The Davis Enterprise Sunday, July 23, 2023

erprise

Jury convicts Eureka man of minors’ sexual assaults

By Lauren Keene Enterprise staff writer

WOODLAND — A three-week trial resulted in a Eureka man’s conviction on charges alleging he sexually assaulted three female minors at various times over a decade, according to the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office announced Thursday. John C. Augborne, 48, faces a life term at his Sept. 8 sentencing hearing before Yolo Superior Court Judge Samuel McAdam, who presided over the case.

Lake Tahoe during winter.

Annual Lake Tahoe report details changes

By Emily C. Dooley

Special to The Enterprise

The Tahoe Environmental Research Center, or TERC, at UC Davis released its annual Tahoe: State of the Lake Report, describing the past year as one of rapid biological change.

The 2023 report presents data collected during 2022 and puts it in context with historical records. It also serves as an important resource for restoration,

management and monitoring decisions.

UC Davis researchers have been monitoring the seconddeepest lake in the United States continuously since 1968, and the report provides an update for nonscientists on a variety of factors affecting the health of Lake Tahoe.

Rapid changes

The report details changes in

lake clarity and the possible links to a sudden decline in the Mysis shrimp population. Extensive algal blooms in the nearshore of the lake and new data on microplastics are also detailed. Other topics include new monitoring and modeling efforts, lowered nitrogen and phosphorus levels and research into the efficacy of no-wake zones.

“The lake is in a state of rapid

change, which presents us the opportunity and the challenge to better understand the lake with more and smarter monitoring,” Schladow said. “Within 2022 we had more changes throughout the lake than we’ve experienced over decades.”

The biggest change in the lake had to do with the rapid improvement in clarity from August through December,

See TAHOE, Page A5

According to a District Attorney’s Office news release, prosecutors David Robbins and Stephanie Allen presented evidence that Augborne targeted the minors between 2011 and 2021 — assaulting one in a hospital setting and two of them at their homes, while other family members were nearby.

The prosecutors also alleged that Augborne, who has a lengthy criminal history, served prison time for two unrelated prior “strike” convictions, making this a “three strikes” case. Two of the victims reported being assaulted prior to his prison time, and one after his parole in January 2020. Jurors convicted Augborne on July 14 of multiple counts including attempted rape, forcible oral

See ASSAULTS, Page A5

Mother turns to UCD to avoid a repeat of tragedy

Special to The Enterprise

SACRAMENTO — For Brianna and Spencer Thompson of Auburn, the excitement was overwhelming. Brianna’s pregnancy was a wonderfully normal experience. The couple was excited about their son’s arrival.

“It was the cookie cutter, ideal pregnancy,” Brianna Thompson remembers.

But at 33 weeks, Thompson noticed decreased movement in her belly. She sensed there was a problem. A visit to the hospital led to an emergency Csection where doctors discovered her son Finn had severe liver damage.

“It all happened so fast, but at the same time, it was

slow motion in my mind,” Thompson said. “I had no idea what was going on. It didn’t feel real.”

Finn was transferred to several different hospitals for increasingly critical care, but died five days later.

“It was traumatic,” Thompson said. “We were living a nightmare and had no answers.”

A one-in-a-million diagnosis

Autopsy results revealed that Finn died of a rare disorder called neonatal hemochromatosis (NH).

NH is caused by severe fetal liver disease associated with the accumulation of

excess iron in the mother’s liver and other organs, which is passed on to the developing baby.

Severe cases of NH can result in stillbirth, while NH babies like Finn often face life-threatening complications such as liver failure. It is estimated that fewer than one in a million pregnancies worldwide results in neonatal hemochromatosis.

“It was hard to process,” Thompson said. “He was a perfectly healthy baby until he wasn’t.”

To complicate matters, NH cannot be detected during pregnancy, and when a person has an NH pregnancy, 90 percent of CoURTE sy phoTo

Alison Toy/UC DAvis TERC phoTo

Odette Thompson is a happy, healthy, growing girl who turned a year old on July 19. See UCD, Page A7

Bomb hoax clears eatery

A phoned-in bomb threat cleared out a downtown restaurant Thursday night, according to Davis police.

Lt. John Evans said the police department received the anonymous threat of a bomb inside Raising Cane’s, 207 E St., at about 9:40 p.m.

“Officers responded and were able to clear the restaurant and surrounding area but were unable to locate any suspicious packages, bags or other items that may be an explosive device,” Evans said. “A case was taken to document and investigate the false report.”

Evens said a local transient was “causing problems” inside the restaurant and was asked to leave just prior to the threat, but whether that person was responsible for the disruption remains under investigation.

For the record

Friday’s announcement for the Harp Fest concert at Odd Fellows Hall had an incorrect date. The doors open at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, July 30, at 415 Second St. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and music will begin at 6:30 p.m.

Another consequence of a bad decision

DISTRICT DISASTER

My friend Jan on the Alphabet Streets thinks Dillon Horton is an excellent City Council candidate with a number of attributes, but she also thinks Dillon’s chances are slim because of our new and disastrous district election scheme.

“He has a list of qualifications as long as your arm,” Jan writes of Dillon. “In a citywide election he would gain a seat and come in second or third.”

I don’t disagree, Jan, depending of course on who makes up the rest of the field.

“But,” Jan adds, “he lives in District 2 and that seat is currently held by Will Arnold, loyal favorite son who has not lost an election since he was sixth-grade class president at North Davis.”

Yep, I’d say Will would be hard to go against when only the top vote-getter is elected, as opposed to two or three being elected in an

at-large election.

“Tell me how district elections make it easier for minorities to win a seat.”

Indeed, minorities and other traditionally underrepresented groups have a much better chance of being elected in a citywide election, at least in Davis.

However, our gutless council bowed down to an unreasonable demand from an out-of-town lawyer, even though every single councilmember knew districts were not good for Davis.

Bottom line: It’s always the right time to do the right thing.

AFFIRMATIVE REAC-

TION

... Jonathan, who apparently took the time to read the Supreme Court’s justification for ending affirmative action, notes, “One point that stands out to me is the fact that the majority’s decision makes an exception for military service academies,”

Noticed that myself, Jonathan.

