivery Room Trashbin,” from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at G Street WunderBar, 228 G St. in downtown Davis.

This month’s speaker is Prof. Janine Lasalle from the UCD Medical School department of medical microbiology and immunology. She studies the epigenetic of neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism, Rett, PraderWilli, Anglican and Dup15q syndromes.

The event is free to attend, with complimentary soft drinks courtesy of the UCD College of Letters and Science.

Financial scams on the rise against seniors

The Yolo County District Attorney’s Office, in partnership with the Yolo County Health and Human Services Agency, is issuing an urgent public advisory to raise awareness about the alarming increase in financial scams targeting our elderly population.

These scams have reached an unprecedented level of sophistication, posing a serious threat to the financial security and overall wellbeing of our beloved seniors.

Recent data from the California Department of Justice reveals a startling rise in financial scams targeting the elderly, with a staggering 30 percent increase in reported incidents across the state over the past year alone.

Our own community of Yolo County has unfortunately not been spared from this troubling trend, with a significant number of our seniors falling victim to these reprehensible crimes.

These scams have evolved far beyond traditional methods, leveraging advanced technology and exploiting the vulnerabilities of our seniors. Fraudsters employ various manipulative techniques, including impersonating trusted institutions, creating sophisticated phishing emails, and using coercive

tactics to extract sensitive personal and financial information.

It is crucial that our focus be on supporting and protecting victims rather than criticizing them for having been victimized by these criminals.

In response to this growing threat, Yolo County has taken proactive measures to combat financial scams targeting our elderly residents. The Yolo County District Attorney’s Office and the Yolo County Health and Human Services Agency have joined forces to launch a comprehensive initiative aimed at raising awareness, providing educational resources and strengthening community support networks.

Through this collaborative effort, we are enhancing public education and outreach to ensure that our seniors have the knowledge and tools to recognize and prevent scams before falling victim.

We also are bolstering efforts to investigate and prosecute those responsible for preying on our vulnerable population, sending a strong message that such acts will not be tolerated in our community.

We urge all residents of Yolo County to remain vigilant and to take proactive steps to protect themselves and their loved ones.

Here are some essential tips to help safeguard against financial scams:

n Keep personal information, such as Social Security numbers and banking details, confidential and secure.

n Be cautious of unsolicited calls, emailsor messages requesting personal or financial information.

Legitimate organizations will never ask for sensitive details via unsolicited means.

n Regularly review financial statements and credit reports for any suspicious activity. No legitimate financial institution or organization will ever ask you to buy gift cards or put money into cryptocurrency.

n Report any instances of scams or fraud to the local authorities and relevant regulatory agencies. Embarrassment and fear of losing their independence are often the reason victims do not report these crimes.

n When someone falls prey to deceit, DO NOT talk down to them or treat them like a child. Encourage them to report it and support them in their recovery from being scammed.

n Stay informed by visiting the official websites of trusted organizations for the latest information on scams and fraud prevention.

Yolo County, through this partnership of its dedicated staff, remains committed to the safety and well-being of our seniors. We encourage everyone to join us in this critical endeavor by spreading awareness, supporting those victimized, and remaining vigilant against these cunning scams.

If you suspect that someone is a victim of elder abuse or financial exploitation, report it to Adult Protective Services (APS) at 530-6612727 or 1-888-675-1115. If you think the person’s safety may be at risk, call 911.

Additionally, if you or someone you know is a victim of elder fraud, we encourage you to call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-FRAUD-11 (833-3728311).

If you want to assist us in spreading public awareness or are interested in how best to protect yourself, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has additional resources here: www.consumer finance.gov/consumer-tools/ educator-tools/resources-forolder-adults/protecting-againstfraud

By working together, we can protect the most vulnerable members of our community and ensure a safe and secure future for all.

City begins Covell Boulevard water-line project on July 10

Enterprise staff

A new underground water line will be installed in Covell Blvd between Denali Drive and Shasta Drive to tie in to the existing surface-water transmission line.

Work will start on this project on July 10 and will last through October. This project includes trenching, pipe installation, repaving and restriping in the westbound lanes of the project area.

The traffic light at Denali Drive and Covell Boulevard will be on flash for the duration of this

Davis police want to talk to this “person of interest” in a graffiti investigation.

‘Person of interest’ sought in graffiti probe

By Lauren Keene Enterprise staff writer

A recent rash of graffiti crimes targeting property throughout the downtown area and along Covell Boulevard have Davis police seeking a “person of interest” who might have information.

Police released a photo of the man, who appears to be in his 20s or 30s with facial hair and wearing dark clothing, captured on a security camera in the breezeway behind 101 F St.

“This individual is not a suspect at this time and is only wanted for

questioning,” police said in a crime alert.

Anyone who recognizes him is asked to contact the police at 530-747-5400 or policeweb@cityofdavis. org. Callers may remain anonymous.

“In addition, if you currently have or at any time in the future acquire video footage from your place of business of new graffiti or potential perpetrators, please contact the Davis Police Department immediately,” police said. “Reporting is time sensitive and can help solve crimes.”

project. Expect construction noise and traffic delays, and be aware of traffic flaggers. There will also be some construction equipment and materials staging in the vicinity of Well 30 off of Lake Boulevard. As a new water transmission line, this project should have no adverse impacts to local water service or individual water users. Contact city of Davis Public Works Engineering & Transportation with any questions at 530-7475846 or pwetweb@ cityofdavis.org.

Courtesy photo

HEARINGS: Judge says outside conversation won’t impact trial

Page A1

California’s Welfare and Institutions Code grants members of the public the same right to attend juvenile hearings for certain serious crimes — including murder and manslaughter — as they would for adult defendants.

At a hearing Wednesday attended by representatives of The Davis Enterprise and The Sacramento Bee, who opposed the defense motion, Beronio entered the courtroom prepared to deny the closure request based on that law, but invited further comments from attorneys.

Prosecuting attorney Jennifer McHugh objected to the closure, noting that several articles referenced in Avalos’ own motion showed “simply factual and accurate news reporting on a very small scale, and nothing that approaches the level where the court should even consider closing.”

Avalos, meanwhile, called the media coverage of the case “inflammatory and negative.” She argued that the amount of community attention the incident has generated on news and social media platforms is “deeply prejudicial” and could possibly taint the judge’s decision-making.

“It just seems like so much of the discussion has been about punitive measures — how can the court completely dissociate itself from that?” Avalos said. “It is very difficult for the family, for the minor and for counsel to believe this is going to be a fair proceeding.”

That struck a nerve with the judge, who responded after serving 34 years on the bench, she knows not to be swayed by media coverage or

DOGS: Owners enthused to meet new clients

From Page A1

done, Hespe and Wiebe opted to co-own their own Dogtopia.

public opinion.

“I have not read a single thing about this case. … This case is what I hear here in this courtroom,” Beronio said. “So whatever a press agency wants to publish, I’m not reading it. What they write will not prejudice me at all. There’s been no showing that I need to exclude anyone. The motion is denied.”

Sebastian Oñate, editor of The Davis Enterprise, said he’s gratified by Beronio’s ruling.

“The law was clear on the matter; the public is best served by openness in serious crimes of this nature,” he said. “Beyond the tragic loss of life, and the direct and indirect impact on so many people, this case touches on wider public-safety issues that will be important for the community to hear.

“Transparency in our court process is an important part of sustaining a functioning democracy; it was good news for all Yolo County residents that this important principle was upheld,” Oñate added.

The minor remains in Yolo County Juvenile Hall custody pending a detention hearing to determine whether he should remain there or be allowed to return home while his case is pending.

That proceeding is scheduled for Aug. 15, with a jurisdictional hearing — the equivalent of an adult-court trial — set for the week of Aug. 21.

Wheelchair

“I did extensive research and kept coming back to Dogtopia because of their commitment to quality and safety. We started all this in September of 2021, and we had to find the right location. The old Tuesday Morning building stood out to me, and I talked to other tenants in this complex who spoke very highly of the landlords and they’ve been great to work with. We also had to find space, put in a bid for construction which has taken months and we needed the city to sign off and all that. It’s been a lot of hard work and money, but there’s a lot of excitement in the community and we’re excited to be a part of this,” said Hespe.

“It will be dog daycare, and we will also be offering boarding and spa services eventually, but not right away. There’s just a huge demand for dog daycare because Davis is such a dog town, and Dogtopia does things a little differently. We use homestyle crates in the playrooms so the dogs play there all day and then

sleep in the playrooms so it’s a familiar environment instead of taking them off to a separate part of the building. So, they’ll be playing and sleeping in the same room with the same dogs, and dogs can develop

best friends and it’s really cute to watch.”

While dogs are notorious for their abundance of energy and the occasional case of the “zoomies,” playing all day can be overstimulating. Which is why Hespe maintains the dogs will get a lunch break or nap time during the day. In that time, the Dogtopian workers will be sanitizing everything (which is done twice a day) to further ensure every canine visitor’s safety and wellness.

