A Yolo County judge shaved three years off a prison inmate’s 35-year sentence Wednesday under recent changes in state law.
Local artist and UCD grad Judith Eppele incorporates nature themes into her acrylic paintings.
Courtesy photo
As a nod to her recent degree from UC Davis in environmental science and management, local artist Judith Eppele incorporates nature themes into her acrylic paintings.
From a ginko leaf off her favorite kind of tree to a weeping willow across the back of a
denim jacket, Eppele enjoys the freedom of abstract art, where she can utilize various techniques and color tones to create interesting textures.
As her degree influences her artistic style, Eppele says she has loved learning about the environment from a young age.
Many of her paintings include flowers or trees. “I feel
extremely lucky to have found a way to combine two of my main passions in life,” she says.
You may have seen her painting custom keycaps for keyboards over at Clackeys on E Street or perfecting her art at Philz to mix up her creative environment.
Enjoying the freedom of abstract art, where she can
utilize various techniques and color tones to create interesting textures, Eppele describes her style as joyful, whimsical, and inspired by nature. From gold sparkles and accents into paintings of flowers, her pieces exhibit an extra spark of joy that is so often seen with Disney
See INSPIRATION, Back page
The St. Francis Catholic High School
Robotics Team left to the Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) World Championship in Denver as competitors, and returned to northern California as champions. Although St. Fran cis is Sacramento-based, a hand ful of girls on the team are Davis natives who did their hometown proud.
Five hundred teams from across North America, Asia, Europe and the
Middle East convened in the Mile-High City to compete for the title of world champions from June 22 to 24.
Months prior to that, however, the St. Francis team spent hours upon hours grinding, coding, learning from errors and creating a submarine robot to rise above the competition.
The competition itself was comprised of a mission run which took place in a pool and required each robot to complete tasks. It also included a 25-page technical report, a 30minute technical presentation/ Q&A from professional engineers and a marketing poster.
Courtesy photo See ROBOTICS, Page A7
But while he could have considered additional sentencing relief for Alamar Houston, Judge David Rosenberg refused to do so out of concern for public safety.
Houston, now 46, went on a threecounty crime spree back in June 2015, starting with a vehicle theft in Colusa County. From there, he stole a second car from a Sacramento International Airport parking lot and used it to run down three bicyclists — two of them 17-year-old boys — on South River Road in Yolo County.
After that, he punched a store clerk in West Sacramento and led police on a chase into downtown Sacramento, menacing other motorists and attacking a police dog before being taken into custody.
Acquitted of attempted murder but convicted of 13 other felony crimes including assault with a deadly weapon, Houston received a 35-year prison term that included a
See SENTENCE, Page A7
Special to The Enterprise
Rachael Freeman Long
grew up in Berkeley but was fascinated by farming. The UC Cooperative Extension farm adviser has spent the past 37 years doing research on crop production, pollination and pest control and collaborating with farmers.
Long worked with UCCE in Sonoma and San Joaquin counties as well as at UC Berkeley, before settling in Yolo County as a farm adviser in 1992. She has focused on field crops including alfalfa hay and other
forages, dry beans, and hybrid seed crops such as sunflowers, melons and onions.
After serving growers in Yolo, Solano and Sacramento counties for 31 years, she retired on July 1.
“Rachael has been a wonderful addition to our life in Yolo County, as well as to the whole farming community throughout the UCCE,” wrote walnut growers Dan and Sarah Hrdy. “Her enthusiasm and dedication to bees, birds and bats is wonderful.”
To produce practical
See ADVISER, Page A4
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Davis local, Antoinette O'Neill is starting a support group for women. Women ages 18-plus who struggle with chronic illnesses such as MD, MS, ME/ CFS, CP, SCI, RA, EDS, long COVID, mitochondrial myopathy or other life-changing diseases are welcome.
The group will meet Monday, July 10, Aug. 7 and Sept. 11 at the Stevens Branch Library, 315 E. 14th St. in Davis, from noon to 2 p.m. The support group is free and will gather in the community meeting room.
The Davis Travelaires, an all-volunteer nonprofit organization that offers day trips and longer excursions, will host a Travel Talk presentation at the Davis Senior Center on Thursday, July 27, at 10 a.m.
Don’t miss the event to learn about their upcoming trips, enjoy refreshments, mingle with other travelers, and enter for a chance to win a $50 gift certificate.
To register, visit https://davistravelaires. org, email DavisTravel aires@gmail.com, or call 530-902-1825. The Travelaires office inside the Davis Senior Center, 646 A St., is staffed by volunteers Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
At last count there were several developers hoping to win City Council approval for putting their projects to a Measure J/RD/Z/M&M vote. The number of projects seems to grow every day, so I’m never sure what the actual count is at any given moment.
Pretty soon we’re going to run out of letters of the alphabet for these elections and have to go to a Measure !/?/$/&/*%@ vote. Just don’t have a Measure Oxford Comma vote or I’m moving to Dixon.
Such votes are necessary if your project is planned for current agricultural land, including back yard gardens that raise tomatoes and zucchini.
Preserving prime ag land is a great idea, but given that the entire city of Davis is built on the best soil on Earth, we may be about 150 years late with our ordinances.
I mean, why do you think the great minds at the University of California in Berkeley decided to locate the University Farm in Davisville over a century ago?
If the land Davis sits on is so precious, maybe we should move our entire town to Northern Nevada, which is not prime farmland, and return all of the City of Davis to active farming as God intended.
It’s interesting now that we’ve replaced yesterday’s sugar beet fields with endless rows of almonds, walnuts and pistachios, we have indeed earned that longrumored Official City Motto: “Davis: More Nuts Than Winters.”
And never mind that the vast majority of those almonds are shipped out of state and out of the country, where people are not urged to “buy local” because they don’t grow almonds and walnuts and pistachios in other parts of the country.
So much for Farm to Fork. Around here, the reality is Farm to Freight.
But, just in case one day there is a worldwide shortage of things to snack on, it’s best to keep our cherished ag lands sacred, which means we’ll have to build up, not out. Or maybe not build anything at all.
Not building, of course, will send our astronomical home prices even higher, which pleases
A 15-year-old boy faces multiple felony charges following a residential burglary and vehicle pursuit in the town of Esparto, the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office reported Friday.
In a Facebook post, sheriff’s officials said deputies responded at about 2 a.m. Monday to reports of a break-in at an Esparto residence where a 17-year-old was home at the time.
“Armed with only a baseball bat, the juvenile scared off the intruder, preventing any harm or theft,” the post said. “Acting swiftly, the juvenile provided a description of the suspect and their getaway vehicle, a red sedan.”
Deputies searched the area and encountered a
vehicle matching that description, a red Hyundai, whose driver led officers on a brief pursuit when they attempted a traffic stop. The chase ended when the car crashed into a fence.
“The suspect then attempted to flee on foot, but deputies apprehended him,” sheriff’s officials said. “Following an investigation, it was revealed that the Hyundai had been stolen from Esparto, and the suspect was responsible for multiple vehicle break-ins in the vicinity.”
Deputies booked the teen into Yolo County Juvenile Hall on charges of possessing a stolen vehicle, burglary, evading law enforcement and being a minor in possession of ammunition. His name was not released because he is a minor.
Theft crimes at two local businesses landed four people in jail Wednesday.
Reports of a theft in progress at Target brought officers to the Second Street store shortly before 9:30 p.m., according to Lt. Dan Beckwith said.
“Loss prevention told officers that they were watching two suspects push a large amount merchandise out of the emergency exit without paying,” Beckwith said. “When officers arrived, they located the male and female subjects loading the merchandise into a car that was parked just outside of the exit.”
The man ran away but later returned, and was taken into custody along with the female suspect and another woman sitting in the car’s driver seat, Beckwith said. The
allegedly stolen merchandise totaled about $1,800.
Mandy Jean Dixon, 23, of Yreka; Sabrina Rose Dominick, 55, of Nicolaus; and Rodney Edward Moore, 41, of Baldwin Park; all were booked into the Yolo County Jail on multiple charges including grand theft, conspiracy and possession of stolen property.
In an unrelated incident, police responded at about 11:45 a.m. to U.S. Bank, 304 F St., where a man had stolen an employee’s cell phone off their desk.
“The employee began tracking their phone and guided the officers to the suspect, who was ultimately located at Sixth and E streets,” still in possession of the allegedly stolen phone, Beckwith said.
Edward Earl Craft Jr., 45, of Vallejo, went to the Yolo County Jail on a grand theft charge.
current homeowners and sends everyone else scrambling for housing in the Three Ws — Woodland, Winters and West Sacramento.
The Davis City Council, bowing to the wishes of Mayor Will Arnold, who said the city needs a “break” from contentious elections, has decided there will be no Measure J/R/D votes until 2025, even as some developers claim they could have their plans ready to put before voters the day after tomorrow.
As I’ve noted before, I don’t think we need a break from contentious elections as much as we need a break from contentious politicians.
The bottom line is that it’s hard for any kind of development to pass a citywide vote, since the very folks who’d like to vote for a development of “affordable” starter homes so they can move here can’t vote.
And those who do own homes here know they’re sitting on a gold mine of equity that could be disturbed if a whole bunch of new houses hit the market all at once. Indeed, self-interest is blinding.
The bottom line is that a majority of Davisites think Davis is just about the right size now and they don’t see any benefit to growth. They like small-town living, which is pretty much how people felt
when our family moved here from Portland to a town of just 3,000 people. Somehow, we’ve grown a bit since then, though we still maintain our reputation of being a strict “no-growth” community.
I still smile when I think of that letter to the editor not so long ago that cried “We moved here six months ago and we’re appalled at the growth.”
Of course, they somehow weren’t part of that growth. At least in their minds.
I also smile when I think of the no-growth politician from a few election cycles ago who explained to me that her family did not cause the town to grow when they moved here because “We bought an already existing house.”
But, of course. You can move to Davis guilt-free if you buy an existing house. I think maybe we should make that a municipal ordinance.
Meanwhile, let’s put all the proposed projects on the ballot at the same time and have a battle royale. If all pass, the town will double in size.
And if all fail, at least they gave us something to talk about.
Meanwhile, it’s about time to get those beefsteak tomatoes planted in the backyard while the beef steaks sizzle on the grill.
— Reach Bob Dunning at bdunning@davisenterprise.net.
Enterprise staff writer
WOODLAND — Yolo
County prosecutors filed eight felony charges against a former Woodland Christian School employee accused of having inappropriate conduct with several high school-aged students.
Cynthia Magana, 23, entered a not-guilty plea at her arraignment hearing Friday in Yolo Superior Court. She remains free on a $20,000 bail bond pending her next court date, set for Sept. 1.
The criminal complaint filed against Magana, who was not a teacher at the
school, alleges she engaged in unlawful sexual intercourse and oral copulation with the minors in vehicles on multiple occasions, both on and off campus.