“I’m struck by Justice Jackson’s dissenting quote: ‘The court has come to rest on the bottom-line conclusion that racial diversity in higher education is only worth potentially preserving insofar as it might be needed to prepare Black Americans and other underrepresented minorities for success in the bunker, not the boardroom (a particularly awkward place to land, in light of the history the majority opts to ignore.)’ “

No amount of linguistic gymnastics can save the court on this one.

SPEAKING OF AFFIRMATIVE INACTION ... It’s interesting that the Supreme Court, after citing the Equal Protection clause of the 14th Amendment to justify killing affirmative action, apparently has no problem with legacy admissions to college, even though they most definitely favor one race over others.

To be clear, legacy admissions were not a part of the current decision, but several justices mentioned them in their opinions.

So much for equal protection.

THEN AGAIN ... My dad did spend one semester at Lewis and Clark, so I’m expecting that fine Portland institution of higher learning to admit all of my children with full scholarships all around.

It’s clearly our legacy.

— Reach Bob Dunning at bdunning@davisenterprise.net.

Help kids connect with family’s pets

n Editor’s note: Friday’s Paws for Though column had some text missing due to a technical glitch. Here is the column again in its entirety.

paws for thought

n Read aloud to a pet.

Children’s reading skills improve while pets enjoy quiet time with kids they love. Bonus: young readers gain self-confidence because pets don’t correct their mistakes.

n Dogs and kids can have fun and cool off with a kiddie pool filled with some water and a few rubber squeaky toys.

n Pup picnics. Invite a few friends with their friendly dogs. Make it special. Provide homemade healthy dog treats and plenty of toys for the pups to share.

n Camp out in the backyard with your dog and a tent. Campouts can be during the day or overnight. Treats for kids and dogs always welcome.

n Build a Cat Fort where kitty can feel safe in a confined space constructed with a few boxes, pillows and blankets.

n Make toys to play with a cat or dog. Kids gain confidence making toys and learn how to play with pets appropriately. Pets get attention and mental stimulation. Kids and pets develop a special bond.

n Teach a new trick. Yes, with treats they like, cats as well as dogs can learn tricks.

n Train a dog or cat to walk on leash. Make sure you’ve got a harness that fits properly before training in a secure space.

Please send correspondence to The Davis Enterprise

Box 1470 Davis, CA 95617-1470

If you do not receive your Enterprise by 5 p.m. on Wednesdays or Fridays or 7 a.m. on Sundays, please call 530756-0826. Missed issues will be delivered on the next publishing day.

n Make summer treats. Combine some wet dog or cat food with water or saltfree broth. Freeze in ice cube trays and serve.

Remember to keep pets calm and cool during summer heat. Pets need plenty of fresh water to drink, cool shaded places to rest when indoors or outdoors

and maybe a cool treat or two. Cooling pads help pets stay cool inside or outside. Rechargeable phase change cooling mats are especially “cool” because they cool pets by absorbing their body heat when they lie on the mat. These mats are recharged by either placing them in a dark cool room overnight, or in a refrigerator (not freezer) for 15-30 minutes.

Finally, never, leave pets in a car even with the window cracked during warm weather. When it’s 80 degrees outside, your car will be 100 degrees in just 10 minutes!

Resources:

n 7 Ways Kids Can Bond With Their Cats This Summer https://cattime. com/lifestyle/22389ways-kids-bond-cats-summer

n Speaking Cat: Feline Body Language, Translated https://cattime.com/ lifestyle/233-speakingcat-feline-body-languagetranslated

n How to Speak Dog by Understanding Canine Body Language https:// outwardhound.com/ furtropolis/pet-parenting/ how-to-read-dog-bodylanguage

n 4 Frozen Cat Treats to Keep Kitty Cool https:// www.rover.com/blog/diyfrozen-cat-treats/

n 10 DIY Summer Treats for Your Dog https://www.rover.com/ uk/blog/10-diy-summertreats-for-your-dog/

Happy Tails

Niki and Jeff Slaton love cats and dogs, so it’s no surprise that their home has quite a few all living peacefully together.

Niki writes, “Earlier this year, two of our elderly cats passed away unexpectedly from cancer. We were very sad, but knowing so many cats and kittens need homes, we started checking rescue sites. It wasn’t

Woman found dead in Woodland rail car

By Lauren Keene Enterprise staff writer

Towle said Friday. Woodland police detectives and the Yolo County Coroner’s Office continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Parker’s death.

A ruling regarding her exact cause of death has not been determined pending the results of toxicology tests, Chief Deputy Coroner Gina Moya said. Meanwhile, anyone with information about this case is asked to contact the Woodland Police Department at 530-661-7800.

long before we spotted an adorable little grey kitten with tufted ears.

“Maybe it was fate. He was originally named ‘Davis’ because he’d been found in a culvert in our hometown. From there, he’d traveled to Santa Rosa to be fostered by a wonderful mother-daughter team through Dogwood Animal Rescue. We met him at his

foster home, quickly fell in love, and brought him back to our home (and his original “residence”) in Davis. Despite having never met dogs, he quickly integrated with our crew of 3 adult cats and 3 big dogs. He especially loves Gromit, our Staffordshire Terrier mix, who couldn’t be happier to have a new kitten in the house.

“Our newest addition is a powerful force, so we renamed him ‘Zeus’ and sometimes call him ‘Little Cat Z’ after the tiniest cat in Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat Comes Back. Like Little Cat Z, Zeus seems to have ‘Voom’ under his hat.

“Dogwood Animal Rescue and its volunteers are amazing. They were extremely responsive and helpful, and Zeus’ foster family did a wonderful job socializing a little kitten who had been abandoned early in life. Having a new, rambunctious, and funny kitten zooming around has helped ease the pain of losing two cats. We are looking forward to many more years together.”

— Evelyn Dale of Davis is a volunteer and advocate for shelter animal welfare. Contact her at pawsforthought.comments@gmail.com This column appears monthly.

Courtesy photo

Adopted by Niki and Jeff Slaton, Zeus aka Little Cat Z, and his big canine pal Gromit enjoy snuggling on Jeff’s lap.