“We have 5,500 square feet of space with three large playrooms where we separate dogs by size and temperament. We have our ‘toy box’ room which is for our smaller dogs, then two rooms for larger dogs. One’s called ‘the gym’ for calmer, larger dogs. Then

we have the ‘romper room’ for more energetic dogs. We can also use our homestyle crates to accommodate more dogs. For example, there are more reactive dogs who may not qualify for other daycares, but we can use our homestyle crates to put them and let the room calm down before letting them out,” said Hespe.

“Everything we do is about the safety and exercise and education of the dogs. The Dogtopia mission statement is all about safe socialization, exercise and education so that we can have better canine citizens. Then they’re going to be better behaved around other dogs and humans out in public and at home.”

Hespe went on to talk about the pet friendly cleaning solutions they’ll use, the padded floors in the playrooms to support dogs’ joints as well as the HVAC/dehumidifier systems in each playroom to control the climate. On top of that, the dogs in daycare can also lose weight through the constant play they’d otherwise miss out on left at home.

Of course, Hespe’s love for dogs isn’t bound to her own two labradoodles and she promises the attending dogs will, indeed, be spoiled rotten with stimulation games, bacon-flavored bubbles and other doggy delights.

Dogtopia will be at 417 Mace Blvd Suite F; its soft opening is set for Monday, July 24. Hespe and Wiebe also will host an open house on Saturday, July 15, from 5 8 p.m. Learn more about this resident Dogtopia at dog topia.com/davis or 530316-4775.

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: ROBERT M ENSMINGER, JR CASE NO PR2023-0146

To all heirs beneficiaries creditors contingent creditors and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate or both of ROBERT M ENSMINGER JR

PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by ANNALISA K

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests tha t ANNALISA K ALVARADO be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent THE PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval Before taking certain very important actions however the personal repres entative 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 why the court should not grant the author-

on the petition will be held in this court as

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

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: LANE WALMER JOHNSON CASE NO PR2023-0153

To all heirs beneficiaries creditors contingent creditors and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate or both of LANE WALMER JOHNSON

PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by SETH

N i n t h e S u p e r i o r C o u r t o f C a l i f o r n i a

THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that SETH OLI VER JOHNSON be appointed as personal 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

PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act (This authority will al low the personal representative to 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 )

independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to th e petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority

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

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 personal 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 Re quest for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the 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 JACK KLOSEK - SBN 297914 KLOSEK LAW OFFICES 820 ALHAMBRA BLVD

CA 95816

From

“This case is what I hear here in this courtroom.”

Janene Beronio Yolo Superior Court judge

Courtesy photo

Wiebe attends training with Figmenta and Mr. Sidney Pawtier.

Courtesy photo

Cindy Hespe goes through training in Scottsdale, Ariz.

SCHOLARSHIP: Where to spend?

aid from other sources. The scholarship uses a formula that takes the total cost of college and deducts how much a student receives in financial aid. It also assumes a student works enough to earn about $8,000 a year.

For dependent students in households that earn more than $100,000 annually, an added formula is used to calculate how much their families can pay toward college. The assumption is that wealthier families have more money than poorer families to commit to college.

Students whose family incomes were between $150,000 and $200,000 received an average Middle Class Scholarship of roughly $2,800 — it was higher for UC students. For students whose families earned less than $50,000, their average scholarship was around $1,400.

Students will likely get more money going forward as the scholarship grows by another $227 million.

The scholarship complements the state’s marquee financial aid tool, the Cal Grant, which covers the instate tuition for UC and CSU students and provides cash aid to community college students. Students generally are eligible for both aid programs for up to four years of full-time enrollment.

The middle class scholarship is available to a far larger swath of students: those whose families earn as much as $217,000. The income cut-off for the Cal Grant is lower. Students in a family of four will receive a Cal Grant in 2023 if their families earn no more than $125,600, depending on the type of grant.

Lawmakers intend to eventually grow the scholarship so that any student

who gets the state aid won’t have to borrow to attend a UC or CSU, a public university debt-free promise. That would require around $2 billion more dedicated to the scholarship annually.

Last year, the program was funded at about a quarter of its capacity, so students received about a quarter of the full amount they would have been awarded under the scholarship.

Different aid

But while the scholarship widens its reach to more students, it shuts out students who attend community colleges, as CalMatters previously reported.

Community college students are among the state’s poorest to pursue higher education. And though California posts the lowest community college tuition in the country, community college students still must find ways to afford rent, food and transportation.

Because students attending UC and Cal State campuses have access to more state, federal and institutional financial aid, often community college students end up paying more for their education than students enrolled at California’s public universities, according to a series of reports by the Californiabased Institute for College Access & Success.

Leaving out community college students from the debt-free promise of the Middle Class Scholarship excludes most of California’s public postsecondary students, who outnumber UC and CSU students nearly 3 to 1.

Lawmakers have expanded the Cal Grant to more than 100,000 additional community college students in recent years, but the state is due to

Lois Isabel (Smith) Spafford

May 17, 1930 — June 12, 2023

Lois Isabel Spafford passed after a prolonged illness with dementia. The family would like to give a special thank you to Richie, Bea and Anna who took exceptional care of Lois in Walnut Creek for close to 9 years.

Lois was born in San Jose to Stanley B. Smith and Isabel Rowell Smith. She was the youngest of four children. Her father had a prune and apricot orchard and later started Orchard Supply Hardware in 1931. Growing up, Lois cut apricots for drying and enjoyed the extended family living in and around Campbell.

Lois graduated from Campbell High School where her brother taught, and her grandfather was the first principal.

She entered UC Davis in 1948 and received her bachelor’s degree in 1952 and her teaching credential in 1953. While at UC Davis she was active in student body activities, served on the Executive council of the Picnic Day board and marched in the Cal Aggie band before became an allmale organization.

It was at UC Davis where she met her husband Ed

decide next spring whether to expand the aid program so that practically any student with low-enough family income could get the grant, which follows students to a UC or CSU if they transfer. A key unknown: whether the state will have the funds to do it.

Some advocates think the state should put a pause on growing the Middle Class Scholarship and instead continue expanding the number of students eligible for the Cal Grant, including community college students. “It is critical that California approach college affordability equitably by prioritizing students with the least resources,” Education Trust — West and the Institute for College Access & Success wrote in May. “Fully funding Cal Grant reform instead of (Middle Class Scholarship) is by far the best approach.”

Income numbers

But while the state’s students from modest means already benefit a lot from financial aid, middle-class families often shoulder a larger load of college costs. Federal education data analyzed by CalMatters tells the tale. Depending on which income bands you look at, California ranks fourth or fifth among all states in how much students from families earning less than $75,000 had to pay for expenses like tuition, housing and food after deducting all their state, federal and campus financial aid — a concept known as “net price.” However, affordability plummeted for students whose families earned more than $110,000. For that group, California ranked 42nd.

GRANT: Funding to boost Hate-Free Together campaign

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County, city staff wrote and focused the grant on social justice and community engagement, specifically linking the Hate-Free Together campaign with civic practice art making. The Hate-Free Together campaign is a joint partnership between the city of Davis, UC Davis and Yolo County to provide resources, support and opportunities for action in the community.

With the recent launch of Hate-Free Together, this campaign fits ideally with the level of collaboration, design, expression and impact required in the grant while synergizing with the creative assets and strategies of civic practice in the local art community. The HateFree Together campaign will begin to build, design and host community discussions and workshops around how to condemn hate, create safety and cultivate change in a way that contains a deep respect and nuanced understanding of a community’s historical context and existing cultural norms, connects with strong partners from different sectors and focuses on stewarding a process of relationship-building and co-creation.

“Civic practice is about creating belonging, understanding context and building cultural competence. All of which are necessary to build something lasting and authentic,” said Davis Mayor Will Arnold. “The city has been very busy since the launch of HateFree Together with

researching the right approach to engage residents around the tough topic of how to stop hate, and our city staff were innovative and strategic in applying for, and ultimately being awarded, this amazing opportunity.”

“I’m excited to see a funding commitment that further strengthens the partnership between UC Davis, the city of Davis and Yolo County for HateFree Together,” said UC Davis Chancellor Gary S. May. “Our shared campaign connects people and unifies our collective desire to have a safe place to live and create meaningful change in our community.”

“Art goes beyond visual mediums like paintings or sculptures; it encompasses diverse forms of expression,” said Yolo County Supervisor Lucas Frerichs. “Art often serves as a platform for thought, emotion and intuition, making it a powerful tool to promote understanding and explore social change. It provides an effective means to discuss the community’s vision and desire for a hate-free environment.”

In the coming months, staff will assess local resources and needs, developing civic engagement practices and training local artist groups for the Hate-Free Together workshops and discussions to come, including facilitated dialogues, listening sessions, story sharing or community conversations. In addition, local stakeholders

will be identified to be invited to this community process.