Other counts accuse Magana of contacting a minor with intent to commit a sex crime and coercing or persuading a minor to participate in pornography.
The alleged conduct resulted in a report being filed with the Woodland Police Department on May 11.
School administrators emailed the parents of middle- and high-school students the following
week to inform them that Magana was no longer employed at the school.
"The law protects minors from inappropriate behavior by adults, so the students involved in this alleged incident are legally victims and must be treated as such," Assistant Principal Ryan Devine wrote, noting the school would cooperate with the police investigation. Located on Matmor Road, Woodland Christian School was founded in 1974 and offers programs for students from preschool age through high school.
The short week brought a short column. Let’s dig in. Dogtopia, the doggie day care, boarding and spa center coming to the El Macero Shopping Center, just earned its occupancy permit. It fills the former Tuesday Morning space at 417 Mace Blvd., Suite S.
Owner Cindy Hespe plans an open house from 5 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, July 15. “This is a no-dog event, as we want to give the pet parents the opportunity to go into the playrooms,” she said.
The day care provides socialization and exercise for dogs, grouped by size, temperament and play style. All participants must meet vaccination requirements, and be spayed or neutered. They also pass a screening, where the pups interact with staff, demonstrate their comfort level in a crate and show their ability to play well with others.
Hespe has a soft opening for Dogtopia set for Monday, July 24, with daycare services only. Hours will be 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. Once staff is fully hired and trained – in about two months – they plan to add boarding and spa services, with expanded hours. Learn more at https://www. dogtopia.com/sacramentodavis/.
The recent heat wave produced problems for several businesses in Davis. A blown transformer downtown caused
power outages the evening of July 2. PG&E restored power within a few hours. However, it triggered a Comcast Business internet outage, which affected several downtown businesses.
The new Mamma restaurant at 226 F St. was closed for two days, “unable to process food tickets, payments or any online actions,” it said. I bumped into owner Michael Galyen at Community Park on the Fourth of July. He and his wife were disappointed, but making the best of the city-sponsored event. It was back open for dinner on Wednesday.
The heat also caused problems at Sudwerk Brewing Co., which battled some failures in new equipment. It limited beer choices to what they could pour from The Dock taps. The full tap list was back up as of late Thursday.
After 44 years, Andy Gagnon Landscaping will close this fall when Gagnon retires.
Gagnon has been doing landscaping in Yolo County since 1979. His business, at 555 Kentucky Ave. in Woodland, also operates Cricket Pools
I mentioned last week that Davis Refillery is closing.
Amanda Banks and Katie McCann launched the online store in 2021. Bank said they hope to wrap up their closing sale by the end of this month. They sell environmentally friendly cleaning and personal care products in refillable containers, and are busily filling orders for their closing sale,
The customers of Davis Ace Hardware demonstrated their commitment to the community by joining forces for the third consecutive year to raise funds for Progress Ranch Treatment Services for Children, a crucial local organization aiding at-risk youth in Davis.
Throughout the month of June, the community’s generosity soared, resulting in an impressive fundraising total exceeding $3,000.
Every dollar raised will directly benefit this nonprofit, contributing to the positive development and support of the city’s vulnerable youths.
Davis Ace Hardware has a longstanding tradition of championing local charities and organizations. Over the years, the hardware store has conducted numerous fundraising campaigns, serving as a catalyst for change and support. Notable beneficiaries of its charitable initiatives include the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, UC Davis Children’s Hospital, and Thriving Pink, among others.
The current drive to raise funds for Progress Ranch underscores Davis Ace Hardware’s commitment to
improving the lives of those in need. By simply “rounding up” their transactions during their shopping experience at Davis Ace, customers have the opportunity to contribute to these causes, which create a positive impact in the local community.
Progress Ranch Treatment Services for Children facilities function as a resource for at-risk youths, providing them with support, guidance and treatment to navigate challenging circumstances.
“The success of this recent fundraising endeavor attests to the collective
spirit and generosity of Davis Ace Hardware customers,” the store said in a statement.
“Next time you visit Davis Ace Hardware, not only will you receive topnotch service, but you will also have the chance to contribute to a meaningful cause,” the statement said. “Whether it’s supporting Progress Ranch Youth Treatment facilities or other local charities, your small acts of kindness and generosity can go a long way in fostering positive change and uplifting our community.”
while supplies last. Visit https:// www.thedavisrefillery.com/.
Missed a column? Before messaging me to check the status of a business project, please review my paywall-free Google spreadsheet, which includes hundreds of Davis businesses. It’s at https://bit.ly/DavisBusinesses. The most active tabs are Restaurants Open, Restaurants Closed and Coming Soon. The
Enterprise website is also a great way to search for past coverage.
— Wendy Weitzel is a Davis writer who launched this Sunday business column in 2001, when she was The Enterprise’s managing editor. Check for frequent updates on her Comings & Goings Facebook and Instagram accounts. If you know of a business coming or going in the area, email news tips to wendyedit@ gmail.com.
research results, Long has collaborated on studies with the Hrdys and many other growers over the years. Her field studies informed the sunflower, alfalfa, onion seed and dry bean production manuals that she co-authored with UC ANR colleagues.
Cost-of-production reports on alfalfa, sunflowers, lima beans, common beans and garbanzo beans that she co-authored have been used by growers for obtaining farm loans. Since 2014, her cost studies have been used over 50,000 times.
Long’s research and extension of integrated pest management practices have resulted in enhanced biodiversity, reduced pesticide use, higher crop yields, healthy soils and carbon sequestration, and greater farm productivity and profitability. Her research papers have been cited by scientists over 1,200 times. In 2019, she received the Bradford Rominger Agricultural Sustainability Leadership Award.
Her work in the late 1990s documented how pesticides were transported offsite from farm fields in surface irrigation water. At the time, the agricultural industry was concerned the results would prompt increased regulations and restrictions on farming practices. But she persisted and her research led to the
development and adoption of practices — such as pesticide choice and vegetative filter strips including cover crops — that are now commonly used to protect surface waters from pesticides used on farms.
“I’m proud of my community and appreciate the opportunity to work with farmers and the privilege of conducting research on farms,” Long said. “I’ll forever be grateful to landowners for their support of my projects, even ones that
Enterprise staff
WOODLAND — The Yolo County Library presents an evening of storytelling around the campfire, delicious treats, and a beginner-level night hike on Friday, July 14, at 7:30 p.m., at Grasslands Regional Park in Davis. This is a bilingual event in English and Spanish recommended for ages 7 and up.
At 7:30 p.m., prepare a tasty camping-themed treat to enjoy and get comfortable around the campfire! At 7:45 p.m., celebrate the magic of los cuentos (stories) with internationally known Latina storyteller Olga Loya.
Loya will share a personal true story about a Ghost House, an Aztec myth, a folktale about La Cucarachita, the little Cockroach, and a spinetingling story called “The Flying Skeleton.” For the last 30 years, Loya has worked as a solo performer, keynote speaker, teacher, and author. She tells stories that support her belief that we can take the time to enjoy ourselves through stories and song. Be ready to hear some stories with Spanish in them.
At 8:45 p.m., enjoy a night hike through Grasslands Regional Park led by a naturalist from local environmental organization Tuleyome. Learn about nocturnal wildlife found in Yolo County. Spanish-language translation will be provided. Attendees are encouraged to bring water, flashlights or headlamps, sturdy walking shoes, layered clothing, and a blanket or low chair to sit on.
This event is part of the library’s All Together Outside series which, as an extension of the annual Summer Reading Program, encourages community members to explore the natural world, learn about local wildlife and regional recreational opportunities, and explore the California State Parks with free dayuse passes that library cardholders can borrow.
Grasslands Regional Park is south of Davis at 30275 County Road 104, which sits at the corner of Tremont Road and County Road 104/Mace Blvd. When you arrive, park in the large Yolo Bowmen parking lot and walk to the meeting spot east of the lot, following the signs.
Wheelchair for sale
Permobile C300
$1000 In new condition, but needs batteries dnpoulos@urcad org
students and postdocs on hedgerows,” she said. “We found that field edge plantings of native plants provide floral resources for natural enemies and bees that move into adjacent crops for enhanced pollination and pest control services in adjacent crops, reducing pesticide use and boosting yields. I’m proud that many have gone on to pursue careers in agriculture and natural resource conservation.”
Mary Kimball, CEO of the Center for Land-Based Learning in Woodland, was Long’s field assistant in 1996. Kimball, who worked for the Yolo Resource Conservation District, was the project manager for the first hedgerow project that Long led.
Kimball added. “Her impact and the way that she went about doing this research — in collaboration and with all needs and concerns of the farmer in mind — show us how to tackle new ideas and ensure their sustainability over time.”
The daughter of a UC Berkeley biology professor and graduate of UC Berkeley with a bachelor’s degree in biology and UC Davis with a master’s degree in entomology, Long always had an interest in wildlife, conservation and exploring the natural world.
outreach programs.”
For a recent project addressing labor shortages, she developed researchbased guidelines for growers to use spray drones to control pests in alfalfa hay production.
As a mother and a scientist, Long is committed to piquing children’s interest in science. She has published three children’s books chronicling a boy’s adventures with wildlife, based on stories she told her own son, Eugene. Long recently published “See You Later Alligator,” an online children’s book.
seemed so far out there, like studying bats and pest control in walnut orchards!”
Her research has shown that bats, as well as insectivorous birds, help control insect pests on farms, which helps growers reduce their reliance on pesticides.
As scientists look for ways to slow climate change, one of Long’s recent studies revealed that hedgerows sequester 36% more carbon than farmed areas.
“I loved working with
“Over the years, Rachael has strategically and methodically tackled every question, concern and potential barrier for onfarm hedgerow installation — not only disproving all of the myths about pests, but showing the dramatic importance of these native plant hedgerows to everything from wildlife habitat, insectary value, use by bird species, and most recently, carbon sequestration,” Kimball said.
“As a result, hedgerows are now by far the most applied-for conservation practice by farmers and landowners through USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service cost-sharing programs across the state,”
Enterprise staff
SACRAMENTO — Legislation advanced this week in the California Assembly from state Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, which would place limits on the amount of money that can be donated to candidates for school boards and special district offices, ensuring fairness in local elections.
“My bill puts a cap on donations to ensure fairness while encouraging a more diverse field that is more reflective of the population,” Dodd said. “Getting big money out of elections for smaller community offices is essential. These well-financed campaigns favor the wealthy at the exclusion of grassroots candidates and people of color.”
California has thousands of publicly elected governing boards managing an assortment of agencies including schools, community colleges and special districts. Elections often receive little media
coverage and even less scrutiny of campaign donations, which are not limited by state law and can exceed money given to candidates for higher office. Currently the default is to allow unlimited contributions, and only three special districts statewide have adopted voluntary limits.
In response, Dodd introduced Senate Bill 328, which sets an individual donation limit of $5,500 by a person, business or committee to a candidate for school board, community college board or special district board. The contribution limits are equal to those set for the state Legislature. The bill would allow local governments to vote to adjust the limits, but the default would no longer be unlimited.