Grants to local nonprofits strengthen community impact

Special to The Enterprise

Thanks to a novel approach to community partnerships, the Sacramento Valley College Corps has improved internship experiences for UC Davis students while making a lasting impact on the Sacramento nonprofit community.

A state-funded collaboration between UC Davis, Sacramento State, Sacramento City College, and Woodland Community College, the SVCC provides undergraduate students with hands-on learning opportunities at community organizations that tackle K-12 education, climate change or food insecurity. Students receive a $10,000 stipend and complete 450 hours of community service during the school year.

In spring 2023, SVCC awarded more than $66,000 in grants to 12 community partners, a significant investment in local organizations that often struggle with limited resources. These grants will be used to address critical needs such as volunteer engagement and training, thereby empowering small nonprofits to take on new challenges and expand their programming. The ultimate goal is to create a more enriching experience for SVCC interns and to compensate community partners for their time, expertise and investment in students, said Moira Delgado, community partner liaison for the UC Davis Office of Public Scholarship and Engagement.

Empowering nonprofits

The impact of the SVCC grants on community host sites and student interns has been notable. For example, Alchemist Com-

munity Development Corporation in Sacramento, a nonprofit focused on connecting people to food, land, and opportunities, has purchased new gardening and safety supplies in order to offer additional opportunities to student fellows. The grant has also funded valuable training and leadership development for staff members, developing their skills in fostering growth and mentoring for students and volunteers, said Joe Robustelli, neighborhood empowerment manager for Alchemist CDC.

“We are a very small nonprofit without a lot of resources,” Robustelli said. “This grant allowed us to make more opportunities available to students. It may not seem like a lot, but to us it’s a lot of money.”

Robustelli emphasized the significance of the university directly providing financial support to community organizations through the SVCC program. “Sometimes, for small amounts like this, it’s not worth the paperwork involved. But this was a really easy process. And the support really helps when we’re trying to justify to our board why we want to continue with SVCC.”

Another nonprofit, Solar Community Housing Association in Davis, will use their grant to train staff in volunteer management and to develop skill-based resources for student fellows. “Working with volunteers is rare for us, so it has been a fun and challenging experience figuring out how to create a meaningful and impactful year-long experience for students,” said Kaitlin Oki (B.S., sustainable food systems, ’17), land stewardship coordinator for the nonprofit.

Solar Community Housing Association provides cooperative housing for

low-income people in Davis. The SVCC fellows have helped the nonprofit deepen relationships with their residents, and provide more support for the selfgoverning housing, Oki said. “It’s become harder and harder for our residents to provide labor and contributions because the economic pressures they face are getting more intense every year. The consistency of having the College Corps fellows go out and meet residents and attend workshops helped us reach critical mass to get people really energized to come out again and again.”

Building strong partnerships

By compensating community partners, SVCC

reinforces the principle of equitable collaboration, ensuring that the benefits of the program extend beyond the students themselves and positively impact the organizations that dedicate their time and energy to nurturing the next generation of community leaders

“This model sets a promising precedent for universities and communities nationwide, fostering effective partnerships for the greater good,” Stacey Muse, director of engagement for the Office of Public Scholarship and Engagement.

The community grants initiative also reflects the broader commitment by UC Davis to cultivate mutually beneficial relationships that empower community partners and

recognize the value they bring to student learning beyond the classroom.

To further strengthen this commitment, Muse is leading the UC Davis Community Engagement Collaborative in a year-long effort to enhance how the university compensates community partners.

The collaborative is a community of practice open to any faculty and staff who wish to support, improve and grow community-engaged work. The group aims to establish fair and sustainable practices that nurture long-term partnerships between the university and the community.

“It is crucial to acknowledge and compensate community partners for their time, expertise and invest-

— UC Davis Office of Public Scholarship and

ment in students,” Muse said.

Photo caption: Sacramento Valley College Corps fellows Christy Vong (left) and Bella Di Francesco (right), both UC Davis students, participate in a planting project with Solar Community Housing Association in Davis. Photo courtesy Kaitlin Oki. Story link: https://publicengagement.ucdavis. edu/community-partners/ svcc.

Engagement

Kaitlin OKi/COurtesy phOtO

Sacramento Valley College Corps fellows Christy Vong, left, and Bella Di Francesco, both UC Davis students, participate in a planting project with Solar Community Housing Association in Davis.

Fluffy Donuts to close doors ... for now

Fluffy Donuts will close its University Mall bakery on Aug. 18. But there’s good news: it’s temporary.

Owner Sak Sopheak is negotiating a long-term lease for a new spot in downtown Davis. He said it will be a few weeks before the lease is signed but he hoped to have the store back open by year’s end.

Meanwhile, the doughnut shop is open from 5:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays at 757 Russell Blvd., Suite 2. The store will close on Aug. 18 when it sells out of goodies.

University Mall owner Brixmor Property Group gave Sopheak notice that he must close in mid-August. The company plans to raze the mall and redevelop it as The Davis Collection, a single-story mall with traditional retail and restaurant spaces (no interior corridor). Trader Joe’s will not be affected. Earlier redevelopment proposals for the site included housing and parking, which the landlord later deemed too costly.

Next door to Fluffy, the Chinese-food restaurant Chengdu Style closed on July 15, two days earlier than announced. I learned Sesame already closed.

Another tenant, Super Eyebrow, has a sign saying it’s moving to 434 F St. An employee at Ohana Hawaiian BBQ said Thursday it would be open for at least another two weeks. The Old Teahouse’s last day will be July 31 and a Subway employee said he heard early October for closure. I left a message for a manager at Subway and for news from T&M Bike Shop

Shipwrecked Tiki Bar may

open in early August, owner Nate Yungvanitsait confirms. It fills the bar portion of the former Woodstock’s Pizza space at 217 G St.

Hours will be 6 p.m. to midnight Wednesdays and Thursdays, 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays.

The bar will be limited to those 21 and over. It will not serve food but patrons may bring their own.

The tiki bar specializes in rum drinks and tropical cocktails like mai tais, mojitos, daquiris, punches and more, along with beer, wine and traditional spirits. Thursdays will be Mojito Night with half-price pitchers. View the beverage menu at https:// www.shipwreckedtikibar.com/.

See its Instagram account @ shipwreckedtikibar for video of the adventurous décor.