In addition to the grant being used for the Hate Free Together community engagement, three local performing non-profit arts organizations, Davis Shakespeare Festival, Bike City Theatre Company and the Davis Repertory Theatre Company, will be partnering with the city to provide arts-based civic practice services. The grant will allow the city to pilot an Artist-In-Residence program embedding the three arts partners at the Veterans Memorial Theatre for the duration of the grant. The program aims to encourage closer collaboration while offering key organizational support through capacity building and professional development. While this grant will primarily be focused in Davis, the hope is to expand this model to other cities in Yolo County. Since the start of the year, Hate-Free Together has been pursuing and acquiring funding for the campaign and devising a website strategy. For more information about HateFree Together, visit the UC Davis, Yolo County or city of Davis webpages. For more information about the Capitol Region’s California Creative Corps program, visit: https:// arts.cityofsacramento.org/ Programs/Creative-Corps. For more information about the city of Davis Arts and Cultural Affairs division, visit: www.cityofdavis.org/arts.

Spafford, and they married in August of 1953. The happy couple continued to live in Davis while Lois taught home economics in Winters until her first child was born in 1955. Ed worked at various roles at UC Davis planning the growing campus. He retired in 1987.

Lois is preceded in death by her husband F. Edwin Spafford, her son Stuart F. Spafford, her sister and two brothers. She is survived by two of her children, Susan L. Spafford England (Robert) and Steven S. Spafford (Shelagh), plus grandchildren Ben England, Caralee Spafford Castellino (Erwin), Grant England (Jessie), Stanley Spafford, Scott Spafford, and Kevin Spafford (Sarah).

Lois served on the UCD Alumni Board, was a

Prytanean Alumni, sister in P.E.O, member of the League of Women Voters and a long-time member of the Davis Community Church.

A memorial service will be held on July 29, 2023, at 2 p.m. at the Davis Community Church, 412 C Street, Davis, CA.

In lieu of flowers please donate to the following foundations dear to Lois: n UC Davis Foundation – Ed Spafford Scholarship (Fund #122050).

n UC Davis Gifts Administration, 202 Cousteau Place, Suite 185, Davis, CA 94618

n Arboretum Tribute Fund. https://give.ucdavis. edu/AARB/RDSDONRRMEMO.) By mail: UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden, Attn: Judy Hayes, One Shield Ave., Davis, CA 95616. Checks made out to UC Regents and include a note for Lois Spafford Tribute.

SPAFFORD

State, manufacturers strike deal on zero-emission trucks

By Rachel Becker CalMatters

California and major truck manufacturers announced a deal today that would avoid a legal battle over the state’s landmark mandate phasing out diesel big rigs and other trucks.

In return, the Air Resources Board will relax some near-term requirements for trucks to reduce emissions of a key ingredient of smog to more closely align with new federal standards.

“It’s great to have them not suing and not helping others in lawsuits,” said Steven Cliff, the air board’s executive director. “But more important is we ensure that we’re getting the actual reduction benefits associated with the rules.”

The powerful Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association as well as 10 manufacturers, including Cummins Inc., Daimler Truck North America, Volvo Group North America and Navistar, Inc. signed on to the deal.

“Both (the California Air Resources Board) and we realized that, through these discussions, there was an opportunity for CARB to realign with the (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) starting in 2027. And that’s really what led to our sitting down and coming to this agreement,” said Jed Mandel, president of the Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association.

Starting in 2036, no new fossil-fueled medium-duty and heavy-duty trucks will be sold in California under a regulation approved by the air board in April. All new models will have to instead be zero-emissions. Large trucking companies also must

convert existing fleets to zeroemission electric or hydrogen models by 2042.

While manufacturers are now supporting California’s rules, trucking companies have vigorously opposed them, saying zeroemission big rigs can cost more than twice the cost of a diesel truck, take hours to charge, can’t travel the range that many companies need to transport cargo and lack a sufficient statewide network of charging stations. A top executive of the trucking industry had predicted economic chaos and dysfunction and said the mandate is likely to “fail pretty spectacularly.”

Vehicle pollution battles are high stakes in California: Under the federal Clean Air Act, the

state has the unique authority to set vehicle emissions regulations that are stricter than the federal government’s. More than a dozen other states usually choose to follow California’s lead.

Engine manufacturers fought against an earlier state truck rule, enacted in 2020, that cut smogforming pollutants from medium and heavy duty trucks, warning that the rule was not cost-effective and would harm California’s economy.

When the federal Environmental Protection Agency adopted its own rules to cut smog-forming pollutants from trucks in December 2022, manufacturers were faced with the possibility of a split market, with California enacting different rules.

Under the new agreement, California will bring its 2027 standards for smog-forming nitrogen oxides more in line with the federal version.

Truck and engine manufacturers also will be allowed to sell a higher percentage of older diesel technology that isn’t as clean burning between 2024 and 2027, provided they offset the emissions, such as by also offering up a comparable number of zeroemission engines. The air board also agreed to give manufacturers four-years warning before implementing new clean trucks rules.

In return, the truck manufacturers agreed not to sue over California’s clean-truck rules or weigh in on lawsuits brought by other parties, and said that they

would follow the rules regardless of how other lawsuits were resolved. Trucking companies have sued the state, for instance, but under this new deal they won’t have the support of truck engine manufacturers, a powerful group that has sued the state before.

The agreement calls for rule changes that will still require a formal process and a vote of the board. Cliff said the staff has a strong case to make to the board about the changes.

Gov. Gavin Newsom applauded the deal, saying in a statement that “truck manufacturers join our urgent efforts to slash air pollution, showing the rest of the country that we can both cut dangerous pollution and build the economy of the future.”

But Bill Magavern, policy director with the Coalition for Clean Air, said his feelings on the deal are mixed.

“This is a compromise that is really ending the war of the truck manufacturers against California’s rules cleaning up heavy-duty trucks,” Magavern said. In exchange for greater certainty on both sides, there were also concessions because the EPA’s nitrogen oxides standard is not as strong as California’s.

Danny Cullenward, an energy economist and research fellow with American University, said the agreement is an unusual strategy, but given the legal uncertainty of a lawsuit in the current federal court system, he understands the rationale.

“It’s kind of like regulating through contract, which is a little weird,” he said. “Deals get made all the time. This one is just written down in advance.”

Keep kids occupied on long car trips

Metro

Special to The Enterprise

Road trips and self-driving vacations tend to produce their own unique moments and memories, but that doesn’t mean they don’t share certain characteristics. Lately, those characteristics might be high gas prices and more traffic as many vacationers drive in an effort to circumvent the escalating cost of air travel. For parents, one component of road trips to count on like clockwork is the moment when kids ask, “Are we there yet?”

A frustration moms and dads from all walks of life and across all generations can share, bored children calling out from the backseat can try any parent’s patience. Thankfully, parents can utilize these four strategies to keep kids occupied on long car trips.

■ Take out the tablet. Unlike their own parents, modern moms and dads have a reliable ally in the fight against backseat

boredom. Tablets can be loaded with all sorts of entertainment, from e-books to movies to interactive activities to school lessons. Rules governing device usage may be a part of life at home, but parents can relax those rules on the road to ensure kids stay occupied until the family arrives at its destination.

■ Encourage kids to scrapbook the trip. If a road trip involves visiting multiple destinations, parents can encourage kids to spend some time scrapbooking their experiences in the backseat. Kids can write about the previous day’s activities and paste ticket stubs and other mementos from the trip into their book.

■ Transform the backseat into a play area. Parents may prefer their vehicles remain toy-free most of the time, but transforming the backseat into a play area can ensure kids have plenty of things to do and less time to dwell on how long it’s taking to get from point A to point B. Avoid packing anything

that can be turned into a projectile, especially for children who aren’t yet school-aged. But be sure to include some books, puzzles, dolls/action figures, and handheld games.

■ Time the trip well. Of course, kids don’t necessarily need to be actively engaged in an activity in

order to be occupied during a road trip. If possible, depart in the wee small hours of the morning, which can pay a host of dividends. Leaving before sunrise reduces the chances of being stuck in traffic, thus cutting back on the amount of time the family spends in the car. Leaving early

Road trips with young kids in tow can try any parent’s patience. But some useful strategies to keep kids occupied on long car trips can make such excursions much more enjoyable for everyone.

Adobe/Stock photo

also increases the chances that kids will spend a good portion of the trip sleeping in the backseat. Road trips with young kids in tow can try any parent’s patience. But some useful strategies to keep kids occupied on long car trips can make such excursions much more enjoyable for everyone.

Miguel gutierrez Jr./cAlMAtterS photo

A fleet of new Tesla big rigs was on display at PepsiCo’s Sacramento facility on April 11.

Mental-health providers say Medi-Cal reform may force service cuts

By Kristen Hwang CalMatters

Cynthia Garcia Williams was 30 years old and six months sober when the state let her bring her three kids home from foster care. She had been addicted to drugs on-and-off for 17 years and didn’t know how to begin caring for her children, Garcia Williams said.

“The last I had the kids, I was totally in my addiction.