SB 328 was approved Wednesday by the Assembly elections committee on a 6-1 vote. It previously was approved by the Senate.
6/30 7/9 7/14 #2334
“I’ve always been interested in agriculture, probably from spending summers as a kid with family in Sonoma County,” she said. “However, what totally sparked my interest in crop production was hearing a farm adviser talk about integrated pest management when I was in college. I found that so inspiring that I changed my major from pre-med to agriculture, a great decision, not only for my career, but I met my husband through work and we currently live and farm here in the Woodland area.”
Since her start in 1986, technology has changed rapidly. Calling it “challenging and exciting,” Long said, “I’m proud of the opportunity to work with farmers to learn about global positioning systems, subsurface drip and healthy soils practices that were so helpful in my research and
In retirement, Long is looking forward to having more time to write kids’ books focusing on science literacy and “sharing more about how to respect and live with wildlife for everyone’s safety — animals and people.”
“Next is a high adventure story that brings kids into a world of bees!” Long said. “I’m super excited with this ArcGIS storymap format to share online with kids! It’s a great teaching opportunity maps, illustrations, and a storyline, along with discussion questions to engage kids!” Long and colleagues recently created a storymap on Native Bees. Long, who received prestigious emeritus status from UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, will also finish up some research projects.
— UC Agriculture and Natural Resources brings the power of UC to all 58 California counties. Learn more at ucanr. edu and support its work at donate.ucanr.edu.
Enterprise staff
A new program for neurodiverse adolescents and their families has launched this summer at Emerge Center for Social and Emotional Learning in Davis. Located on Oak Avenue across from Davis High School, the program targets neurodiverse adolescents and young adults ages 1225, as well as parents, siblings and other family members.
The program is called NeuroPower to recognize the power that neurodiversity brings to our social, emotional and psychological worlds.
“Our community has
needed a program to address the complex needs of the neurodiverse population,” said Dr. Jennie Singer, a clinical psychologist at EMERGE who founded the NeuroPower program with two colleagues. “Working together we can better help individuals and families to understand neurodivergence and access resources.” Services can include initial assessment and service planning; individual, group and family therapy; mentoring and coaching; parent support; sibling support; and resource, referral, and advocacy.
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
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 ) The 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
HEARING 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
Dennis James Dingemans was born on Sept. 4, 1945 in Albert Lea, Minn., the second child of LaVonne Hoyt Dingemans and Wouter (Walter) Peter Dingemans. After living in the small town of Hollandale for seven years, Dennis moved with his family to the hamlet of Lerdal.
Dennis believed that this move left him with a chronic sense of "outsider-ness," as the family left a place where his dad's Dutch ancestry predominated for one where the majority was of Norwegian background.
No matter the role he was playing — UC Davis faculty member, community volunteer or soccer midfielder — he needed to be where the action was. Despite a strong drive to be in community with others, he was unafraid to be impromptu and unorthodox.
Dennis was a high-achieving student at the country schools that he attended through the eighth grade. From the age of eight, he also worked in his dad's country store and for local farmers. By the time he was 10, Dennis had four additional siblings. In 1963, he graduated from Albert Lea High School, having been engaged in sports, theater, student government and the Science Club. He was a ham radio and rocket amateur. At ALHS he made lifelong friends with future writer Cheri Register and future artist Frank Gavere. He enjoyed being in the enriched humanities program and excelled at math and science. Dennis was offered scholarships by the University of MN and the University of Chicago. At the University of Chicago, Dennis received a liberal arts education, majored in history, and lettered in soccer. He had jobs on campus (including waiting tables at the Faculty Club and clerking at the Art Library — where he met his lifelong friend art historian Darrel Sewell) and off campus (most notably, driving a bus for Chicago Transit). He joined the SDS and participated
in meetings, marches, and sit-ins. He was involved in student theater and folk dancing. He attended concerts — classical, folk and blues, becoming a Paul Butterfield Blues Band groupie.
After graduating, Dennis moved to California, settling in San Francisco and later Berkeley. He had a room in a friend's house in the Haight-Ashbury when it was the center of America's youth counterculture and the scene of the Summer of Love, although at the same time he had a rather square job as a letter carrier for the USPS. He was accepted into the Geography graduate program at UC Berkeley and specialized in urban geography and planning, writing his dissertation on the diffusion of rowhouses, traditionally an urban house type, to suburban Contra Costa County. He experienced Berkeley's dramatic tear-gas-laced Vietnam War protests while earning his master’s degree (1971) and Ph.D. (1975).
In 1972 Dennis began his long teaching career at UC Davis as an instructor, being hired the next year into a tenure-track position. He taught courses in urban, economic, and political geography, quantitative methods, Eastern Europe, and world regional geography, winning teaching awards from the National Council for Geographic Education and the UC Davis Academic Senate.
Dennis taught with zest and humor, sprinkling his lectures with puns and bons mots. He introduced students to topics such as racial covenants and gerrymandering that only in recent years have achieved broader public awareness. He supervised a half-dozen dissertations and many master's theses. He advised students in environmental planning and management, international relations, and community development as well as geography. He served the university on numerous college and Academic Senate committees, chairing several, and using his service to build bridges from geography
May 17, 1930 — June 12, 2023
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 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
Hans Joachim Schaffron
to other disciplines. His published papers were on geographies of American housing, redlining, streetwalking prostitution, gasoline-buying behavior, historic preservation, urban ethnicity, and immigrant spaces in the suburbs. At UCD, Rob Kent, then a geography grad student, became a close friend (and the best man at Dennis's wedding). Dennis served as president of the Association of Pacific Coast Geographers, was co-editor of its journal, and received its Distinguished Service Award. His presidential address was on Davis's Village Homes subdivision, in part a study of morphology that closed a circle begun with his dissertation.
Dennis loved team sports and played football, rugby, softball, soccer and basketball. He spent many an hour playing basketball in UCD's Hickey Gym and later in the St. James School gym. Sunday mornings usually found him on the soccer field with a group of international students. For Davis AYSO he did some coaching and a whole lot of refereeing, earning his national referee's badge. He was an avid bicycle rider all his life, always biking to work at UCD; and he completed three Davis Double Centuries. He supported The Bike Campaign by acquiring, repairing, and donating used bikes, earning the moniker "The Bike Elf."
Dennis was thoroughly engaged in the civic life of Davis. He was a poll worker for a dozen years. He worked on numerous campaigns for city council and local ballot measures, of which his favorite was probably 1986's Measure S, which defeated a shopping center proposed for the block bounded by 3rd, 4th, B, and C streets, thereby making possible the doubling in size of Central Park.
He opposed widening the Richards Boulevard subway (aka tunnel) into downtown Davis (Measures U and E, which both passed, thus preventing the widening), and supported the proposed SMUD annexation of parts of Yolo County (which failed). His
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.
Hans Joachim Schaffron has gone on to a new adventure. Born Dec. 12, 1950, he passed away peacefully on May 25, 2023, in Grants Pass, Ore., from a heart attack.
intimate knowledge of local geography, gained in part from years of visiting garage sales, meant he was often the yard sign delivery and pick-up guy. He served on the city of Davis Design Review Commission and the Planning Commission as well as on several other advisory groups related to housing and economic development.
After he retired from UCD, Dennis volunteered at the Hattie Weber Museum, serving as Director for a decade. He was dogged and ultimately successful in leading the effort to preserve Davis's only WPA-funded building, the 1937 restroom in Central Park. Dennis served on the Board of the Yolo County Historical Society and led insightful field trips to places in Yolo, Colusa, Solano, and San Joaquin counties. He co-authored a book on the history of Woodland and another on the history of UC Davis. He served on and chaired the Board of the Davis Cemetery District, bringing a cultural geography perspective to that position. He worked on the Davis/Uman (Ukraine) Pairing Project. He was a hearing officer for the city of West Sacramento, dealing mostly with violations of housing and building codes. The same skill set — keeping his eye on the ball and striving to make fair judgments — served him as both a referee and a hearing officer.
Dennis enjoyed tinkering with cars, of which he owned a couple dozen in his life, and doing projects around the house. His proudest building achievement was a bedroom-and-bath addition to his 1919 California bungalow on which he himself did much of the work. Dennis was a great neighbor to others who lived on the 600 block of C Street, sharing tools, hands-on help, and his pick-up truck. Dennis was active in the Old North Davis Neighborhood Association for many years, helping to care for
April 15, 1944 — June 9, 2023
Jean Landeen 79, passed away peacefully on June 9, 2023 joining her father, Forrest Woodward Landeen, mother, Claudia May Landeen, and brother, Gary Clark Landeen in eternal rest.
Jean grew up in Stockton, then moved to Davis to attend the UC Davis to study landscape horticulture. After graduation, she joined the Peace Corps and spent more than three years in Guatemala helping residents with agriculture techniques. Jean eventually made her way back to Davis and had a successful and enjoyable career working in agriculture education as a regional supervisor with the FFA.
She traveled up and down California working with agriculture teachers in many areas of the state. She was the first female hired to
the area's trees, infrastructure, architecture, and people. Dennis married Robin Elisabeth Datel in 1978. Theodore Robert was born in 1986 and Franklin Peter in 1990. Robin shared with Dennis an academic specialty in urban geography, and they enjoyed doing field work, writing articles, and attending conferences together over many years. Theodore earned a PhD in geography too, specializing in paleoecology. Franklin earned a BA in geography and pursued data engineering. The family took many wonderful trips together, sometimes with Robin's mother Dorie Datel, across North America and Europe. Dennis loved road trips, highlighted by visits to his extended family. As for Dingemans-Datel pets, several cats and a dog, they were all brought home by Dennis.
Dennis was predeceased by his parents and his brother Henry (Hank). He is survived by his wife Robin, sons Theodore and Franklin, daughter-in-law Daisy, sisters Lola, Karen, and Anita, brother Carroll, and many wonderful nieces and nephews and their children.
Dennis died on June 21, 2023, following almost two decades of living with Parkinson's Disease, which he bore stoically, as was his nature. Deep thanks to the friends, in-home caregivers, and staffs in the memory care unit at Carlton Senior Living in Davis, Kaiser-Permanente, and YoloCares Hospice, who cared for Dennis — in both senses of that phrase.
Dennis was buried in the Davis Cemetery near members of early Davis farming families familiar to him through his engagement with local history. His celebration of life will be at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Davis on Aug. 12 at 11 a.m. Please contact the church in August for more details. You are invited to make a contribution in Dennis's memory to the Association of Pacific Coast Geographers, the Hattie Weber Museum (via the Yolo County Historical Society), Davis AYSO, or The Bike Campaign.
be part of the state agriculture education staff, and was the lead consultant in the early development of California’s agriculture education in the classroom.
Jean was the go-to person for agriculture advice.