Volt Coffee, Tea & Taps may open between mid-August and early September.

CPA Robert Salazar bought the half-acre property at 1123 Olive Drive about six years ago. It’s where he operates his accounting firm The Tax Solutions Group, which will remain in a portion of the building. The lot is zoned for more than office use, he said, so soon after the

County launches free human-resources hotline

Enterprise staff

WOODLAND — Yolo County businesses now have a valuable resource at their fingertips with the launch of the Human Resources Advice hotline.

Developed in collaboration with YoloWorks!, the California Employers Association, and the Yolo County Workforce Innovation Board, this hotline offers essential support to employers seeking to maintain compliance, implement effective human resource solutions, and enhance their workforce.

The Human Resources Advice hotline, available in English and Spanish, provides unlimited phone support with seasoned human resources experts, ensuring businesses receive the guidance they need. It operates Monday to Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and can be accessed by calling 1-888-900-7791.

Through this service, businesses can access a plethora of online resources, addressing key areas that can impact their operations:

n Best Practices for Hiring and Termination

n Understanding Paid Sick Leave Laws

n Navigating Wage and Hour Laws

n Developing Effective Employee Handbook Policies

n Ensuring Human Resources Compliance

n Creating Workplace Accommodations

"This initiative is part of YoloWorks!'s commitment to support our local business community and foster a thriving workforce," said Erica Johnson, HHSA Manager at Yolo County.

YoloWorks! is a collaborative partnership between the Yolo County Workforce Innovation Board, the Yolo County Health and Human Services Agency, and the American Job Centers of California (YoloWorks Career Centers). The hotline is just one of the many programs offered by YoloWorks! to strengthen businesses and the community at large.

For information on the hotline and other YoloWorks! programs, contact Erica Johnson at erica. johnson@yolocounty. org or visit yoloworks.org or call 530-631-2289.

purchase, he started dreaming up a beer garden/cafe idea.

Volt Coffee Tea & Taps will serve coffee Mondays through Sundays. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, it will offer beer and food from two stationary commercial food trailers.

The downtown mattress and furniture store Sleep Center will close by the end of the year. It sells bedding, accessories and mattresses, along with some furniture, wall art and lamps.

Employee Ray Sharma said the store could close as early as October if the landlord finds a tenant. Otherwise, it will close in December. Davis employees are being offered jobs at the Sleep Center in Natomas.

The property at 706 Second St. is owned by Browman Development Company of Walnut Creek.

Bull ’N Mouth is now open for lunch. The American restaurant at 217 E St. opened on June 1 with dinner hours. On July 17, it started opening at 11 a.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays. It closes at about 10 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and midnight Thursdays through Saturdays. Closing times vary, depending on patronage.

The Davis Target store is about done with its remodeling, and things are a bit different. There’s now a staffed Ulta Beauty section in the store, with additional beauty brands such as Benefit and Clinique.

The new open layout optimizes the space and makes room for more merchandise, a news release said.

Enterprise staff

A Davis native recently purchased the Happy Horse property at 26275 County Road 96 outside of Davis. Michelle Bailey just reopened it as Little Reata Stables Bailey, a 1989 Davis High graduate, closed escrow on the property on June 5, and her LLC became official on June 18. She took riding lessons at Happy Horse stables when she was a tween and teen, riding her bike

6.5 miles from her downtown Davis home to the ranch west of Davis, between West Covell and Russell boulevards. She had English and gymkhana instruction there, but now prefers Western trail riding.

In a nod to the former name, the tagline for Little Reata Stables is “For your Happy Horse.”

Bailey is a retired U.S. Army helicopter pilot who works parttime at a local Edward Jones financial office. She’s also an author of several short stories published in compilation books.

The site has three barns, an indoor arena, an outdoor arena, a wash rack and three grazing areas. As of Tuesday, she had seven horses boarded. There were 14 more stalls (each indoor and outdoor) available for horse boarding. Fees include feeding the horses three times a day, and “turnouts” to larger corrals for exercise two hours a day.

For more information, visit http://www.littlereatastables. com.

Dogtopia, the doggie day care, boarding and spa center in the El Macero Shopping Center, will open for business on Monday. It fills the former Tuesday Morning

space at 417 Mace Blvd., Suite S.

The center 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.

During this soft opening, it will offer 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 – the owners plan to add boarding and spa services, with expanded hours.

Learn more at https://www. dogtopia.com/sacramentodavis/.

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.

donates $10K to Meals on Wheels

Meals on Wheels Yolo County recently announced receipt of a $10,000 grant from Bayer Fund, a philanthropic arm of Bayer in the U.S., to continue and expand the provision of weekend nutrition to Yolo County’s lowest income senior citizens.

Arranged and delivered twice-monthly as shelfstable meals supplemented with fresh fruit, the Weekend Food Project “care packages” are intended to sustain recipients in between the organization’s weekday deliveries of prepared hot/ fresh and frozen meals.

350 seniors are served currently by the program,

with more anticipated over the coming year.

“The demand for food assistance among aging adults in Yolo County has been relentless over the past year,” said Executive Director Joy Cohan.

“More than 8,000 Yolo County seniors are impoverished, according to the 2020 Census, and food insecure as a result. Fixed income seniors are being particularly hammered by the rising cost of food, as

well as housing, medical care, and other necessities that limit the funds that seniors can spare to eat healthy diets. We are grateful for Bayer Fund’s recognition of this unacceptable circumstance, and for providing meaningful funding to increase Meals on Wheels Yolo County’s ability to nourish more seniors.”

“We’re enabling and strengthening organizations that are working to

make real, sustainable impacts in their local communities across the United States,” said Al Mitchell, president of the Bayer Fund. “Programs like Meals on Wheels Yolo County’s Weekend Food Project help combat the critical issue of food insecurity, and we’re proud to play a role with helping even more people in our community have access to healthy, nutritious food.”

Bayer

TAHOE: Huge biological changes affect lake

From Page A1

which was the best measured since the 1980s. This was preceded by the population collapse of Mysis shrimp, a species introduced to the lake decades ago, and other changes in the lake’s native phytoplankton and zooplankton.

“There are many complex processes occurring that we don’t fully understand,” Schladow said. “We need to better understand them to continue moving forward.”