When they came home I didn’t know what to do. I felt like these little kids were looking at me like ‘do something,’” Garcia Williams said. “I had lost all of my skills.”

That was seven years ago. Today, Garcia Williams works as a peer support specialist in Los Angeles County who helps other parents and kids navigate the state’s byzantine social services and health care system as they work through their own challenges with addiction, mental illness or family separation. But she wouldn’t have made it this far without her own parent partner to teach her “everything it is to be human” and champion her cause.

The state has touted the success of investing more Medi-Cal dollars into programs like the peer support one Garcia Williams works for as well as other nontraditional medical services as part of its multi-year plan to overhaul the MediCal system, known as CalAIM. Medi-Cal is the state’s health insurance program for very lowincome Californians. One of the goals of CalAIM is to use Medi-Cal money to address issues like housing instability, food insecurity or addiction. Patients with those issues often have the most complex health needs and cost the state the most money — roughly half of the system’s total budget. In the long term, the state says CalAim will save tax dollars.

The latest CalAIM reform, which went into effect July 1, is a revamp of the way behavioral health providers — those who treat people who struggle with mental illness or substance abuse — are paid. In a written statement, the Department of Health Care Services said the changes will “better enable counties and providers to deliver value-based care that improves quality of life for Medi-Cal members.” But on-the-ground providers across the state say the changes are making it too expensive to keep people like Garcia Williams and others on board. Some say they will be forced to cut services.

Garcia William said the lessons she learned from her own informal peer support specialist were invaluable to getting back on her feet and staying sober.

“This woman nurtured me in those first several months and years. She taught me what to do when the kids come home from school. She taught me what a bedtime routine looks like,” Garcia Williams said. “She helped me deal with questions of guilt and shame and would the kids be better with a foster family because we were so poor.”

Sycamores, the Southern California-based behavioral health program Garcia Williams works for, estimates it will lose $2.5 million over the next year as a result of the changes CalAIM is making, said President and CEO Debbie Manners. About half of the organization’s 5,200 clients require intensive community-based services where a therapist or case worker might visit them multiple times a week in their home or someone like Garcia Williams “holds their hand” through the process.

The new system pays more for behavioral health providers with advanced degrees or certifications.

The goal, like much of CalAIM’s changes, is to incentivize providers to produce better outcomes at a lower cost. But community providers contend that the resulting system undervalues the lived experience of someone like Garcia Williams.

“What was disheartening is the rate for someone with lived experience is significantly lower than someone with other roles,” Manners said. “Many times it is the person with lived experience that keeps the family engaged. They are the ones who listen and who have walked in their shoes.”

The new payment rates vary widely from county to county. Although the state asked counties to provide evidence of what local competitive rates look like to help determine reimbursement, counties can keep a portion of the money to offset administrative costs — and there’s no oversight on how much each county keeps before paying providers.

For example, Ventura County is offering providers more than $1,300 per hour for a psychiatrist while Napa County is offering less than $320, according to data collected by the California Alliance of Children and Family Services whose members provide behavioral health services across the state. Likewise, providers in Alameda County will be reimbursed more than $380 per hour for a mental health rehab specialist while providers in Shasta County will be reimbursed just below $35 per hour.

The Department of Health Care Services said in a written statement that it’s up to counties to ensure provider networks remain adequate and that the department believes “the rates developed by (the state) and paid to counties are sufficient to meet those goals.”

The statement also said it is industry standard for people with more education to be paid a higher rate. Providers argue that’s not how it works in the real world, particularly in an industry suffering a severe workforce shortage. Health Care Services refused to

make anyone available for an interview and only responded to written questions.

Aldea Children and Family Services in Napa County uses certified drug and alcohol counselors to run its substance abuse treatment program, said CEO Kerry Ahearn. Under the new system, the state reimburses nearly $50 less per hour for a counselor than for someone with a master’s degree.

“It’s incentivizing people to use a higher credentialed person,” Ahearn said, but that comes with higher costs and those candidates are more difficult to recruit.

Ahearn also said Aldea runs a psychiatric medication management program for the county. The new rates pay roughly half as much for a psychiatric nurse practitioner than for a psychiatrist, where previously payment would have been equal based on treatment provided. That results in providers getting less money for offering the same service as before.

“We cannot continue that service if we’re only getting paid $5 per minute,” Ahearn said.

The payment differential between counties is also likely to exacerbate a workforce shortage fueled by burnout and unprecedented demand during the COVID-19 pandemic, some providers say.

Kent Dunlap, president and CEO of Stars Behavioral Health Group, said he expects counties with higher rates to begin siphoning workers away from their neighbors.

“You’re not paying that much less for a clinician in Riverside County compared to Santa Clara County,” Dunlap said.

“When we get different rates, we’re really compromised in our ability to pay market salaries.”

Dunlap, who runs programs in 10 counties, said most of the counties he works with understand the problems that have been created by the recent CalAIM changes but have limited resources to address them.

Another challenge is time and money lost to travel. Most counties run

brick-and-mortar behavioral health clinics where patients must come in for services. They contract out the more intensive services that require home visits, school check-ins and, at times, finding patients at homeless encampments. The new payment system doesn’t reimburse for travel, which in a state as large as California is a big problem, providers say.

Barriers to treatment

Tina Binda oversees community-based programs for Star View Behavioral Health in Los Angeles County. Each client is

assigned a team that includes a case manager, therapist, behavioral therapist, psychiatrist, and parent partner with lived experience. They do “whatever it takes” to keep families stable, including bringing medical and social services to their homes.

“We’re seeing the family four times a week, minimum. To ask a family to come into the office four times a week? No way, that would never happen,” Binda said.

Recently, Star View began providing services to a child who was placed in a foster home in Lancaster. The team is based in Torrance, roughly 80 miles away, an hour-and-a-half

drive without traffic. The foster parent called the team out three times in one day, Binda said.

“Now we can’t bill for that. We can only bill for the hour where we’re doing intervention,” she said.

The Department of Health Care Services said the rates account for travel time and counties can pay providers more if they see a need. Providers say the state doesn’t understand how much travel is required for high-intensity services, like the ones CalAIM provides.

Los Angeles County is exploring offering a supplementary travel rate to providers, but it’s one of the only ones to do so.

Julie A. Hotz/CAlMAtters pHoto

Cynthia Garcia Williams, Lead Peer Parent Partner, at Sycamores El Nido Campus in Altadena on June 30.

Summertime eats: Any way you grill it

By Sara Thompson

Special to the Enterprise

Cooking outdoors has been around since people started cooking food.

Summertime is a favorite for outdoor grilling and cooking.

With temperatures warming up, many do not want to unnecessarily warm their homes from cooking, so they move to the outdoors. Outdoor grilling is a safe option for preparing meals as long as equipment is properly used and maintained. There are several types of outdoor cooking methods and everyone has their own preferences.

One of the most common types of grill is a gas grill. These large grills are connected to a propane tank or can connect to a natural gas line. A hose supplies the fuel to the burners of the grill and a spark is used to ignite them. Dials connected to the burners make temperature adjustment easy and convenient.

You can also adjust different burners to different levels to cause both direct and indirect heat for the food. Direct heat is when the food is immediately adjacent to the heat source and can create a nice sear on the food, sealing juices inside. Indirect heat is when the food is not directly next to the heating source. In a gas grill someone could turn on the left side burner, but place meat on the right side. With the lid closed the environment is still warm and can cook food at a slow rate and not risk burning.

Gas grills to tend to be more expensive and need to be connected to a tank or other gas source. If propane runs out or not hooked up properly to a hose, the grill is rendered inoperable.

Pets of the week

Enterprise staff

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

Among them is Pickles (A200498), a social, 2-year-old husky who is a gentle giant. Pickles is a gorgeous red husky with an energetic personality; his foster mom says he loves to be active, a routine and splashing in a kids pool. Pickles has been a jogging companion for his foster mom, too — he is an affectionate boy and will thrive in an active home.

Also hoping for a good home is Fiera (A203150), a 13-week-old kitten who is full of life and lots of fun. Fiera is confident, darling and has stunning eyes that melt your heart. For information on adopting, contact adoptycas@gmail.com. All

shelter animals are up-todate on vaccinations, microchipped, and spayed or neutered. Staff is available to assist via phone during business hours at 530-6685287. 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 tinyurl.com/yolovolunteerapp. Follow on at @ ycas.shelter and Instagram at @yoloanimalshelter.

At Rotts of Friends Animal Rescue, you’ll find Trinity, a spayed female 2-year-old Rottweiler cross. She is a dog- and people-friendly girl who loves to play were the stuffed toys and loves water play. Trinity needs a brush-up on her obedience training, but she comes with free lifetime classes. She has a heart of gold and

Another popular type is charcoal grills. This type is often less expensive but is very easy to use. Instead of gas this variety uses either preformed charcoal briquettes or lump charcoal, each have their pros and cons. Either way, these substances are lit and burn slowly to keep the fire going for long periods of time. This type of grill takes longer to heat up before any cooking begins, but once heated cooking is simple. Like a gas grill, the charcoal can be arranged to provide direct and indirect heat. Because this style actively burns

Pickles

will be a wonderful addition for a family or single.