If a plant was not doing well or needed to be identified, Jean was the first person on everyone’s speed dial. She loved gardening, traveling, meeting new people and discovering new things. She was like family to most who knew her.
She was incredibly generous with her resources and supported countless charities. Some of her favorite nonprofits include the Girl Scouts Heart of Central California, California Future Farmers of America Foundation, the UC Davis Foundation Arboretum and Public Garden Fund, Solar Cookers
International, UC Davis Foundation: Agriculture Education Credential Program Fund, and California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom. Jean is survived by her sister, Linda Gromm, her nephews, Zebulon Gromm and Richard Gromm, niece, Kristin Felde, and eight great-nephews and great-nieces. A celebration of life will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, July 22, at the First Baptist Church of Stockton, 3535 N. El Dorado St.
LANDEEN
For many Californians, the proposal of a state-run singlepayer health system remains a “pie-in-the-sky” idea, and odds are it could remain that way, especially if leading advocates can’t agree on how to get there.
Democratic leaders and advocates who are looking to transform the current complex health care system are divided on their approach. On one side, a coalition of health, labor and civil rights advocacy groups is standing behind Senate Bill 770, which seeks an incremental path toward “unified financing,” where a statewide system would pay for health care for all residents. This could be single payer or a similar model. The bill would task a workgroup of experts and consumers to come up with next steps in advancing toward this goal and deliver a report to the Legislature by next June.
SB 770 also calls for the Newsom administration to engage the federal government, which would need to approve such a system in California, on this issue. The bill, authored by San Francisco’s Sen. Scott Wiener, is currently making its way through the Legislature
By Sameea Kamal CalMattersThey have waited decades for the right to form a union. But it looks like California’s legislative staffers will have to wait at least two more years.
After a unionization bill failed on the last day of the session last year, legislative leaders declared support for the effort this year, even designating the measure as Assembly Bill 1. But this week, that bill was changed to not take effect until 2026.
Assemblywoman Tina McKinnor, the bill’s author, agreed to the amendments after recommendations from the Senate labor committee last week.
One legislative employee who supports the effort said staff members wish the implementation date was sooner, but remain optimistic about the bill. Organizers behind the union effort declined to comment on the amendments.
McKinnor said Thursday that she and Sen. Dave Cortese, chairperson of the Senate’s labor committee and a co-author on the bill, did a “deep dive into what it would take to make this work,” and decided to delay its implementation date.
“I just think that we have to get this right, and it’s going to take time for staff to choose a union to represent them, and that part really takes a lot of time,” said McKinnor, a Democrat from Inglewood.
The bill’s eventual passage seems more likely than
— last week it received the green light from the Assembly Health Committee and is headed to a fiscal committee next.
On the other side, the California nurses union, a longtime driving force behind the single-payer movement, opposes Wiener’s bill, arguing it could derail its own legislation, Assembly Bill 1690. That two-year bill authored by Assemblyman Ash Kalra, D-San Jose, would establish a single-payer system dubbed CalCare. The bill was introduced earlier this year, but won’t come up for a hearing until the next legislative session. There are currently no details in the CalCare bill, but union leaders said they are using their previous attempt at single payer, Assembly Bill 1400, as a starting point. AB 1400 died last year after its author, Kalra, opted not to take it up on the Assembly floor because he was short on votes.
Last week, Kalra joined the nurses union in publicly opposing Wiener’s bill, calling it a “detraction” from his and the nurses’ ongoing efforts.
Single payer has been politically dicey even in blue California because of pushback from the health industry, including health insurers and some physician groups, but also powerful
ever, with a list of 42 coauthors that includes new Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, and with McKinnor’s leadership role on the Assembly’s labor and employment committee, where the effort has died four out of the five times it has been proposed. The Assembly passed the bill on a 68-5 vote on May 25.
“I think the political will is here now … We have people who’ve come in and they genuinely care about this staff,” McKinnor told CalMatters in April.
The proposed delay in its implementation, however, doesn’t help one of the key arguments for the bill: Better working conditions may improve recruitment and retention of staff, an ongoing struggle for the Legislature.
McKinnor said she didn’t think the delayed implementation would add to that. She said the bill’s passage would encourage people who want to work at the Capitol because it will show “that the Legislature is moving towards a more equitable workplace,” she said.
There are about 1,800 full-time staffers employed by the Legislature.
Other amendments now in the bill make clear which legislative operations are excluded from the bargaining table because they’re governed by the state constitution or state laws. They include:
n Qualifications and elections of members;
n How each house chooses officers, adopts rules and selects committees;
business interests, such as the Chamber of Commerce, citing the tax hikes that would be needed to fund such a system. Still, the status quo costs too much and leaves too many people behind, experts and health advocates say.
Carmen Comsti, lead regulatory policy specialist with the California Nurses Association, said the two bills are conflicting because legislators can use Wiener’s bill as an excuse to vote down the bill backed by the nurses union next year.
“We do not believe the Legislature would pick up and pass single payer if they just authorized another work group to consider the program,” Comsti told CalMatters. Instead, it opens the door for legislators to say: “It’s too soon to talk about CalCare and single payer because we’re studying it,” she said.
But Wiener and those supporting his proposal see the two bills as complementary, not conflicting. For example, to carry out a single-payer system, California would need to eventually seek a waiver, or permission from the federal government, to skirt current rules that dictate how the state can spend federal health dollars.
Wiener’s bill would start those
n How the Legislature considers and enacts legislation;
n Matters relating to legislative calendars, schedules, and deadlines;
n Laws and policies regarding ethics or conflicts of interest.
At a June 28 Senate labor committee meeting, Cortese, D-San Jose, said the committee’s concerns “are really to ensure ... not only survivability but the legal appropriateness of every detail in the bill so that we don’t get into a situation where after all this work there’s some sort of, the kind of a challenge or glitch that bars, or at least, delays implementation.”
Cortese said he expected
conversations, the author said.
“If CalCare passes, then at that point California will go to the federal government and make waiver applications. The work here, having those discussions with the federal government will be helpful; it dovetails,” Wiener said during last week’s hearing.
Some Democrats who sit on the Assembly Health Committee noted they see Wiener’s bill as a way to get the ball rolling on single payer while they wait for wider support from their colleagues.
Kevin McCarty, D-Sacramento, noted the nurses’ single-payer bill last year was “dramatically short” on votes. “It’s nowhere close,” McCarty said. “In the meantime, are we going to be purists or try to get more? That’s what I think (SB 770) is trying to do. I don’t think they’re mutually exclusive.”
Michael Lighty, president of the coalition sponsoring Wiener’s bill, said the point is to follow up on the findings from the Healthy California for All Commission, a group assembled by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The group’s work culminated last year in a 105-page report, but no action.
Lighty is a veteran in the single-payer movement and at one point worked as the director of
public policy for the nurses union. The California Nurses Association is actually part of the health coalition he leads, but on this particular piece of legislation, they haven’t seen eye to eye.
Another main concern for the nurses union is the language used in the commission’s report and Wiener’s bill. “Unified financing does not equal single payer,” Comsti said. She argued that if “unified financing” includes programs that leave room for health insurers or any middlemen to profit, then that essentially goes against the single-payer system they’re seeking.
Lighty sees the language argument as an issue of nomenclature; ultimately both sides want the same outcome, he said. And after multiple failed attempts to get to single payer, perhaps it’s time for a new way in, he said.
“To get the Legislature to adopt a full blown single-payer program in one fell swoop has not proven to be viable politically,” Lighty told CalMatters.
By 2031 health care spending in California is projected to increase by $158 billion; a “unified finance” system can help slow down that growth, according to the Healthy California for All Commission report.
California legislative staff’s wait for a union just got even longer
three-year sentencing enhancement — one year for each of his three prior prison stints.
“These are cowardly acts against strangers. For at least three of your victims you inflicted lasting damage that literally changed the trajectory of their lives,”
Rosenberg, who presided over Houston’s 2016 trial, told the defendant at his sentencing hearing. “The court will now change the trajectory of your life.”
Since then, the California legislature enacted Senate Bill 136, which as of Jan. 1, 2020, invalidated the prior-prison-term sentencing enhancement. Last year, SB 483 extended that relief to previously sentenced defendants.
The measures also allow courts to consider other factors in a resentencing bid, such as post-conviction conduct and whether mental-health issues played a role in the offense.
Sara Johnson, a Yolo County deputy public defender handing Houston’s resentencing bid, said mental-health problems were “present and involved in this case.” She also cited Houston’s good behavior while housed at Mule Creek State Prison, where he’s been stabilized by medications and attends several daily self-help programs.
But Supervising Deputy District Attorney Garrett Hamilton argued against any non-mandatory sentencing relief, saying the law, while changed, “has to put public safety first.”
For some offenders, “the responsibility of the court is to remove their ability to ever hurt people again for as long as possible,” Hamilton said. “I think this is one
of those cases.”
Rosenberg agreed, saying that while “we don’t punish people for being mentally ill,” the community’s safety “trumps everything else.”
He noted that Houston’s medication use proved irregular enough that, just last year, a judge ordered him to undergo involuntary medication to treat his mental illness.
“He is by no means cured, if one is ever really cured of mental-health conditions. He is certainly doing what he can, but he continues to be plagued by them in such a way that causes the court concern for the public at large,” Rosenberg said. “I choose not to reduce Mr. Houston’s sentence in any other way.”
Also in court was Don Dumaine, the first cyclist Houston ran off the road that June day.
In the eight years since, “my physical wounds have healed, but everything’s not OK,” Dumaine told Rosenberg. One of the teen cyclists, whose family Dumaine befriended after
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the assaults, suffered a traumatic brain injury that altered his life path.
“I take this on as my responsibility to present a case to the court, to remember there were people involved. This was not a victimless crime,” Dumaine said.
The passage of SB 483 triggered an automatic review of all eligible cases, including about 55 in the Yolo County court system, according to the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office.
That includes the 2017 conviction Steven Hendrix, who caused a fatal highspeed collision on Second Street in Davis that killed local resident Cynthia Jonasen, 71. He’s currently serving a 42-year prison sentence for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and other charges.
Judge Paul Richardson set a briefing schedule for attorneys in the case last week, with a resentencing hearing set for Oct. 3. Hendrix, 39, remains housed at California State Prison, Los Angeles County.
When the points were tallied up, not only did St. Francis win the mission run and marketing poster, but the entire world championship ,making them the first all-girls team to win the championship in the 25-year history of the competition.
“These young women are trailblazers,” said St. Francis president and CEO Fradia Desmond in a recent press release. “Winning at this level requires extraordinary talent, perseverance in the face of obstacles and the ability to
work together as a team. This team embodies all those attributes and more. They are an inspiration not just to other students, but to all of us.”
This hasn’t been St. Francis’ first visit to the MATE ROV competition, however. For years leading up to this, the team has made its presence felt in and out of the competition with the warm connections and friendships it has made across the globe.