As part of research on this topic, an acoustic doppler current profiler was installed this June at 300 feet below the surface on the west side of the lake to provide continuous water velocity measurements and “to track the expected resurgence of the Mysis shrimp in the coming years,” the report’s executive summary said.

Nitrogen, algae changes

In other positive developments, restoration and management efforts continued to reduce nutrient and fine particle loads entering the lake. Total nitrogen coming into the lake from the Upper Truckee River, which is the largest source of water into the system, was 11.1 metric

tons per year compared to the mean annual load of 17.3 metric tons per year. Other biological changes included huge swings in the algal population and their rate of photosynthesis. As the water level fell in 2022 and temperatures increased, so did the makeup of the algal community, with a Cyanobacteria comprising the greatest number of phytoplankton. More areas of attached algae, or periphyton, were also noted in 2022. Some 16 miles of beach were fouled by decaying algae washing up on the beaches.

Hong Joon Lee DBA Lifeline Acupuncture and Herbs Clinic seeks an acupuncturist in Davis CA License to practice acupuncture in the State of California is required Email resume to: hongjoon112@gmail com Visit

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Other report highlights:

n Water levels in the lake change throughout the year based on weather, inflows and outflows. A wet November and December filled up the lake, bringing it almost to maximum capacity.

n Microplastic pollution is an issue in Lake Tahoe, where samples show levels akin to San Francisco Bay.

“What goes into Tahoe,

ASSAULTS: Guilty

From Page A1

stays in Tahoe,” Schladow said. “It’s a worry for every aquatic system.”

n TERC has 25 stations around the Lake Tahoe Basin that relay real-time measurements, as well as autonomous underwater vehicles, satellites, drones and helicopters. New, machine learning technology helped to better monitor beaches and nearshore areas.

n Extreme weather froze Emerald Bay and led to a longer period of vertical mixing in Lake Tahoe.

n A new, undergraduate student summer internship program launched in June.

The State of the Lake report’s production was funded by the California Tahoe Conservancy, Mountain Workspace, Tahoe Fund, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, Tahoe Lakefront Owners’ Association, Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board, The League to Save Lake Tahoe, Lake Tahoe Marina Association, Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation, Tahoe Water Suppliers Association, TruePoint Solutions, Truckee Tahoe Airport and Incline Village Waste Not. — UC Davis News

copulation, sexual battery and sex acts with a child 10 years or younger.

“The three victims in this case showed tremendous courage. It is never easy to come forward with allegations of sexual assault and even more so as a child,” Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig said. “Oftentimes

victims are scared that nobody will believe them. The jury thoughtfully listened to the testimony and reviewed the evidence. At the end of the trial, their guilty verdicts spoke loudly to the victims, ‘we believe you.’” Augborne’s attorney, Deputy Public Defender Adam Davtyan, could not be reached for comment about the verdicts.

You

been sued The court may decide against you without your being heard unless you respond within 30 days Read the information below You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this summons and legal papers are served on you to file a written response at this court and have a copy served on the plaintiff A letter or phone c a l l w i l l n o t p r o t e c t y o u Y o u r w r i t t en r e s p o n s e m u s t b e i n p r o p e r l e g a l f o r m i f y o u w a n t t h e c o u r t t o h e a r y o u r c a s e T h e r e m a y b e a c o u r t f o r m t h a t y o u c a n u s e f o r y o u r r esponse You can find these court forms and more information a t t h e C a l i f o r n i a C o u r t s O n l i n e S e l f - H e l p C e n t e r (www courtinfo ca gov/selfhelp) your county law library or the courthouse nearest you If you cannot pay the filing fee ask the court clerk for a fee waiver form If you do not file your response on time you may lose the case by default and your w a g e s m o n e y a n d p r o p e r t y m a y b e t a k e n w i t h o u t f u r t h e r w a r n i n g f r o m t h e c o u r t

There are other legal requirements You may want to call an attorney right away If you do not know an attorney, you may want to call an attorney referral service If you cannot afford an attorney you may be eligible for free legal services from a nonprofit legal services program You can locate these nonp r o f i t g r o u p s a t t h e C a l i f o r n i a L e g a l S e r v i c e s W e b s i t e (www lawhelpcalifornia org) the California Courts Online SelfHelp Center (www courtinfo ca gov/selfhelp) or by contacting your local court or county bar association NOTE: The court has a statutory lien for waived fees and costs on any settlement or arbitration award of $10 000 or more in a civil case The court’s lien must be paid before the court will dismiss the case !AVISO! Lo han demandado Si no responde dentro de 30 dias la corte puede decidir en su contra sin eschuchar su version Lea la informacion a continuacion T i e n e 3 0 D I A S D E C A L E N D A R I O d e s p u é s d e q u e I e e nt r e g u e n e s t a c i t a c i ó n y p a p e l e s l e g a l e s p a r a p r e s e n t a r u n a respuesta por escrito en esta corte y hacer que se entregue una copia al demandante Una carta o una lIamada telefonica n o l o p r o t e g e n S u r e s p u e s t a p o r e s c r i t o t i e n e q u e e s t a r e n f o r m a t o l e g a l c o r r e c t o s i d e s e a q u e p r o c e s e n s u c a s o e n l a c o r t e E s p o s i b l e q u e h a y a u n f o r m u l a r i o q u e u s t e d p u e d a usar para su respuesta Puede encontrar estos formularios de la corte y mas informacion en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cort e s d e C a l i f o r n i a ( w w w s u c or te ca g o v) e n l a b i b l i o t e c a d e leyes de su condado o en la corte que Ie quede mas cerca Si no puede pagar la cuota de presentacion pida al secretario d e l a c o r te q u e Ie d e u n fo r m u l a r i o d e e x e n c i o n d e p a g o d e cuotas Si no presenta su respuesta a tiempo puede perder el caso por incumplimiento y la corte Ie podra quitar su sueldo dinero y bienes sin mas advertencia Hay otros requisitos legales Es recomendable que lIame a un abogado inmediatamente Si no conoce a un abogado puede l I a m a r a u n s e r v i c i o d e r e m i s i o n a a b o g a d o s S i n o p u e d e pagar a un abogado es posible que cumpla con los requisito s p a r a o b te n e r s e r v i c i o s l e g a l e s g r a tu i to s d e u n p r o g r a m a de servicios legales sin fines de lucro Puede encontrar estos g r u p o s s i n f i n e s d e l u c r o e n e l s i t i o w e b d e C a l i f o r n i a L e g a l Services, (www lawhelpcalifornia org), en el Centro de Ayuda d e l a s C o r t e s d e C a l i f o r n i a ( w w w s u c o r t e c a g o v ) o poniendose en contacto con la corte o el colegio de abogados locales AVISO: Por ley, la corte tiene derecho a reclamar las coutas y los costos exentos por imponer un gravamen sobre c u a l q u i e r r e c u p e r a c i o n d e $ 1 0 0 0 0 ó m á s d e v a l o r r e c i b i d a mediante un acuerdo o una concesión de arbitraje en un case d e d e r e c h o c i v i l T i e n e q u e p a g a r e l g r a v a m e n d e l a c o r t e a n t e s d e q u e l a c o r t e p u d e a d e s e c h a r e l c a s o