Betty is a very young Rottweiler/Doberman cross with a natural tail. She's a super-fun, playful girl who plays well with other dogs. Super moldable and with a goofy personality, she will be a wonderful jogging or hiking pal for a single or family.

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

a physical fuel it will need cleaned after each use, which can be time consuming. However, one of the draws of this variety is the distinct “smoky” flavor associated with it.

Smokers are not technically a grill but use similar principles. It cooks food over long periods of time, usually hours to days. Food is not exposed to direct heat but is cooked indirectly. The smoke generated by burning different woods will dry the exterior of meats, sealing in any juices, then the heat will continue to cook it the remainder of the way. This also generates a sought after smokey flavor which can change depending on the type of wood used.

No matter what your favorite way to cook outdoors is, remember to follow any and all safety steps. Wash fruits and vegetables and cook meats to recommended internal temperatures to ensure safe food consumption.

Explorit's coming events:

n Visit our exhibit “Explorit Rocks!” and explore rocks, fossils, minerals, and crystals. Open to the public on Fridays from 1 to 4 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is $5 per person. Explorit Members, ASTC, and those age 2 and under free.

n Now is a great time to donate and help Explorit continue to educate and inspire the scientists of tomorrow: https:// www.explorit.org/donate

n Now booking school programs for the 2023-24 school year. For more information, please visit https://www.explorit.org/programs. To reserve call 530-756-0191.

— Explorit Science Center is at 3141 Fifth St. For information, call 530-756-0191 or visit http:// www.explorit.org, or "like" the Facebook page at www.facebook. com/explorit.fb.

Fiera Trinity Betty

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.

Brian chu/WikimEdia commonS photo Beef and corn on a charcoal grill.

‘Asteroid City’: A heaping helping of peculiar

Wooden performances don’t help this bizarre fantasy

By Derrick Bang

Enterprise film critic

Calling filmmaker Wes Anderson “eccentric” is like saying the Pope is slightly Catholic. The word doesn’t begin to convey the vast scope of Anderson’s outré sensibilities.

As one would expect, the results have been mixed, ranging from dazzling hits (“The Grand Budapest Hotel,” “Fantastic Mr. Fox”) to, shall we say, lesser efforts (“The Darjeeling Limited,” “The French Dispatch”).

But Anderson — a true artiste — remains undaunted, which is just fine; even his bizarre films are interesting … and everything he does is visually fascinating.

That’s certainly the case with “Asteroid City,” which is a dazzling display of architectural whimsy by Anderson, production designer Adam Stockhausen, and the art direction team headed by Stéphane Cressend. I mean, like wow; you’ve never seen so many pastels. They’ve gotta be Oscarnominated.

Whether this colorful setting is supported by an equally compelling story … is another matter. Anderson and co-writer Roman Coppola’s script is, ah, really Out There.

The film begins in standardratio black and white, as a host (Bryan Cranston) presents the back-story to the newest production by celebrated playwright Conrad Earp (Edward Norton). We subsequently become the “audience,” as a huge cast of actors perform the play in three acts (plus an epilogue). These dominant portions of the film are in stylized wide-screen pastels, sumptuously staged by cinematographer Robert D. Yeoman.

Available via: Movie theaters

The actors occasionally break character in between scenes, which adds yet another (often confusing) layer to the storywithin-a-story.

The year is 1955, the setting Asteroid City, a dot-on-themap desert community — population 87 — in the American Southwest. The enclave includes a luncheonette, a gas station, a phone booth, an unfinished highway ramp, and a motel comprising a dozen or so cute little bungalows.

The city is named for its regional monument: a massive crater created by the grapefruitsize Arid Plains Meteorite, also on display. Small radio telescopes and an observatory can be seen not far away.

The occasion is Asteroid Day, a celebration which has gathered five junior scientists and their families; master of ceremonies Gen. Grif Gibson (Jeffrey Wright) acknowledges each teen’s fabulous invention with an award, followed by the presentation of the annual Hickenlooper Scholarship to one of the quintet.

They are:

n Woodrow (Jake Ryan), winner of the White Dwarf Medal of Achievement, his father Augie (Jason Schwartzman) and three younger sisters, Andromeda, Pandora and Cassiopeia;

n Dinah (Grace Edwards), who earns the Red Giant Sash of Honor, and her mother, Midge (Scarlett Johansson), a film actress;

n Clifford (Aristou Meehan),

The motel manager (Steve Carell, left) is distracted by another atomic bomb test, when J.J. Kellogg (Liev Schreiber, right) and his son Clifford (Aristou Meehan) arrive in Asteroid City.

winner of the Black Hole Badge of Triumph, and his father, JJ (Liev Schreiber);

n Shelly (Sophia Lillis), who earns the Distant Nebula Laurel Crown, and her mother, Sandy (Hope Davis), both wearing brown-and-white gingham Girl Scout-type uniforms; and

n Ricky (Ethan Josh Lee), winner of the Collapsing Star Ribbon of Success, and his father, Roger (Stephen Park).

Additional key players include the motel manager (Steve Carell); the gas station mechanic (Matt Dillon); Montana (Rupert Friend) and his quintet of musician cowboys; Dr. Hickenlooper (Tilda Swinton), a celebrated astronomer; June (Maya Hawke), a schoolteacher accompanied by ten 8-year-old pupils; and Augie’s father-in-law, Stanley Zak (Tom Hanks).

A bit later, in between scenes, we meet the play’s director, Schubert Green (Adrien Brody), who has been living in the Tarkington Theatre scenic bay during all 785 performances.

Primary character themes focus on Augie, grieving over the loss of his wife, and who — three weeks later — has yet to tell his children; Augie and Midge, in adjacent bungalows, who exchange mildly flirty banter; spirited debates, all around, about the chances of

extraterrestrial life; the growing bond between the five young scientists; and a possible mutual crush between Woodrow and Dinah.

As often is the case in Anderson films, all of these Asteroid City characters address each other in deadpan monotones. Frivolity occurs only when a song breaks out. After all, these are actors playing stage roles; they display actual emotion only in between scenes. If this sounds stilted and mannered, well, yes; it is. Some of the cast — notably Carell — excel at such straight-faced delivery; others, not so much. Whether it becomes tiresome and tedious, will be up to the individual viewer. Regardless, it’s impossible to praise or criticize anybody’s performance, because almost nobody establishes anything approaching a credible character.

Things take an unexpected turn during the final scene of Act I, when Dr. Hickenlooper’s midnight viewing of an “astronomical ellipses” is interrupted by … well, that would be telling.

Some of the incidental bits are amusing: a memory game played by the young scientists, all possessing astonishing memories; the visual gag of the motel vending machines, which offer everything, including real estate; and a

Courtesy photo

Catch Triism on Thursday at the Winters Gazebo.

Enterprise staff

Watermelon Music will host a pair of concerts this month at its Melon Ball venue, 1970 Lake Blvd., Suite 1, in West Davis. First up is Aaron Jonah Lewis at 8 p.m. Friday, July 14.

Lewis is a champion fiddler who has been elbowdeep in traditional American fiddle and banjo music since beginning lessons at the age of 5 with Kentucky native Robert Oppelt. Lewis has taken blue ribbons at the Appalachian String Band Festival in Clifftop, W.V., and at the Old Fiddlers Convention in Galax, Va., the oldest and largest fiddlers convention in the country. They are also noted for their mastery of multiple banjo styles. They spend most of their time teaching, touring as a solo performer, with the Corn Potato String Band, and other projects.

As a banjoist, Lewis explores some interesting veins in the roots of Old Time, Bluegrass, Ragtime and Jazz music through their newest recording, “Mozart of the Banjo: The

Joe Morley Project.” This project is devoted to the music of the great English prodigy and virtuoso composer Joe Morley (18671937), who wrote a significant body of great banjo pieces in a technique that people today call “classic fingerstyle.”

Greg Adams, Archivist at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, says, “Lewis is one of the few performing musicians with the facility to build compelling musical bridges between the printed banjo music and techniques of the 19th century and the instrument’s journey into recorded sound by the turn of the 20th century.”

Lewis is passionate about sharing early fingerstyle banjo music. They bring light to the fact that classic banjo was the most popular form of music a hundred years ago, though today it’s almost entirely forgotten. They are “trying to keep (classic banjo) alive and spread it around, as it’s a delightful style that brings joy and connects us to the

depth of our shared American history.” Tickets are $20 at https://watermelonmusic. com/event_details. php?products_id=52542.

On July 28, Watermelon will host Davenach & The Usual Culprits at 8 p.m.

Dave Nachmanoff is a Davis-based singer/songwriter who was a touring musician for 25 years (17 of which were largely spent accompanying Al Stewart at venues all over the world).