“We have heard from so many other teams and coaches that our students inspire their girls to dream big in STEM (science,
CourtE
technology, engineering and math) fields,” said Geneseas team leader and recent St. Francis graduate, Morgan Jones, in a recent press release. “Our seniors are heading to college to become leaders in science and technology to continue to inspire others. The impact of this team will be felt for years to come.”
With tireless effort and hard work, the St. Francis robotics team proved their robot to be the best in the world, and – of course – it was fueled by that inexhaustible energy known as girl power.
animation, a major inspiration. “I hope to create art that can make people smile, whether it be a flower that reminds them of their mom, a denim jacket covered in their favorite fruit, or an abstract painting with their favorite colors. If I can bring a bit of happiness into a person’s day with a piece I’ve made, I’ve done my job right.”
Eppele says while she has loved art her whole life, she became serious about it during her junior year of high school, and would consider college the time period where she felt confident calling myself an artist. “This was when I really honed my skills, tried out new techniques, and created art on a regular basis.”
Currently, she creates art for her business, Judisart
which she sells at vending events around Davis, as well as taking requests for custom pieces. “I enjoy continuing to experiment with what can be painted on, and have recently loved painting on denim jackets and canvas bags,” she explained.
For the future, she wants to try her hand at new mediums, such as ceramics, woodcut, and painting with gouache or oil. Further, she has plans to expand her business through more vending events, as well as connect with other artists around town and potentially collaborate on future projects.
Forever inspired by Davis artistswith some favorites being Less Acosta also known as Flower Dangles (now based in Southern California), Pete Scully and Lydia aka artfulyds.
As for other artists, she loves the whimsical illustrations of Sha’an d’Anthes aka furrylittlepeach, and the soft tones Claude Monet uses for his nature pieces, making them look almost magical.
You can find her pieces currently up for sale on her website, though she’s also accepting custom work if you have something else you’d like painted. If you see something you like on her website, judieppele. wixsite.com/judisart, email judisartinterest@gmail. com or send her a message at @judisart on Instagram.
As for buying in person, she typically sells her art at events around Davis, and have recently sold at Rocknasium’s Member Appreciation Party and The Big Gay Garden’s Community Yard Sale.
HONORING A LEGEND
Calling all Blue Devils, Aggies and anyone else who thinks Ralph Rago’s first name is actually “Coach.”
Our beloved friend and mentor will be honored on his 90th birthday, Sunday July 23, at Taber Ranch in the Capay Valley, from noon to 6 p.m. All are invited.
An RSVP would be appreciated to Alex Matta at eliseomatta68@gmail. com.
Then again, if everyone whose life has been touched in some way by Ralph Rago shows up, they may have to move the whole thing to Golden 1 Center.
SPEAKING OF RALPH RAGO ... For those who haven’t had the distinct honor of meeting or knowing or playing for Ralph Rago, he has a list of accomplishments that few coaches ever achieve.
After playing baseball and football at Los Banos High School in the San Joaquin Valley, Ralph graduated in 1951 and went on to nearby Fresno State.
He began his long and amazing coaching career in 1959 when he was named head baseball coach at Merced High School.
He came to Davis a few years later and worked with other legendary coaches such as Bud Henle, Royal Morrison and Les Curry while coaching baseball, basketball, swimming and tennis.
Baseball, however, was clearly his first love. He spent 29 years as either an assistant or head coach of Blue Devil baseball fortunes and during his tenure as head coach he was named Delta League Coach of the Year three times.
In 1987 he moved over to UC Davis as an assistant to head baseball coach Phil Swimley.
Later he became involved in the Major League Baseball Envoy Program in Europe and ultimately was assigned full-time to develop baseball in Great Britain on behalf of Major League Baseball.
Finally, he coached nearly a decade with longtime friend Guy Anderson at both Cordova High School and Capital Christian, finally stepping down at age 87 after 62 years of coaching when the COVID pandemic hit and most sports were halted.
Not surprisingly, he was inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame in 2013.
I think maybe his first name is actually “Legendary.”
EVEN MORE ON COACH RAGO ... I went out for the Davis High School tennis team on a lark my senior year after a couple of years on the junior varsity baseball team proved I would never be able to hit a curveball.
Ralph Rago had just been named head tennis
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The Yolo Yardbirds 13u baseball team is going to the World Series.
But the all-Davis players team is going to Reno, Nev. to compete in the series.
The Yardbirds (21-4) will be playing in the National Championship Sports World Series. The tournament will start Thursday and run through next Sunday.
Teams from Northern California and Nevada will be competing.
Each team is guaranteed four games in pool play.
“After the four pool play games are finished on Saturday, NCS seeding brackets will be determined,” said Yardbirds head coach Zeb Becker.
The tournament then become single elimination for all teams, which could play up to three more games to reach the championship game that will be played next Sunday evening.
The Yardbirds are currently ranked 91st out of 227 teams playing in Division III in California, according to playncs.com.
Part of their record includes a 16-3 mark in in-class games and winning three of seven tournaments they have competed in recent months.
The local travel ball team consists of players who played in Davis Little League, playing in between the gap from DLL to high school baseball.
“Parent volunteers schedule games/tournaments
See YARDBIRDS, Page B2
photo Davis High girls soccer goalie Sky Avalos, now a senior, clears out the ball during a practice earlier this year.
It’s safe to assume the Davis High girls soccer team will look much different than the historic squad last winter season.
The Blue Devils graduated eight seniors from that group, which went undefeated during the regular season and outscored their opponents 49-1 across 15 games.
But while questions surround next year’s depth chart, one thing is certain: the starting goalkeeper.
That’s because one of the program’s most notable returners is
Sky Avalos, who guarded the net for the Blue Devils last season.
Avalos did not surrender a goal in 2022-23, leading Davis to the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Girls Soccer Playoffs — Division I. The top-seeded Blue Devils reached the quarterfinals, where they lost to eighth-seeded McClatchy on penalty kicks.
The senior goalkeeper has faith in her team to follow-up last season’s achievements, despite the talent that has since departed.
“I’m still confident in our squad that we have for next year,” Avalos said. “Even though a lot of our seniors left, we still have a lot of
skill and we’re a very aggressive team, so I’m excited.”
As one of the more experienced players on the team, Avalos expects to become a more vocal presence on the field and in the locker room.
“Being like a second coach on the field is something I’ve been thinking about,” Avalos said. “All of our captains were seniors last season and it was amazing to see how positive our team was because of their leadership, which is why I’m excited to take over that role.”
It’s been a busy offseason for Avalos, who has spent most of her
time at the gym or training with friends. She also plays for the Pleasanton Rage on their ECNL team.
However, Avalos’ offseason routine is not only about preparing for the high school season. She’s also getting ready for her future collegiate career, which will take place at defending Mountain West champion San Jose State. Avalos had several offers, but was persuaded to become a Spartan by the program’s coaching staff, which displayed a See AVALOS, Page B2
Afew things to keep in mind at (roughly) Major League Baseball’s midpoint.
n The All-Star Game, to be played Tuesday evening and televised by FOX, was the brainchild of Chicago Tribune Sports Editor Arch Ward.
The first game took place in 1933 at Chicago’s Comiskey Park in conjunction with the Century of Progress Exposition. The game has been a mid-July staple ever since.
From 1959 to 1962, two All-Star Games were played each year, a tweak that never really caught on.
The game was not played in 1945 due to World War II travel restrictions and in
2020 due to COVID-19.
Three teams whose home parks hosted an All-Star Game went on to win the World Series: The 1939 New York Yankees, 1959 Los Angeles Dodgers and 1977 Yankees.
The Tampa Bay Rays are the only MLB club to never host an All-Star Game.
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professional yet supportive environment.
“Their coaching style and how they led the team was just amazing in my eyes,” Avalos said. “It was everything I wanted in college, so when I finally got that offer, I knew that was the place I wanted to go and spend my four years.”
Avalos plans to major in psychology at San Jose State, with hopes of eventually working in sports to provide athletes with the attention and resources they need to overcome performance anxiety, stress and other psychological challenges that arise from competition.
Discussing mental health became a passion for Avalos after she struggled with the pressure of playing goalkeeper.
“If the other team scores a goal, it’s very negative,” Avalos said. “As a goalkeeper, you’re always in your head. You’re the last line of defense so you don’t have anything to fall back on.”
One way Avalos promotes mental wellness is through being an uplifting teammate, according to Blue Devils head coach Sara Stone.
“As a teammate, Sky brings a positive vibe, she’s very vocal, shows support, and in her role as a goalkeeper, she leads and encourages the underclassmen goalkeepers,” Stone said.
While Avalos enjoys being there for her teammates, she credits Stone with cultivating the team’s welcoming culture.
“She talks with us about our lives and I don’t feel like I have to hold anything back with her,” Avalos said about
her coach. “I had her as a coach when I was younger, and now that I’m getting older, I’m realizing how good of a coach and person she is.”
Avalos’ experience on the Blue Devils’ soccer team is one of many reasons she’ll miss her hometown of Davis when she leaves for college.
“I’ll definitely remember the tight-knit community, like everyone knows each other and it’s always fun to have everyone out your games,” Avalos said. “That’s something I hope to have in the future at San Jose State.”
— 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.
All-Star Game managers are the dugout supervisors whose teams won the AL and NL pennants the previous season. On Tuesday, the Houston Astros’ Dusty Baker will manage the AL and the Philadelphia Phillies’ Rob Thomson the NL.
Every team must have at least one AllStar representative. San Francisco Giants closer Camilo Doval and Oakland A’s outfielder Brett Rooker will represent the Bay Area.
All-Star rosters call for 34 players on each side. They are selected as follows: Starters, nine per team, the eight position players and the designated hitter.
When FOX acquired the MLB broadcast rights in 2001, the network named
Joe Buck as its play-by-play caller for the All-Star Game. Buck was in that role through 2021, when he left FOX to call Monday Night Football on ESPN.
Joe Davis took over in 2022, working with retired Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz. They’re to be joined by reporters Ken Rosenthal, Tom Verducci and Tom Rinaldi.
The longtime radio and television color man on UC Davis football broadcasts, Doug Kelly is director of communications for Battlefields2Ballfields and managing general partner of Kelly & Associates. Contact him at DKelly1416@ aol.com.
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coach — he drew the short end of the straw at the coaches meeting — and on the first day of practice he greeted us with a laugh and these words: “I know absolutely nothing about tennis.”
That, in fact, was true. But, he nevertheless led the Blue Devils through an undefeated championship season by the sheer force of his inspirational presence.
No matter the sport or the skill level of those involved, Ralph Rago was a coach, a mentor and a friend to thousands of young athletes, literally all over the world.
He is a man who has truly made a difference wherever he went and continues to do so to this very day.
It’s time for a celebration of his first 90 years.
— Contact Bob Dunning at bdunning@ davisenterprise.net.
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independently
Members
Eating healthy is an important goal for people looking to maintain or improve their physical health, particularly as it relates to the heart. With often conflicting information available online and via social media, it may be difficult or downright confusing to find the eating plan for you.