The name and address of the court is:

(El nombre y dirección de la corte es): YOLO COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT 100 Main Street Woodland CA 95695 The name, address, and telephone

UC Davis TERC phoTo

Equipment monitoring suspension of Lake Tahoe sediment from a passing boat.

Sacramento State nursing professor joins YoloCares board of directors

By Gia Martucci

Special to The Enterprise

YoloCares’ newest board member, Carel Mountain, DNP, RN, CNE, CDP, brings with her a wealth of expertise in hospice and end-of-life care.

Obituaries

Mountain is a professor at California State University, Sacramento’s (CSUS) School of Nursing, a role she thoroughly enjoys, as she loves working with new clinicians. Previously, she was the Director of Nursing Programs at Sacramento City College

Wayne G. Walgenbach

May 14, 1947 — June 29, 2023

Wayne G. Walgenbach passed away peacefully on June 28, 2023, following a long illness. Wayne was born on May 14, 1947, and was a lifelong resident of Davis. He attended local schools and was a high school athlete and football star at Davis Senior High. He also played football for the UC Davis Aggies.

In 1966 Wayne was drafted into the U.S. Army and subsequently selected to attend Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Ga. Upon receiving his commission as a second lieutenant, Wayne was assigned to Fort Ord, California, as an infantry officer. Wayne often spoke of his service at Fort Ord on the beautiful Monterey Peninsula as a very happy time. After duty at Fort Ord, Wayne was sent to Vietnam as an infantry platoon leader with the 4th Infantry Division. He had considerable combat experience especially during the Tet Offensive and was cited for valor when he rescued several of his men under heavy fire.

After his discharge from the Army, Wayne attended Sacramento State University. He joined the family business, Jake’s Plumbing, in Davis. After several years Wayne and his wife Susan opened their own business, Walgenbach Appraisal, which served several towns in the area.

Among his many activities, Wayne was an early member of the Winters Theatre

Alida Wind

Jan. 31, 1927 — June 22, 2023

Dr. Alida Wind, retired professor of veterinary medicine at UC Davis, passed away in Davis on June 22, 2023, at age 96.

Alida was born in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands, to Pieter Wind and Augje Herder on Jan. 31, 1927.

Alida grew up during the World War II occupation of the Netherlands. After the war, she was able to complete her studies and graduated as a veterinarian from Utrecht University, the Netherlands, in 1951. It was quite progressive for women to study at a university in the early ’50s in the Netherlands, which was a reflection of the liberal and considerate upbringing of her parents.

Alida moved to the United States and earned her master’s degree at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, after which she received and accepted an offer of professorship at UC Davis. Alida was a very highly respected and dedicated large-animal veterinarian who was one of the first woman veterinarians to specialize in the study of several types of orthopedics in dogs and horses.

She was also a pioneer in the study of elbow dysplasia, a very common and debilitating dog disease.

She organized the first international conference on elbow dysplasia and authored or coauthored

and an instructor at Shasta College, Pacific Union College, and University of Phoenix. Throughout her professional experience as an educator, she has led or taught with programs that focus on mental health, community nursing, curriculum oversight,

Company. He began working backstage but soon became a major performer, acting in many lead roles for over ten years. Wayne was also devoted to his family and their activities including serving as coach for a local women’s softball team for which his wife and several sisters-in-law played.

Wayne was preceded in death by his wife of 35 years Susan McDermott Walgenbach. He is survived by his daughter Ashley Barnard of Tempe, Ariz., and his granddaughter Alexandria Barnard; daughter Nicole Rockwell and grandchildren Dillon and Lila Rockwell of Davis; and siblings Germaine Hupe of Davis, Gary Walgenbach of Woodland, Judith Braden of Providence, R.I., and Susan Telford of Oconomowoc, Wis. The sixth of eight children, Wayne is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews and relatives by marriage.

He was loved by his family and friends and his loss is deeply felt. He will be remembered for his sense of humor, his kindness and generosity. He will be honored for a life well lived.

A memorial service celebrating Wayne’s life will be held on Saturday, July 29, at 11:30 a.m. at the Stonegate Country Club in Davis. A military service will be held at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon at 3 p.m. on Monday, July 31. The family requests that donations in Wayne’s memory be sent to the Yolo Care Hospice, 1909 Galileo Drive in Davis.

groundbreaking articles that to this day influence large animal surgery. Alida continued to teach at UC Davis until her retirement in 1992.

Upon retiring Alida, always a ferocious reader, became very interested in all the earth sciences. She took self-instruction courses on understanding the arts, the universe and other scientific areas totally outside the realm of veterinary medicine, as well as becoming an avid and dedicated bird watcher. She wore out two travel vans as every year she would take motor trips by herself for three to four months to where ever her heart desired. This included trips across Canada, up to Alaska, and

across and around the United States. She continued these trips up until her early 90s. Alida also went on many educational cruises to various parts of the world, including Antarctica, Greenland and the Amazon River.

Alida was a very strong and fiercely independent woman who was as sharp as a tack up to the end of her life. Alida was a charming story teller and loved to share her life and adventures with her family and friends for which many of us are forever grateful.