The Usual Culprits are:

n Martin Lewis (guitar), an old friend and bandmate of Dave's from bands in England and New York.

n Nick Carvajal (drums and vocals) is a music librarian by day and musician by night. He has played in many groups in the Sacramento region and in San Diego.

n Brenden Tull (bass) has played in a variety of eclectic bands (often with Carvajal) for the past 9 years, from doo-wop and R&B to Klezmer to Latin American churros.

Enterprise staff

The Winters Friends of the Library 2023 Summer Concerts at the Gazebo continue with Triism playing jazz standards, pop music, and original compositions, on Thursday, July 13, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Rotary Park, Main Street at Railroad Avenue in downtown Winters.

blue roadrunner that periodically darts back and forth, and — for my money — has more personality than most of its two-legged co-stars.

The five young scientists’ inventions also are a hoot. My favorite: Dinah’s botanical incubation box, which speeds up photosynthesis (but makes vegetables toxic).

And I guess the atomic bomb tests, which occasionally go off in the distance, qualify as a macabre running gag.

But other bits are simply whatthe-heck bewildering, such as the mechanical whatzit that falls from the chassis of Augie’s car, and seems to have a life of its own. Seriously?

The best way to approach all this stuff and nonsense is as sardonic, slow-burn satire, dripping with quiet irony. Enduring that for 104 minutes will test the patience of even Anderson’s faithfuls.

But this much remains true: “Asteroid City” sure as hell is fun to look at.

Oh, and be sure to hang around for the end credits, when that roadrunner really gets to shine.

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

Triism plays Winters Gazebo

The Sacramento trio won the grand prize at the Bucharest International Jazz Competition, part of EUROPAfest 2016, where they beat out musicians from 26 countries. Their unique group sound draws from their individual eclectic musical experiences and interests, which include jazz, rock, Eastern European folk, pop, and

Watermelon lines up July performances at Melon Ball

Playing a mix of Nachmanoff's award-winning original songs and a few fun or interesting covers,

$10 for students at https:// watermelonmusic.com/ event_details. php?products_id=52826. B Section Forum B3 Comics B5 Sports B8

improvised music. Learn more at www.triism.com. Bring a blanket or lawn chairs or sit on the grass, sip a cool drink, and enjoy some fine live music on a summer evening. The concerts are free, but donations will be gratefully accepted. All proceeds will benefit the Winters Community Library. For more information, visit wfol.org.

PG-13, for suggestive

Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Adrien Brody, Liev Schreiber, Steve Carell, Matt Dillon

Courteys photo

Rendon made Assembly more democratic

By Kevin Liao Special to CalMatters

Anthony Rendon stepped aside as Assembly speaker on Friday after more than six years on the job.

Just two people have held the position longer in the modern full-time legislature

Jesse “Big Daddy” Unruh, who ruled the Assembly for more than seven years in the 1960s, and Willie Brown, who earned the nickname “Ayatollah of the Assembly” for his nearly 15 years at the helm.

But unlike those two larger-than-life figures with nicknames to back it up, Rendon leaves behind a legacy that isn’t centered on a singular cult of personality. Instead, he’s done something you rarely see from politicians: He relinquished his own authority and put into the hands of his colleagues.

For those who know Rendon, this leadership style isn’t too surprising. Unlike many politicians, he has a general disdain for glad-handing lobbyists and donors at evening receptions, instead opting to spend his limited free time with his wife and young daughter, reading or watching an obscure European soccer match.

But these characteristics don’t mean he isn’t as effective of a leader. In fact, it has made him – and the Assembly as a whole –even stronger.

By not seeking the spotlight for himself, he’s created a more democratic system of governing within the Assembly by empowering committee chairs to own their domains rather than rule top-down. That’s allowed more legislators – each with their own life experiences and perspectives from the districts they represent – to lead in the lawmaking process and shape policies to benefit the people of California.

A good example of this took place last year, when Rendon tapped Natural Resources Committee chairwoman Luz Rivas to be the Assembly’s lead negotiator on legislation to enact regulations on plastics pollution.

With simple instructions from Rendon to get the best deal possible for the environment, Rivas successfully ironed out details with both environmental advocates and plastics industry representatives and shepherded the bill through the legislative process on a tight deadline – ultimately passing first-in-the-nation rules to limit pollution from single-use plastics.

Future leaders should resist attempts to once again centralize authority in the speaker’s office and give a single person the power to determine whether legislation lives or dies. That’s a recipe for abuse of power and corruption that Californians don’t need from their legislature.

Facilitating more opportunities for women lawmakers has also been a key result of this philosophy.

Commentary Letters

Over the last six years, the number of women serving in the legislature has grown to its largest in the history of our state, and Rendon has appointed more women to lead policy committees than ever before. Rendon’s advocacy was also key to the Assembly achieving pay equity for women employees for the first time.

But Rendon’s style didn’t mean there weren’t things he cared about and fought passionately for.

Rendon first ran for the legislature in 2012 because of his outrage at devastating budget cuts to child care and early childhood education during the Great Recession. He wanted a seat at the table in Sacramento to be a voice for the kids and parents who relied on those programs.

In the last six years, restoring these cuts and expanding opportunities for more young people to have a better start in life has been a key priority for Rendon.

That’s what true leadership is – not chasing TV cameras for the sake of becoming famous or chasing legislative victories for the sake of self-promotion. It’s about getting the job done and truly not caring who gets the credit.

Rendon leaves a legacy those coming after him would be wise to learn from, both his style and his successes.

—Kevin Liao is a political and public affairs consultant based in Los Angeles. He served as Assemblyman Anthony Rendon’s press secretary from 2015 to 2019.

The value of veterinary medicine

Davis is an ideal place for those with beloved pets or those who simply love animals. Some furry friends have even become local celebrities, such as Cheeto the orange tabby cat, who roams near UC Davis’ Department of Physics building. Cori, the black Labrador retriever, has become a regular attraction at Aggie sports events, including football and baseball, and even has her own Facebook page.

The animals in our lives are more than pets or livestock. They’re companions and family members. So, it is stressful when they need urgent medical attention. When that happens, we know we can turn to world-class care nearby at the UC Davis Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Now in its 75th year, the veterinary hospital is celebrating its place in our community and planning to expand services. Their services also include aiding wildlife, exotic animals, aquatic mammals, and fish. They are frequently doing research that is at the nexus of animal, human and environmental health.

Many of you know that, consistently, UC Davis is ranked first in the nation and first or second in the world for veterinary science. Our veterinary teams are often on the frontlines when wildfires, natural disasters, and other emergencies strike California. They are called to assist other states and countries, as well. For example, some of our veterinarians are at Montana’s Yellowstone River, monitoring

the wildlife impacts of the bridge collapse there.

The University of California began veterinary research in the 1800s and helped launch the modern era of veterinary medical education in Davis with the opening of our School of Veterinary Medicine in 1948. The school started leading the field immediately, and over the decades has created breakthroughs in vaccines for livestock diseases, pioneered surgical techniques and launched the world’s first specialty veterinary training programs.

Celebrations for the 75th anniversary started in May and will continue through 2024, ending with a gala on June 29.

The added capacity and expanded services underway include a new emergency room and intensive care unit that opened in May. It nearly doubled the square footage of the former space. With a caseload of more than 50,000 patients each year, this facility will help us meet ever increasing needs for care.

Another area where we’ve seen increasing demand is for specialty veterinary surgeries,

particularly in orthopedics. Later this summer, we’ll open the Center for Advanced Veterinary Surgery to accommodate more of these procedures.

The center is a 6,600-square-foot facility that provides life-saving orthopedic treatments for cats, dogs and other companion animals. It uses the latest advances in anesthesia, surgical instruments and cross-sectional imaging equipment to support innovative surgical procedures.

A key attribute of the expanded surgical center is the increased capacity to perform total hip replacements in dogs.

One of the top reasons that dogs are euthanized is due to hip disease and not being able to stand in their older years. Our veterinary hospital is one of few in the world that can perform this critical procedure. UC Davis is also on the cutting edge by using a 3D-printed titanium implant to perform the treatment.

With a lengthy waiting list for hip replacements, we now have a training fellowship for boarded veterinary surgeons to learn this procedure at the new surgery center. This will have impact across the field of animal care.

Overall, the new surgery center will provide much needed space to accommodate the demands of today and the future. Our current center is already on track to see 2,100 patients — up from an average

of 1,750 patients per year from 2018 to 2020.

The new ER/ICU and surgical facilities are just the latest in a series of expansions occurring at the hospital. A new medical imaging center is also under construction and more projects are underway or in the pipeline. Donors have been incredibly important to these projects, and we appreciate their support.

Meanwhile, the university’s veterinary students continue to serve the Davis community in impactful ways. As I noted in a recent column, Davis Pet Advocacy and Wellness is a satellite of the Mercer Clinic, a non-profit run by UC Davis veterinary students, that provides free veterinary care to pets of the homeless in Davis. Their outreach happens throughout the year at the Daytime Homeless Respite Center at 5th and L streets and other locations. The Mercer Clinic’s Holiday Pet Baskets also provides toys, treats and even coats and sweaters for the unhoused and their cats and dogs each holiday season.