To help navigate the maze of information — and misinformation — experts assessed and scored the heart healthiness of several popular diets. Each diet was evaluated against the American Heart Association’s guidance for a hearthealthy eating pattern, which emphasizes eating a variety of vegetables and fruits, whole grains, lean proteins (including fish, low- or non-fat dairy and plant proteins), non-tropical plant oils and minimally processed foods; avoiding added sugars, salt and alcohol; and sticking to this guidance even when you’re eating away from home.
Diets received a rating between 0-100 and were ranked in tiers, with the resulting analysis published as an American Heart Association scientific statement in the journal “Circulation.”
“If implemented as intended, the top-tier dietary patterns align best with key features of hearthealthy eating and may be adapted to respect cultural practices, food preferences and budgets to enable people to eat this way for the long term,” said Christopher D. Gardner, Ph.D.,
FAHA, chair of the scientific statement writing committee and the Rehnborg Farquhar Professor of Medicine at Stanford University.
Those who follow low-fat diets may overconsume less healthy sources of carbohydrates. Getty Images Tier 1: Highest-Rated Eating Plans (scores higher than 85)
The four patterns with the highest ratings align best with heart-healthy guidance, are flexible and provide an array of healthy foods to choose from.
n DASH — With a perfect score by meeting all guidance, an eating pattern similar to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension plan emphasizes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, low-fat dairy, lean meats, poultry, fish and non-tropical oils. Nordic and Baltic diets are also examples of this eating pattern, which is low in salt, added sugar, alcohol, tropical oils and processed foods.
n Mediterranean — This pattern limits dairy while emphasizing fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, fatty fish and extra-virgin olive oil. Because it includes moderate alcohol drinking, rather than avoiding or limiting consumption, it scored a few points lower than DASH.
n Vegetarian/Pescatarian — A plant-based eating pattern that includes fish.
n Vegetarian/Ovo/Lacto — Plant-based eating patterns that include eggs
Getty ImAGes/Courtesy photo
Above: Top-tier dietary patterns align best with key features of heart-healthy eating. Below: Those who follow low-fat diets may overconsume less healthy sources of carbohydrates.
(ovo-vegetarian), dairy (lacto-vegetarian) or both (ovo-lacto vegetarian).
Tier 2: Vegan and LowFat Diets (scores 75-85)
These eating patterns mostly align with hearthealthy criteria and emphasize important food groups but fell short of reaching the top tier due to limitations.
n Vegan — A plantbased eating pattern that includes no animal products. Restrictions in this plan may make it more difficult to follow long term or when dining out. Following a vegan eating pattern increases the risk of some nutrient deficiencies, which may be overcome by supplements or fortified foods.
n Low Fat — A diet that limits fat intake to less than
30% of total calories, including the volumetrics eating plan and therapeutic lifestyle change plan. These types of plans often treat all fats equally while the American Heart Association’s guidance suggests replacing saturated fats with healthier fats such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
Those who follow low-fat diets may overconsume less healthy sources of carbohydrates, such as added sugars and refined grains. However, these factors may be overcome with proper counseling and education from a health professional.
To find the full results and learn more about heart-healthy eating, visit Heart.org.
—Family Features
Ihope you had a wonderful Fourth of July, and despite the fireworks and barbecues having concluded, it’s important to remember that our committed CASA volunteers spent the holiday ensuring their foster youths felt secure and included. This commitment is especially significant because for those within the foster care system or those experiencing a challenging time, holidays can often strike a different chord.
The Fourth of July is often symbolized by notions of freedom and courage. These are values that I see mirrored in the dedication and resilience of our CASA volunteers. Each one has overcome initial fears and uncertainties to step up and make a significant difference in a child’s life. Their bravery is reflected in their CASA youths who, against all odds, navigate the challenges of new environments and unfamiliar faces.
And then we come to the essence of freedom. Our volunteers, through their consistent presence and unwavering sup-
port, help foster children regain a sense of freedom and selfassuredness. They do this by fostering trust, building a sturdy foundation for these young individuals to thrive.
One of our CASA youths, burdened by past experiences, found it hard to trust people, and was initially unsure about having a CASA volunteer. His assigned volunteer shared, “I just started slow. If he wasn’t up for a visit, I would drop something off for him that I thought he might like. For example, since he is from Honduras and I spent part of my childhood in Mexico, I would bring him homemade foods like empanadas. I would also speak to him in Spanish sometimes, just to show that commonality.”
A memorable moment is when they went two weeks between one of their visits. “I told him I had missed him when I arrived. He said he missed me too. It was a pivotal moment—going from him saying in the early days that he didn’t want a CASA volunteer to him telling me he missed me.”
And here’s another story about the power of trust…
When one of our CASA volunteers first moved to town, she was welcomed with the gift of the local newspaper. As she poured through the pages, she kept coming across alarming stories about the opioid crisis and the wave of children entering the foster care system as a result. A desire to help stirred within her. That’s when she came across a newspaper article about being a CASA volunteer.
Since, our CASA volunteer has been a guiding presence in the life of a young boy, who’s now in elementary school. Initially, the boy was unsure about this new person visiting him each week. However, a few trips to the park and some good conversations later, he eagerly welcomed her presence in his life.
As their relationship deepened, she gently introduced the boy to unfamiliar activities. “At first, he just wanted to go to the park or a fast-food restaurant,” she says. “But after we knew each other better and he trusted me more, he agreed to go to the library together. It was awesome to see how much he enjoyed
Enterprise staff
Each semester, students at Missouri State University who attain academic excellence are named to the dean’s list. For undergraduate students, criteria include enrollment in at least 12 credit hours during the spring semester and at least a 3.50 GPA (on a 4.00 scale).
Annie Oberholtzer from Davis made the list for 2023. Oberholtzer was among more than 4,700 students named to the spring 2023 dean’s list.
Missouri State University is a public, comprehensive university system with a mission in public affairs.
Our purpose is to develop fully educated persons with a focus on ethical leadership, cultural competence and community engagement.
Mya Gbriel of Davis has been named to the Spring 2023 Dean’s List at Roger Williams University, in Bristol, R.I. Full-time students who complete 12 or more credits per semester and earn a grade point average of 3.4 or higher are placed on the Dean’s List that semester.
At Roger Williams University, students are prepared to be thinkers and doers ready to solve challenging problems with innovative solutions. RWU offers 50 majors and robust offerings of graduate and professional programs across eight schools of study including Rhode Island’s only law school, with campuses on the coast of Bristol
and in the heart of Providence, R.I.
With small classrooms and a focus on undergraduate and graduate research and community engagement, a Roger Williams education blends the strength of liberal arts and professional studies, providing all students with the depth and breadth of interdisciplinary thinking and well-rounded knowledge necessary to succeed in our interconnected, global world. RWU is committed to strengthening society through engaged scholarship so that students graduate with the ability to apply the practical skills that today’s employers demand.
— Do you know of someone who has won an award or accomplished something noteworthy? Email it to newsroom@davisenterprise.net.
Courtesy photo Committed CASA volunteers spent the July 4 holiday ensuring their foster youths felt secure and included.
looking at new books.”
From there, they’ve explored a local art museum and even the beach. “Taking a child to see new things seems so simple,” she reflects, “but to him, it means a lot.”
To anyone considering becoming a CASA volunteer, she offers this advice: “You don’t have to wait until you are retired or for the exact ‘right time.’ It truly will become a natural and enjoyable part of your life that you will look forward to each week.”
As we salute the courage of those who fought for our nation’s
freedom this Fourth of July, let’s also celebrate our CASA volunteers who empower our foster youths to trust again, and in doing so, discover their own freedom.
If you or someone you know would make a great CASA volunteer, please learn more at yolocasa.org. Our Summer Training starts on July 26 and we are still accepting applications.
Colleen Campbell is the Acting Executive Director of Yolo County CASA.
Special to CalMatters
What happened to the kingmakers of journalism?
They seem to have died in 2011 with David Broder of The Washington Post. In an age when columnists could still influence the flow of events, Broder stood out as much for what he wasn’t as for what he was.
He wasn’t, for example, a flashy writer. He didn’t have George Will’s turn of phrase. He didn’t add to the language like another kingmaker a generation before him, Walter Lippmann. Lippmann gave us “Great Society,” “Cold War” and “stereotype.”
What set Broder apart was the depth of his political reporting.
I worked with Broder at the Post, and he was relentless. If you were into politics, you were grist to his mill. From precinct captains to senators, they were all of interest to Broder, all worthy of his probing; all had a tale to tell, and Broder wanted to hear it.
Journalists at the Post used to drink in a genuinely downmarket bar called The New York Lounge, next to the better-known Post Pub, which, ironically, was eschewed by most of the editorial staff. Incongruously, Broder would be found there occasionally with some political apparatchik, notebook out and drinking a Diet Coke.
A reporter who traveled with Broder described how when they arrived in a midwestern city at 10 p.m., Broder got on the phone to see who of the local political establishment was up. It could have been a candidate or the local state party chairman; all were worth talking to in Broder’s world.
Whereas some newspaper grandees talked to presidents and the power elite (Lippmann helped Woodrow Wilson write
his Fourteen Points, Joe Alsop shared sessions with Lyndon Johnson on the Vietnam War, and George Will rehearsed Ronald Reagan for his debates with Jimmy Carter), Broder reported relentlessly at all levels.
For all but the very end of his career, Broder worked as a reporter who wrote two columns a week. This industrious reporting underpinned the columns. They were magisterial and analytical.
You didn’t pick them up to be entertained but to get insight. That is where Broder’s strength lay, and that is what made him a kingmaker. Other political journalists and writers read Broder and were informed by him.
He told them which way the wind was blowing, and that filled their sails and influenced their work. Broder informed the political universe.
That is how he affected the careers of many a political grandee. He said in his studious and understated way, “Look at soand-so.” And they looked, and then they wrote, and the landscape was changed.
Broder’s influence was subtle but pervasive. He was the reporter’s reporter, the columnist’s columnist.
In the time since Broder’s death, everything has changed. There is so much commentary based on little reporting and politics is dominated by click-bait politicians — for example, Donald Trump, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert.
Analysis has been replaced with tribal bellowing, and social media has taken the debate off the editorial pages and handed it to influencers, who wouldn’t have gotten a letter to the editor published before the internet.
While dwelling on the kingmakers of old, it is worth mentioning the king-humblers, particularly Robert Novak. Novak got the goods.
Again, Novak wasn’t a great writer but was the source of hard gossip. If you wanted to point to wrongdoing in high places, a call to Novak would set the wheels of justice, or at least the downfall would be in motion.
Novak, a friend, thought you should tell readers what they didn’t already know — and he did, often changing career trajectories for politicos.
— Llewellyn King is the executive producer and host of “White House Chronicle” on PBS. He wrote this for InsideSources. com.
How much is too much?