Alida is survived by her sister, Henna, cousins, and numerous nephews and nieces in the Netherlands.

accreditation compliance and pediatric care. Mountain is also a certified dementia care educator and plans to lead community workshops in support of YoloCares’ Center for Caregiver Support.

A large part of her clinical experience is centered around

June (Kaneko) Nishikawa

June passed away peacefully on June 18, 2023, at her home in Davis, in the loving presence of son Mark Nishikawa and daughter Sharon Nishikawa.

home health care, a passion of hers. “I’ve worked in a lot of clinical settings, but my favorite is home health. I love working with patients and families in their homes,” says Mountain, who previously owned Domus Home Health Services, LLC in Redding.

June 5, 1925 — June 18, 2023 NISHIKAWA

June was born on June 5, 1925, in Alameda County, California, to father Norikazu Kaneko and mother Kitoe (Igaki) Kaneko.

June's parents were firstgeneration immigrants from Japan. June and her little brother Teruo "Ted" Kaneko grew up in the Hayward area.

During World War II, June's family was interned at the Tule Lake Relocation Center in Northern California near the Oregon border. There she met her future husband, Hiroshi "Hiro" Nishikawa.

In 1948 June and Hiro were married and built a life together farming and living in Liberty Island, Moore Tract, and the Dixon and Davis area. In the mid’50s they were able to build their first home on a parcel of land just north of Dixon. There, June and Hiro raised five children who attended school in Dixon.

June was known as a

generous, kind and friendly person. She was always helping out younger people and was especially good to those who came from other countries. She would often say that “if my children were in a different country, I would want someone there to be nice to them.”

In 2008, the Japanese Consulate in San Francisco honored June with a commendation in recognition of the numerous guests from Japan that she and Hiro entertained. Starting around the mid-1960s, this would continue to the present day even after Hiro’s passing in 1996. She formed many lasting friendships with people from Kagome Co., Ltd., a Japanese food processing company. June lived a full life of travel, hobbies, and socializing with friends. She loved to meet new people and met many on her travels to Japan, China, South Korea, Hong Kong, Italy, Mexico, Canada, and Greece. She loved bowling, especially in leagues, and the socializing that went with it. Happily, she was able to pursue this activity

until she was 85. For many of her later years, June loved to watch Korean dramas. Meeting some of the stars of those shows during a studio tour was the highlight of her trip to Korea.

June was preceded in death by her father Norikazu Kaneko, her mother Kitoe (Igaki) Kaneko, her husband Hiro, and brother Ted.

She is survived by her son David Nishikawa of Davis; son Gerald "Gerry" Nishikawa and daughterin-law Betsy Nishikawa of Davis; daughter Patricia "Pattie" Nishikawa of Studio City; daughter Sharon Nishikawa of West Sacramento; and son Mark Nishikawa of Davis. June is also survived by grandchild Lloni (Nishikawa) Anderes (Ethan Anderes); and great-grandchildren Chloe, Eleanor (Ella) and Ezra. Services will be held at the Sacramento Buddhist Church at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 18, 2401 Riverside Blvd.

The Enterprise publishes brief death notices free of charge. Paid-for obituaries allow for controlled content with the option for photos. Submissions may be made via www.davisenterprise.com/obit-form/.

UCD: Comprehensive approach to protect child’s future

subsequent pregnancies are also likely to result in the disorder. Thompson feared her chance of having a healthy, living child were over.

“They told me that I would likely face the same outcome if we tried to have another baby,” Thompson said, “if I didn’t get treatment, that is. I was so grateful to know we had options.”

The Thompsons were referred to UC Davis Health to explore next steps.

A chance for a healthy child

“Neonatal hemochromatosis is an extremely rare condition, even among fetal and pregnancy specialized centers,” said UC Davis pediatric gastroenterologist Daphne Say. “We needed to take a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to Brianna’s care. I knew UC Davis Children’s Hospital had the resources she needed.”

Those resources included intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) infusions. UC Davis Children’s Hospital is one of the few that offers IVIG. It’s not fully understood how these high-dose treatments work, but it’s believed that they may dilute or block maternal antibodies from damaging the fetal liver cells. With IVIG infusions started early in pregnancy, there is a nearly 100% chance of a healthy birth.

UC Davis maternal-fetal medicine specialist Véronique Taché specializes in high-risk pregnancies and met with the Thompsons.

“When I met Brianna, she had just lost Finn two months prior and was coming in to plan another pregnancy during a preconceptual counseling appointment,” Taché said. “She had done her homework and already knew there would be a very high chance of recurrence without treatment.”

At the end of that first visit, Taché had a plan in place that included use of IVIG to prevent a

recurrence, involvement of prenatal genetic counselors, as well as establishing with Pediatric GI to ensure everything was in place once she got pregnant.

“After we met with Dr. Taché and Dr. Say, we knew we were in good hands,” Thompson recalled. “We felt like we were in the right place.”

"I was impressed by Brianna from the start,” Say said. “I found her to be an incredibly thoughtful collaborator as we developed a game plan to ensure her future safe and successful pregnancy.”

Part of the plan was a consult with the pediatric liver team at Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and Northwestern University School of Medicine, who developed the treatment for neonatal hemochromatosis. Brianna’s team used those guidelines to inform Brianna’s IVIG therapy during her pregnancy.

“Dr. Say was so wonderful. Her compassion was like nothing we had experienced before,” Thompson said. “She knew about my first experience and went the extra mile, contacting the team that pioneered the IVIG

treatments.”

Months and months before Brianna was pregnant with her daughter, she already felt secure and confident that this time would be different.

“The last thing I ever wanted was to experience what we went through with Finn again,” Thompson said. “The team at UC Davis knew the specific path we needed to follow.”

Saving Odette

When Thompson was pregnant for the second time, she began IVIG treatments at 14 weeks at the Acute Infection Management (AIM) clinic at UC Davis. She had weekly appointments throughout her pregnancy, spending an average of six hours each session. Thompson says she felt better knowing she was being proactive in trying to prevent what happened to Finn.

“Going to AIM was actually something I came to look forward to,” Thompson said. “It was like visiting family. It felt safe.” When Thompson got closer to her delivery date, she felt even more at home.