I ask you to join me in congratulating the School of Veterinary Medicine on its 75th anniversary. The people and animals of Davis are grateful for the school’s excellent care and innovations that benefit animal health around the world.

Gary May is the chancellor of UC Davis; his column is published monthly.

Not about point of view

John Clark’s letter to the Enterprise of June 29 opines that “No federal, state, county or city government can choose a side based on content. Doing so opens the door allowing any content based point of view to be expressed on public property.” And further, he states “The city government cannot support issues it chooses since their duty is to recognize all points of view without choosing sides.”

With all due respect, Mr. Clark, being female is not a point of view. Being black is not a point of view. Being LGBTQ+ is not a point of view. These are states of being, not points of view; but, more importantly, these are states of being that are under attack in as many ways as there are people who mistakenly think or believe that being female, black, LGBTQ+ or just being weird is a choice in the same way that one chooses what political party to join.

I’m proud that our elected city council also sees the difference and is willing to make any and all of these people feel welcome specifically because of who they are

Speak

President

by granting them access to city property space to safely express their existence as part of the human spectrum.

Dave Hart Davis

Fourth of July flag-waving

It has been 247 years since that first Fourth of July. Our country is young, but our government is among the oldest.

So how are we doing? You often hear that we are the richest country on earth or in history.

Well, there are a number of countries with small populations that are richer per person. Some have a lot of oil, others are havens for gambling and tax evasion.

Measured at regular exchange rates the USA is still the richest nation per person with a population greater than ten million.

If we look at industrial democracies with the top ten largest economies we are number one, beating number two Australia by 26 percent.

Americans frequently complain but don't seem too anxious to leave. America has the lowest rate of immigration out of any high-income democracy. With the exception of Japan all the other rich democracies have immigration rates

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

U.S. Senate

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, 331 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20510; 202-224-3841; email: https://www. feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/ e-mail-me

Sen. Alex Padilla, 112 Hart Senate Office

more than four times as high.

Three times as many Canadians immigrate to the U.S. as Americans immigrate to Canada. Five times as many British immigrate to the U.S. as Americans immigrate to the United Kingdom.

We are told that the middle class is disappearing and that Americans live desperate lives from paycheck to paycheck. But the median household net wealth in 2019 was over 120 thousand dollars. Median means half have more, half have less.

In 2022 just less than two-thirds of all households owned their own homes.

That sounds fairly middle-class to me.

You often read that Americans work longer hours and have less vacation time. You rarely read that Americans spend less time commuting to and from work. We are using cars instead of public transportation. If you include all the time we save using cars to shop and our other transportation we probably more than make up for the longer work hours.

Our Founding Fathers didn't think the nation would even survive. But America did more than survive, it thrived. Happy Fourth.

Richard Bruce Davis

Building, Washington, D.C., 20510; 202224-3553; email: https://www.padilla. senate.gov/contact/contact-form/

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; 530-753-5301; email: https:// https:// mikethompsonforms.house.gov/contact/

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

95617;

By Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

Jerry Scott

Stephan Pastis

Charles M. Schulz

Complete the grids so that every row, column and outlined 3x3 box contains the numbers 1

Taper's Choice Free Show at Cafe du Nord RSVP via DoTheBay Link in Description @ 10pm Cafe Du Nord, 2174 Market St., San Francisco

YoloCares Caregiver Retreat @ 10am Caregiver Retreat: Finding and managing quintessential care for your declining loved one 1909 Galileo Ct, 1909 Galileo Court, Davis. griefsupport@yolo cares.org, 530-758-5566

Pumpkin Heads - The Smashing Pumpkins Expe‐

rience: 90's @ The Garden II - Tribute Festival 2023

@ 11am Retro Junkie, 2112 N Main St, Wal‐nut Creek

Assemblage: A Workshop with Amy Vidra

@ 1pm / $145

Sign up now for this upcoming workshop with artist Amy Vidra! Pence Gallery, 212 D Street, Davis. pencesocialmedia@gmail.com, 530-758-3370

Jay Rin and Jimmy at Cal Expo

@ 3pm California State Fair, 1600 Exposi‐tion Blvd, Sacramento

"My (Unauthorized)

Hallmark Movie Musical" @ 3pm / $5-$30

Top Of The Shelton, 533 Sutter St., 2nd Floor, San Francisco

Magician Jay Alexander @ 6:30pm / $50

Marrakech Magic Theater, 419 O'‐Farrell St., San Francisco

"My (Unauthorized)

Hallmark Movie Musical" @ 7:30pm / $5-$30

Top Of The Shelton, 533 Sutter St., 2nd Floor, San Francisco

Savion Glover @ 7:30pm SFJAZZ Center, 201 Franklin St, San Francisco La Septima Banda @ 8pm El Rancho De Concord, 1450 Mon‐ument Blvd, Concord Mo Money @ 9pm DNA Lounge, 375 11th St, San Francisco

Magician Jay Alexander @ 9pm / $50 Marrakech Magic Theater, 419 O'‐

@ 9pm Madrone Art Bar, 500 Divisadero St, San Francisco

Moon‐shine Bandits @ 10pm / $25

Bally's Lake Tahoe, 55 Highway 50, Stateline

The Ateliers @ 12pm Salesforce Park, 425 Mission St, San Francisco Jay Rin and Jimmy at Cal Expo @ 3pm California State Fair, 1600 Exposi‐tion Blvd, Sacramento

JourneyDay Music @ 5pm 3 - Merryvale Vineyards, 1000 Main St, Saint Helena

World Premiere of "Solaz" by La Tania Baile Flamenco at Presidio Theatre @ 7pm / $15

Innovative Flamenco artist La Tania and the Presidio Theatre present the world premiere of So‐laz, a new multimedia �amenco work inspired by the extraordinary history of the Egyptian Temple of Debod. Presidio Theatre, 99 Mor‐aga Avenue, San Francisco. info@ presidiotheatre.org

"Stay Awake" (2022)

@ 7pm / $5 Crest Theatre, 1013 K Street, Sacramento

Wil Blades @ 7pm Keys Jazz Bistro, 498 Broadway, San Francisco

Seth Kaminsky @ 7pm Mas Taco Bar, 1800 15th St suite d, Sacramento

"The Tale of Edward Scis‐sorhands" @ 8pm / $12.50 Stage Werx Theatre, 446 Valencia Street, San Fran‐cisco

Academy Live: "Arias, Americana & Ava Gardner” with Angelique Alexander @ 8pm / $25

Experience an unforgettable evening of musical entertainment as Angelique Alexander, accom‐panied by Jonathan Levin, show‐cases her incredible vocal talent. Don't miss this extraordinary per‐formance! The Academy SF, 2166 Market Street, San Francisco. info‐@academy-sf.com, 415-624-3429

Revisiting Creedence @ 8pm California Exposition & State Fair, 1600 Exposition Blvd, Sacramento Magician Jay Alexander @ 9pm / $50 Marrakech Magic Theater, 419 O'‐Farrell St., San Francisco

Jay Rin and Jimmy at Cal Expo @ 3pm California State Fair, 1600 Exposi‐tion Blvd, Sacramento

Kings acquire Duarte from Pacers

Enterprise staff

SACRAMENTO — The Sacramento Kings announced Thursday that the team has acquired guard Chris Duarte from the Indiana Pacers in exchange for a 2028 secondround pick and a 2030 second-round pick.

During the 2022-23 season, Duarte averaged 7.9 points and 2.5 rebounds per game in 46 games (12 starts) for the Pacers.

He was selected to participate in the 2022 NBA Rising Stars Challenge and went on to be named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team after posting averages of 13.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.0 steals per contest in 55 games (39 starts) in 2021-22.

Duarte appeared in 101 games (51 starts) for the Pacers, averaging 10.7 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.

He was selected 13th overall in the 2021 NBA Draft from Oregon after receiving Pac-12 Player of the Year honors for his performance during the 2020-21 season.

NBA2K24 Summer League

SACRAMENTO — The Kings also announced their

roster for the NBA2K24 Summer League, which will take place starting today through July 17 at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Sacramento start against the Atlanta Hawks today at 7:30 p.m. PDT.

Then Kings will play the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday at 7:30 p.m., the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday at 7 p.m. and the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday, July 13 at 6:30 p.m.

This year’s Summer League will feature all 30 NBA teams playing at least five games.

After each team plays four games, the top four teams will advance to the playoffs and participate in the semifinals on Sunday, July 16 at 1 p.m. on ESPN and 3 p.m. on ESPN 2.

The two winning teams from the semifinals will meet on Monday, July 17 at 6 p.m. for the championship, which will be broadcast on ESPN.

The 26 teams that do not advance to the playoffs will play a fifth game on either Saturday, July 15 or Sunday, July 16.

CLASSIC: Attention shifts to action in Vegas

From Page B8

period ended.