A few days ago, the toll for driving on San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge took another jump. It will now cost motorists at least $6.75 to cross the entrance to San Francisco Bay — if they are using carpool lanes — and as much as $9.75 if they are invoiced for their crossing.
It appears the tolls are destined to climb even higher.
The iconic bridge is owned by the multi-county Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District, whose directors have directed a series of toll increases over five years. They were done to cover rising maintenance costs and — this is the most important factor — offset a decline in traffic since the COVID-19 pandemic began three-plus years ago.
It’s an aspect of a larger phenomenon that has upended the San Francisco Bay Area’s economy. Many workers, particularly those in technology and financial services, shifted to working remotely when the pandemic struck and the work-fromhome tendency has persisted after the health threat eased.
Downtown San Francisco suffered what some call a
“doom loop” of reduced inplace employment, wholesale declines in office space usage and closure of retail businesses. Fewer commuters also translated into lower bridge toll income and very sharp drops in transit use and revenues, particularly on the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system. BART and other transit systems pleaded with Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislators for a package of state aid to offset declining farebox revenue and got a $5.1 billion, four-year commitment in the new state budget. However, advocates complain, it’s not enough to fully finance continued operations, at least for BART and some other systems.
“Public transportation is easy to take for granted, but allowing it to collapse would have been devastating for our state’s future,” state Sen. Scott Wiener, a San Francisco
I was confused by John Clark’s letter (“The door is open,” July 2), until I guessed which “view” he thought the City Council had perniciously chosen to side with.
He’s not talking about allowing city trucks to display stars with a black band across the number 224, expressing sorrow at the murder of Officer Natalie Corona. Nor is he referencing the view that we should remember Armed Forces personnel from Davis who died in our nation’s wars, at the Veterans Memorial Center. Nor is he upset that we’ve officially expressed pride at the lives of John Barovetto or Sandy Motley, who’ve had city parks named after them.
No, he’s upset by our choosing a side: we’re proud of American Independence from England, which we’ll express in Community Park on July 4th. He’s not a monarchist. But he’s willing to speak up to defend their views, too. Shame on us for
Speak out
President
Democrat, said. “This budget extends a critical lifeline that will help transit agencies maintain service while making critical improvements to cleanliness and safety.”
However, Wiener added, “the future of public transportation in the Bay Area is still under threat due to pandemic-related operational deficits that, without help, will lead to severe service cuts.”
Wiener and other Bay Area legislators are proposing a $1.50 per vehicle hike on motorists who use the region’s seven state-owned bridges to provide transit systems with more operating revenue. The non-state Golden Gate Bridge would not be affected by the proposal but, as noted earlier, is already raising its prices.
The $1.50 toll increase has been amended into a Wiener bill, Senate Bill 532, that has already passed the Senate and is pending in the Assembly, which could lead to fast track (no pun intended) approval.
Auto tolls on the seven bridges are generally $7 now, so Wiener’s bill would boost them to $8.50, roughly in line with the new Golden
trampling their human rights by a governmental expression of pride!
Doug Walter DavisI am writing to express my concern about the article “Cooking with gas” published in the Davis Enterprise on July 5. The article is clearly biased in favor of propane stoves, and it does not adequately address the health and environmental risks associated with propane cooking.
The author of the article, who is a representative of a propane company, has a vested interest in promoting propane stoves. This is evident in the article, which downplays the risks of propane cooking and fails to mention the many safer and more environmentally friendly alternatives available.
For example, the article claims that propane stoves are “safe and efficient.” However, this is not the case. Propane stoves can release harmful pollutants into the air, including nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and volatile organic compounds.
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
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/
Gate Bridge tolls.
“Bay Area transit ridership continues to climb, but it’s not happening quickly enough to make up for the loss of federal emergency assistance,” Wiener said. “SB 532 provides critical lifeline funding for our transit systems — ensuring they have the resources they need to provide safe, reliable service for our residents.”
How, one might wonder, would raising the already stiff tolls on Bay Area bridges impact a region that is struggling to recover economically from the pandemic?
Classic economics would say that increasing their commuting costs would make San Francisco’s workers even less likely to return to their cubicles and therefore hinder downtown recovery.
However, perhaps it would merely persuade them to take BART or other transit services, thus reducing auto traffic on the bridges, which in turn would decrease revenues from the new tolls.
How much is too much?
— CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters. For more stories by Dan Walters, go to Commentary.
These pollutants can cause respiratory problems, heart disease, and cancer.
The article also claims that propane stoves are “a good option for homeowners who live in areas with unreliable electrical service.” However, this is not necessarily true. In Davis, for example, over 70% of the energy that supplies electricity is solar, which is a clean and reliable source of energy.
I urge you to reconsider your endorsement of propane stoves. Many safer and more environmentally friendly cooking options are available, such as induction stoves. Induction stoves use magnetic fields to heat cookware directly, so they do not produce any emissions. Propane stoves require more than twice as much energy as using induction burners and can save you money on your energy bills.
I urge you to update the article to reflect propane stoves’ health and environmental risks. You should also recommend induction stoves as a safer and more environmentally friendly alternative.
Bob Comarow Davis95617;
Your skin is your largest organ, and it is dynamic, responsive and multifunctional.
It makes up 16% of your body mass; 24 pounds of skin, if you weigh 150 pounds.
Your skin regulates and maintains your metabolism. When exposed to sunlight, your skin makes vitamin D. It stores water and nutrients and, through sweat, facilitates the excretion of waste materials and regulates your body temperature.
Your skin is filled with blood vessels, small fiber nerves, and receptors for temperature, pressure, touch, and pain that enable you to sense and respond to your environment.
Your skin protects you from microbes, abrupt changes in temperature, UV light and sunburn, and prevents dehydration. (As heat waves become more frequent, having fully functional skin becomes more important than ever.)
Your skin gives you color and shape and creates your unique identity. When you apply cosmetics (lotions, creams, sunscreens, deodorants, perfumes/colognes, makeup) to your skin, you are putting them on your largest organ. And what you put on your body frequently ends up in your body.
In the U.S., the cosmetics industry is loosely regulated. Anyone can put anything in a jar and legally sell it as skincare, and they often do. Moreover, cosmetics manufacturers aren’t always qualified and do not always ensure the
safety of their products before they get onto your skin and into your body. (Read my Jan. 14, column.)
“Clean beauty” is a response to the lax regulation of the beauty industry. Consumers and companies want more, different, and better safety standards and sustainability. Unfortunately, clean beauty is mostly unregulated. Here’s how Goop defines clean beauty, “clean beauty means never compromising health for results. We are committed to making safe, clean products that deliver real results, free of ingredients linked to harmful health effects like hormone disruption, cancer, and skin irritation. Beyond that, we care for the overall environment, prioritizing ingredients that are ethically sourced, of nonanimal origin, and crueltyfree; we use sustainable or renewable biobased sources wherever possible.”
Natural, organic, safe, clean, non-toxic wildcrafted foraged and plant-based are unregulated buzzwords often used by clean beauty to create an illusion of safety and sustainability.
Goop defines clean beauty products as “those made without
ingredients shown or suspected to harm human health.” Most clean beauty brands commonly substitute botanical ingredients in their formulations to drive their marketing claims of safety and sustainability. But, as ChemFORWARD, a nonprofit dedicated to safer chemistry in beauty products points out, these natural chemicals and botanical substitutions are frequently “regrettable substitutions” that may actually harm your health.
In fact, “The principal challenge posed by botanicals is that, in contrast to synthetic conventional chemicals, botanicals often contain dozens of compounds, which can vary with the source and are influenced by seasons, geography and extraction processes … Botanicals are often assumed to be safer than traditional chemicals, but that is not always the case. Botanical materials can be potent skin sensitizers, carcinogens, and endocrine disruptors ” (Bolded text is for emphasis.)
So, while you may use natural, organic, wildcrafted, foraged, plant-based skincare products, they may not be as safe and sustainable as you are led to believe. And the lack of consensus and official regulatory definitions for these buzzwords means that, to consumers, these buzzwords functionally mean nothing, despite their constant employ by charlatans.
Besides, petroleum, opiates, arsenic, strychnine, hemlock, poison ivy … botox, too, by the way …
a whole lot of vile stuff … jellyfish phytotoxins, snail venom and mucus (really), blood, urine, excrement, various bodily fluids and forms of semen … (Sorry.), they all are natural and organic (but not always non-toxic), and, at some time or other, all of these natural and organic substances have been foisted upon a vain and gullible public as somehow beneficial, then beta-tested on duped patsies in the marketplace.
Then there’s the sleight of hand marketing trick. Distract you with a list of harmful chemicals they don’t have in their products, so you don’t focus on the harmful substances they do have in their products.
Beautycounter, a clean beauty brand is, “committed to a health and safety standard that goes well beyond what is legally required in the United States. The Never List is made up of more than 2,800 questionable or harmful chemicals that we never use as ingredients in our products. Impressed, I looked for the list of 2,800 chemicals. I couldn’t find it. The Never List on the Beautycounter website only lists 17 chemicals.
Also, there’s no guarantee you won’t be exposed to trace levels of these 2,800 harmful chemicals, because, “At Beautycounter, we work incredibly hard to minimize—but unfortunately, can’t eliminate — the potential that a product may contain trace levels of a chemical from The Never List ” (Bold text is for emphasis.) So, Beautycounter never uses these harmful chemicals, but they can’t
guarantee that trace levels won’t be found in their products.
Meanwhile, Beautycounter’s “Ingredients Glossary” lists peptides as “skin conditioning” or “hair conditioning” agents, omitting any mention of the lack of safety data surrounding peptides. (Read my April 8 column.) The same is true for other ingredients they list. The safety data, or lack thereof, is questionable, at best, yet these ingredients are still being used.
And this is not just a problem with Beautycounter. The Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database, “Your guide to safer personal care products. Backed by science.” rates skincare ingredients that have no available hazard or safety data as a low hazard to your health. Since when does a lack of data warrant any conclusion or rating other than “we don’t know”, especially when it comes to your health and safety? Doesn’t it seem more than a little strange to knowingly, hopefully introduce any weird effluent to your largest organ, and stranger still, bizarre, even, to pay for the privilege of being a guinea pig, a bleary-eyed bunny, and blindly choosing to be some corporation’s toady and test subject, absent any scientific research or clinical trials on the shaky basis of some meaningless colloquial contrivance or fad, a passing fancy?
— Rebecca “Bexi” Lobo, Ph.D., is a nutritional biologist and biochemist.
Five years ago, Robin Toma, executive director of Los Angeles County’s Commission on Human Relations, was alarmed after reading the county’s annual hate crime report. Hate crimes had been steadily rising since 2013, and it was proof, he said, that the commission had more work to do to stop the pernicious spread of racism and bigotry.
Toma approached county Supervisor
Hilda Solis with an idea to establish an antihate program that assisted people who reported hate crimes and hate incidents, which are hostile acts motivated by prejudice but don’t necessarily rise to the level of a crime. The system would involve a 211 L.A. hotline, resources to respond to hate, an education component, and support for organizations advocating for victims.
In 2018, LA vs. Hate was born, helping Los Angeles County residents under a model that, this year, was replicated statewide.
California vs. Hate, the state’s multilingual hotline, online portal and support network, was launched in May as a non-emergency program through the state Civil Rights Department. Like its L.A. counterpart, California vs. Hate tracks hate crimes and incidents and connects residents with resources like therapy, legal aid or grants for organizations offering victim support.
If successful, the program could be “a real bulwark, a real antiracism system that can take us to a point of not just stopping the rising hate but also reversing it,” Toma said.
The question is whether California vs. Hate will be effective. Hate crimes and vio-
lent incidents in L.A. County increased 23% in 2021, despite the important work done by LA vs. Hate. And, can a new statewide system reach people at the margins and build trust with underrepresented groups that are already skeptical of government entities designed to protect them.
“It’s not enough to be heard,” said Lorreen Pryor, president and CEO of the Black Youth Leadership Project based in Elk Grove. “We want someone to deal with it and stop it from happening.”
While California is often perceived as a progressive bastion, it is no stranger to hate. Newly released data from the state Attorney General’s Office shows that reported hate crimes increased 22% from 2021 to 2022. Black people remain the most targeted, with reported hate crimes increasing 27%. Hate crimes involving bias against sexual orientation rose 29%.
Nationwide, hate crimes have increased nearly 12%, according to the latest data from the FBI.
While some advocates see California vs. Hate as a significant step to stop and even prevent hateful acts, not everyone is as optimistic.
Pryor wondered what impact it will have on the Black community. Valuable resources are helpful, she said, but that requires community members to understand every facet of the system. They also need to have a sense that hotline workers will know what it’s like to walk in their shoes.
“I need to know that the person on the other end has been through something similar and can support me through that and
will be there in that moment and for what comes next,” Pryor said.
California vs. Hate has so far received 180 reported acts from roughly 40% of the state’s 58 counties. Most of the reports came by phone.
About half of the people who contacted the hotline agreed to continue working with professionals who can follow up with additional support – whether it’s legal, mental health-related or possible victim compensation. Civil Rights Department officials say staff members are trained to deal with trauma and communicate with people from diverse cultural backgrounds. To help increase access to California communities, the initiative is in the process of implementing a multilingual outreach campaign.
Building trust is key, and to that end, officials are engaging with those who have been historically mistrustful of law enforcement, said Kevin Kish, director of the state’s Civil Rights Department. As California vs. Hate developed, officials gathered input from about 100 community organizations, and plan to continue partnerships with various groups emphasizing community healing.
Stop AAPI Hate, a nonprofit founded during the pandemic to combat antiAsian hatred, knows what it takes to confront bigotry by building coalitions and advocating for new laws. Cofounder Cynthia Choi said gathering data to identify the needs of specific community members and collaborating with government is important, but so is strengthening relationships with every community.
“We see this work as being very much long term, and it’s going to take all of us,” Choi said.
As a victim of hate, Hong Lee understands why some people may be hesitant to
come forward. In 2020, Lee was waiting to order lunch at a restaurant in Los Angeles when she was harassed by a man who told her to go back to Asia. Lee filmed the incident and called 911, but an officer on scene told her the interaction was normal.
After learning about LA vs. Hate from a friend, Lee received counseling services. She also worked with the Los Angeles Police Department to rewrite policies for handling hate crime incidents and helped retrain patrol officers for when they respond to hate incidents. As president of Seniors Fight Back, a Torrance nonprofit offering free selfdefense classes to elders in the AAPI community, she found a way to assist others.
“It’s hard to describe, but I wouldn’t be where I am today without them,” Lee said.
Since 2019, 2,171 people have submitted a report to 211 L.A. and agreed to further assistance, according to provisional figures from the county’s human rights commission.
For advocates like Toma, the success of California vs. Hate’s will ultimately come down to its ability to follow a similar path as L.A., one that leaves no individual or community behind.
“Nobody is more inspiring and influential than victims of hate who are empowered now to speak up and encourage others to report and take action, and not accept this as something you have to put up with,” he said.
— Julie Lynem is a journalism lecturer at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and cofounder of R.A.C.E. Matters SLO County and RaiseUp SLO. Lynem is a veteran journalist who has been a reporter, columnist or editor at the Indianapolis Star, San Francisco Chronicle and San Luis Obispo Tribune.
Special to The Enterprise
Written upon learning...
...that a federal appeals court in Louisiana (5th Circuit) ruled that a cop can sue a protest organizer for injuries caused by another person during a demonstration, ratifying a novel legal theory that threatens to further suppress protests and First Amendment rights more broadly.
When the British Army marched out of Yorktown to surrender to the American Revolutionary Army and their French Allies, they played the song “The World Turned Upside Down” — because a King had been overthrown and “ordinary people” were claiming they had rights! Such a radical idea turned the world upside-down.
Given the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent assault on the freedom of the people, the apparent ethical defects of some members of the
court, and the tendency of all government to become tyrannical, America is again being turned upside down. One expects the 5th Circuit ruling, if appealed, will become law of the land.
When the British Redcoats shot down Americans, including a 13-year-old black boy named Crispus Attucks, during the Boston Massacre, a few years before the Revolution officially started with the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776, the rule of law had evolved to the point where even the King of England’s redcoats (the cops of the day) could be prosecuted for murdering civilians. The redcoats were prosecuted. John Adams defended them, and they were acquitted by a jury of the charges of manslaughter.
Today, in America turned upside-down, according to the 5th Circuit, the First Amendment
rights now are: if you organize a protest, and someone during the protest injures a cop (even if the organizer did not participate in harming the cop) the cop can sue the organizer.
I am confident our “law enforcement professionals” will not abuse such a power, unlike say, cops in Russia, or Redcoats after the Boston Massacre. Sarcasm? Well...
Might one predict how the Supreme (sic) Court will rule on appeal? No qualified good faith immunity (QGFI) for “protesters” — though today’s Redcoats, the cops, are granted immunity from being sued for civil rights violations when they injure or even kill citizens — citizens petitioning for redress of grievances are such a pain to good governance — which is why the cops need QGFI so they are free to clear those buggers by any means necessary. And so America is turned upside down. Geo III would be
happy. Send out the Redcoats to teach the colonial upstarts a lesson, and if someone injures a Redcoat, the Redcoat can sue the organizer of the demonstration, but the Redcoat is insulated from being sued for violating the rights of the citizen.
Instead of government being accountable to the people under law, the people are denuded of rights to hold government accountable. Government above the law, where the King and his minions are “immune” from suit, was what England fought to keep during the American Revolution.
American patriots fought, primarily for a decade with innovative strategic nonviolent means, for a new world: one in which the people could hold the government accountable to law. The radical idea of people ruling government under law, swept the world in the decades and centuries following the American Revolution — and that result is why the 4th of July
was celebrated, not only in America, but by freedom loving people around the world — and many other countries adopted the American World Upside Down repudiation of Kings and government above the law. Worlds turn. People forget the struggles of the past, the lessons learned, the principles established. And should the U.S. Supreme Court ratify the 5th Circuit holding, the world will again be turned upside down. From America the land where the rule of law subjects government to suits by the people ruled on by a jury of the people, to a world the Redcoats would embrace.
For American patriots, it is a world turned upside down.
— Kary Love, syndicated by PeaceVoice, is a Michigan attorney who has defended nuclear resisters in court for decades and will on occasion use blunt force satire or actual legal arguments to make a point.
By Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman
Charles M. Schulz
ForejourForeigner & Journey
Tribute
Band: Live on the Boulevard – El Dorado Hills Town Center
@ 6pm El Dorado Hills Town Cen‐ter, 4364 Town Center Blvd, El Dorado Hills
Tom Yankton: American Century Championship
@ 7pm Edgewood Tahoe, 100 Lake Pkwy, Stateline
Sleeper Cinema: "Open Your Eyes" (English Subtitles) (1997)
@ 7pm / $3 Crest Theatre, 1013 K Street, Sacramento
Savion Glover @ 7:30pm SFJAZZ Center, 201 Franklin St, San Francisco
"The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee"
@ 7:30pm / $13 Downtown Theatre, 1035 Texas Street, Fair�eld
Emily Catalano and Friends
@ 8pm Sacramento, 3100 61st St., East Sacramento
Amy Stroup with Hembree
@ 8pm Amado's, 998 Valencia St, San Francisco
"Cobb's Comedy Allstars"
@ 8pm / Free-$12.63 Cobb's Comedy Club, 915 Colum‐bus Ave, San Francisco Jessie Robbie, Vanessa Vindell, Olivia Prado @ 9pm / $7-$15 Brick and Mortar Music Hall, 1710 Mission Street, San Francisco
Sonamó w/ DJ Nino MSKItalian Funk Night @ 9pm Madrone Art Bar, 500 Divisadero St, San Francisco 2nd Friday ArtAbout at the Pence Gallery @ 6pm Check out new art exhibits at the Pence during our opening reception on July 14! Pence Gallery, 212 D Street, Davis. pencesocial media@gmail.com, 530758-3370
Magician Jay Alexander
@ 6:30pm / $50 Marrakech Magic Theater, 419 O'‐Farrell St., San Francisco
Towse @ Davis House Concert
@ 7pm House Concert, Davis Pher @ 7pm SFJAZZ Center, 201 Franklin St, San Francisco
Lavalove @ 7pm Torch Club, 904 15th St, Sacra‐
mento
"Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope" (1977)
@ 7pm / $5 Crest Theatre, 1013 K Street, Sacramento "My (Unauthorized) Hallmark Movie Musical" @ 7:30pm / $5-$30 Top Of The Shelton, 533 Sutter St., 2nd Floor, San Francisco Mission Varrio Project band: El Rincon Criollo @ 7:30pm Esperpento Restaurant, 3295 22nd St, San Francisco
Glover @ 7:30pm
Center, 201 Franklin St, San Francisco Magician Jay Alexander @ 9pm / $50 Marrakech Magic Theater, 419 O'‐Farrell St., San Francisco
DJ Clee + House‐keeping 'Family Style' @ 9pm Hawthorn, 46 Geary St, San Fran‐
Taper's Choice Free Show at Cafe du Nord RSVP via DoTheBay Link in
Description
@ 10pm Cafe Du Nord, 2174 Market St., San Francisco
Barbie Pub Crawl San Francisco @ 4pm / $15 Introducing the San Francisco Barbie Pub Crawl – a Barbiethemed party that'll leave you feel‐ing like you've stepped into a fabu‐lous doll world of glitz, glam, and good times! Del Mar, 2125 Lom‐bard Street, San Francisco. info@ crawlsf.com, 415-852-1027 Private Show: Wesley Dean in Napa Valley @
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'‐
1601
Center
the
Dr, Walnut Creek
vs. Pop-Punk @ 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