This prompted Sacramento’s coaching staff to challenge their players to hold Miami to fewer than 20 points in the fourth quarter.

The Kings rose to the occasion, outscoring the Heat 27-13 in the final period to secure the win.

“I thought everyone was on the same page defensively and I felt like we locked in on some small details and I thought that’s

what got us through,” Jones said.

Jones was a differencemaker on both ends, finishing with 11 points, four rebounds and three steals. The 2023 second-round pick from Xavier played more than 20 minutes in both of Sacramento’s California Classic matchups

“I’m just trying to go out there and be confident and be aggressive,” Jones said. “I feel like I’m pretty comfortable out there. I just need to just keep working to get better.”

The Kings’ win clinched an undefeated showing at the California Classic, which Sacramento opened with a 100-94 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday behind 29 points from Murray.

Murray will not be in uniform for the Kings in the upcoming Las Vegas Summer League, according to summer league head coach Luke Loucks.

“I can’t speak highly enough of Keegan,” Loucks said. “Just for him to show up with a good attitude

BaseBaLL River Cats silence the Salt Lake Bees

Enterprise staff

WEST SACRAMENTO

— The Sacramento River Cats dropped consecutive three-run innings that overcame a one-run deficit against the Salt Lake Bees, then added a four-spot of insurance during the seventh to help take a game three victory by a final of 13-6 on Thursday.

After neither team could produce a base runner in the first, David Villar was the one to break the scoreless tie as his solo home run to center field to lead off the second frame and gave the River Cats (39-44) the early advantage.

However, the lead was short lived as the Bees (41-42) started the home half of the inning with consecutive hits, scoring one on a groundout then using a two-RBI double from Brett Phillips to pull in front, 3-1.

Sacramento countered with their own three-run inning during the fourth after neither team accomplished much in the third, pushing across the first run on an RBI groundout from Jakson Reetz. Following was an RBI double from Armando Alvarez, while the final run of the inning scored courtesy a Michael Gigliotti single into right.

and lead this group for a couple of games, it speaks to his character.”

Sacramento’s first matchup in Sin City is against the Atlanta Hawks today at Cox Pavillion.

— 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.

Momentum swung back in favor of Salt Lake in the home half of the inning, as pair of walks resulted in damage to the River Cats when Jordyn Adams hit a two-bagger into left-center field for the Bees to pull back in front, 5-4.

Continuing the seesaw nature of the contest, Sacramento rallied for another three-run frame during the away half of the fifth for yet another lead change.

Singles from Ricardo Genoves and Bryce Johnson had two aboard with no outs for Heliot Ramos, who continued his hot stretch by doubling to center field to drive home both runs.

Ramos has played four games on his current rehab assignment and has produced a hit in all four while going 8-for-16 (.500) with four runs scored, three doubles, one triple, one homer and five RBI.

Following that two-bagger from Ramos, Villar later drove him in with a single down the left-field line to take a 7-5 edge. Trying to match, Salt Lake came within a run on a Livan Soto double into right that scored Daniel Murph, who had walked to lead off the frame.

Needing insurance while leading by just one, the River Cats totaled the biggest inning of the contest by scoring four times during their swings in the seventh. Two batters into the inning and the River Cats had tallied two runs, as a Bryce Johnson walk occurred just before Ramos crushed his third homer of the season over the wall in left center.

The River Cats will look to secure at least a series split today when these two teams take the field for game four, with first pitch scheduled for 5:35 p.m.

Kings cool off Heat for perfect mark at Classic

By Henry Krueger Enterprise correspondent

SACRAMENTO

— This year’s California Classic featured a collection of highly-touted rookies, but it was secondyear forward Keegan Murray who stole the show.

Murray capped off the event with a 41-point outing to lead the Sacramento Kings to a 95-83 victory over the Miami Heat on Wednesday at Golden 1 Center.

The reigning All-Rookie first-teamer shot 11-for-20 from the field and 6-for-11 from deep, while also corralling five rebounds and blocking four shots in 31 minutes of action.

“It’s unreal playing with him and seeing him shoot, you feel like it’s going in every time,” said Kings guard Colby Jones of Murray. “That’s just the skill level of the NBA, so playing with someone like that definitely helps a lot of the other guys.”

Murray almost single-handedly kept Sacramento afloat early on, scoring 14 of his team’s 21 points in the first quarter.

The Kings ended the period with a 21-14 lead, despite shooting 2-for-9 from 3-point range.

track and Field Blue Devils hosting allcomers meet

Enterprise staff

The Davis High track and field program and the Davis Community Track and Field Club will hosting The Davis Summer All-Comer.

The event will take place

Thursday, July 13 at Ron and Mary Brown Stadium on the DHS campus, starting at 5 p.m.

This track and field meet is open to athletes of all ages and ability levels.

Families are highly encouraged to take part.

The Blue Devils and club will provide fullyelectronic timing and Hytek results.

They will also seed on the line, creating heats based on ages.

To register, more information or make a donation, email DHS track and field head coach Spencer Elliott at selliott@djusd.net.

For DHS track and field student-athletes, other high school track and field athletes wanting to compete, families and youth clubs planning to take part, preregistration goes until Wednesday, July 12 at 5 p.m.

Youth clubs can register teams via www.athletic. net.

All other competitors can email Elliott.

People who are wanting to make a donation can make out checks to Davis High School Track and Field.

With Murray on the bench to begin the second quarter, Keon Ellis and Alex O’Connell combined for 12 points in a four-minute span to give Sacramento a 35-22 advantage.

After Murray returned to the court around the five-minute mark, he immediately nailed a fadeaway midrange jumpshot over three defenders. A few possessions later, he rebounded a missed shot before connecting on a fastbreak 3-pointer from the top of the key.

The Kings were held scoreless for the next two minutes and 23 seconds, with the Heat able to cut their deficit to single digits behind a string of made free throws from Dru Smith.

Sacramento scored only four more points in the first half, but remained in front 47-40.

The third quarter saw Miami explode for 30 points, nine of which came from Nikola Jovic, who finished the contest with a team-high 22 points. With the Kings unable to get defensive stops, the Heat pulled ahead 70-68 on a 3-pointer from Alondes Williams just before the

See CLASSIC, Page B7

FC Davis men looking to keep momentum going

By Henry Krueger Enterprise correspondent

Don’t tell FC Davis men’s soccer head coach Kris Hall that his players are underdogs.

The Golden Lions, who won just one game during the regular season, pulled off a 2-0 victory over San Ramon FC in the quarterfinals of the Golden Gate Conference Playoffs on Sunday.

While many called it an upset win for FC Davis, Hall was not as surprised by the result.

“We went into it, knowing what San Ramon was going to do, how they were going to play,” Hall said. “I never felt not in control in this game.”

The Golden Lions’ win earned them a spot in the semifinals, where they will host defending league champion El Farolito. The match is scheduled for Saturday 7 p.m. at Playfields Park.

El Farolito scored a league-best 29 times during an undefeated regular season, with Dembor Benson’s 13 goals placing second among players in the West Region. Benson’s mark nearly matches FC Davis’ team total of 14 goals.

The veteran attacker has continued his scoring spree during the postseason, burying a goal in El Farolito’s 3-1 win over Sonoma County Sol FC in the quarterfinals last Saturday.

While Benson is one of El Farolito’s most well-known players, the San Francisco-based club also has arguably the Golden Gate Conference’s best defense. The six goals surrendered by El Farolito in the regular season are the fewest of any team in the league.

for FC Davis is

that it’s one of two teams to score at least twice against El Farolito, which defeated the Golden Lions 3-2 on May 20.

“I’m actually very excited to play El Farolito,” Hall said. “Having played them before, we know what to expect. We had an opportunity to beat them, but there was a lot of adversity that happened in that game, including a player who got injured.”

The match will be the first time FC Davis has competed in the semifinals, giving the club a chance to continue making history with a win.

“I’m not surprised, but I’m incredibly proud and ecstatic for the guys because they’ve earned it,” Hall said of his club’s historic feat.

If the Golden Lions advance past the semifinals, they will be one of two Golden Gate Conference teams to earn a spot in the West Region Playoffs.

While that scenario seems unlikely, Hall believes anything can happen in the playoffs.

“When you get to the playoffs, it’s just a different animal,” Hall said. “Every team in the NPSL is talented. You can’t rule any team out because this is professional soccer and they’ll rise to the occasion.”

— 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.

Mike Bush/enterprise photo Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) shoots over a group of Miami Heat players in Wednesday’s California Classic game at the Golden 1 Center. To view more photos, visit www.davisenterprise. com, click on the Sports tab and look for the story.

FC Davis’ Wumi Aladetimi (right) races to the soccer ball in home game against the Las Vegas Legends toward the end of June.

FC Davis’ Soroosh Salari-Namin keeps the soccer ball in front of him during a home game at UC Davis Dairy Complex last month. The local team will be playing another home game at Playfields Park on Saturday at 7 p.m.