“We met the NICU team ahead of time. They already knew our unborn daughter’s name and our story,” Thompson said. “It was such a huge relief not to have to explain our unique and complicated situation over and over again.”

The team took the situation as seriously as Brianna did.

“Because it was such a different protocol than a lot of births, we appreciated how the whole team was hyperfocused,” Thompson said.

“From the time Brianna became pregnant, we tried to have everything lined up to allow for a controlled and uneventful delivery as possible,” Taché added.

That’s just what happened.

Rescuing lives … and lifetimes

Odette Thompson was born at 38 weeks on July 19, 2022. The planned delivery couldn’t have gone more smoothly and thanks to labor and delivery nurse Michelle Kuykendall, Brianna got through it.

“If we hadn’t already named Odette, we told Michelle we would have named our daughter after her,” Thompson remembered. “She was incredible, as was the rest of the delivery team.”

Brianna says UC Davis Children’s Hospital provided her with exactly what she had hoped for.

“I truly cannot express enough how grateful we are for UC Davis and how much I love every person I came into contact with who helped us through this,” Thompson said. “The pregnancy, the birth and everything after. It was a dream come true. Everything turned out perfectly. We don’t take that for granted.”

While some babies require IVIG treatments of their own, Odette did not.

“I was away when Brianna delivered and remember checking in to see how her labor was progressing,” Taché recalled. “I was thrilled and relieved when I got the news.”

Now 1 year old, Odette is a healthy, outgoing, driven girl who her parents and her medical team are excited to see grow up.

“Odette is thriving, showing us her bright and determined personality at each visit,” Say said. “She has a healthy liver and is growing beautifully. The normalcy of it all is very much a miracle.”

“I can’t wait, and I can wait,” Thompson quipped about Odette growing up. “I think of Finn all the time when I watch Odette. Through him I found patience and appreciate every minute we have with her. To have her here with us is a gift.”

Thompson credits UC Davis Children’s Hospital with that gift.

“I have the team, ‘our family,’ to thank for my daughter,” Thompson said. “The quality care, amazing medical staff. It makes us want to experience it again as we think about growing our family. Knowing we have UC Davis in our corner is such a comfort.”

— UC Davis Health News

Courtesy photo

After their first child succumbed to a rare disorder, Brianna and Spencer Thompson were determined to do everything to give Odette a chance to thrive.

‘Cheaper’ cities have seen the biggest rent hikes

By Ben Christopher CalMatters

Inland cities including Bakersfield, Fresno, Visalia and Riverside — once cheaper options than pricey places such as the Bay Area — are no longer refuges from California’s housing affordability crisis.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the typical asking rent in these former bastions of relative affordability have exploded by as much as 40%, according to data from the real-estate listings company Zillow.

California’s inland rent spike is yet another lasting effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. Beginning in 2020, California’s dense metropolitan coast saw an outflux of people, as educated white-collar workers, suddenly untethered from the office, packed their bags in search of cheaper and more socially distanced modes of living.

For many smaller California towns, the surge of new residents competing for housing has placed new financial pressures on lowerincome residents, upended local housing markets and, in some cases, shifted the politics around housing and affordability.

In Santa Maria, just an hour up the 101 from Santa Barbara, the last three years have been a “perfect storm” for renters, said Victor Honma, who oversees housing vouchers across the region for the Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara.

The town was awash in suburb-seeking homebuyers from Los Angeles, the Bay Area and nearby Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo. The suddenly hot housing market persuaded many longtime local property owners to sell their rentals to the wave of new homebuyers, reducing the rental stock further. And though Santa Maria had always had a “healthy supply of inventory,” said Honma, the available homes ran

More

The city of Santa Maria has permitted 150% more. The bulk of the new or incoming units around town are accessory dwelling units — backyard cottages and annexes. For a city short on lower-cost single bedroom places to live, the new crop of ADUs are “really filling that gap,” said Honma.

Pro-renter advocates unsuccessful

While building more places for people to live is one part of the battle, others have tried to soften the impact on rents of existing housing stock.

on the large side, leaving few onebedroom units to go around for many suddenly desperate renters. These trends were in the works prior to 2020, but “the pandemic was a stimulus,” he said.

It’s the same story in Bakersfield, where rents have jumped 39% since March 2020, as priced out Angelenos migrated north of the Grapevine, said Stephen Pelz, executive director of the housing authority in Kern County.

Since then rising interest rates have cooled the national housing market. But Pelz said the higher cost of borrowing has only added to the woes of Kern County renters: Fewer people purchasing homes has meant more competition for the area’s remaining rental units.

Jeff Tucker, an economist at Zillow, said the inland rental crunch is the inexorable result of California’s overall housing shortage, as the affordability crisis

along the coast ripples outward. Cities in the Central Valley used to enjoy a healthy “affordability advantage” over coastal urban areas, he said. But that advantage has begun to shrink over the last three years.

“People have been moving towards that more affordable option when they don’t have anywhere else in California that they can afford,” said Tucker.

According to Zillow’s seasonally adjusted “observed rent index” — a kind of gussied-up average that strips out exceptionally pricey or cheap outliers in a given market — the typical rent in the Fresno metropolitan used to be 54% cheaper than that in San Francisco. As of June 2023, that discount dropped to 40%. Farther south in Bakersfield, where renters used to pay roughly half of L.A. area tenants, on average, the difference has narrowed to 40%.

In part, that’s just a function of arithmetic. In both the Bakersfield and the Los Angeles metro areas, the typical rent increased by a little more than $500 since the beginning of the pandemic. Because Kern County rents were much lower to begin with, $500 represents a larger percentage hike.

But for the average Bakersfield area resident, that $500 rent hike pinches a lot harder: The average income in Kern County is roughly $25,000, according to the most recent Census data. In L.A. County, the average is $38,000.

Some modest relief could be on the way.

The cities of Bakersfield, Visalia and Fresno have all permitted roughly 15% more units in 2021 and 2022 than they did in the two years before the pandemic, according to data collected by the state Housing and Community Development Department.

Earlier this year, tenant rights and anti-poverty advocates mounted a campaign to push the city of Fresno to adopt a rent control ordinance. For a city whose most notable politico, Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Costa, lent his name to a state law that restricts local governments for enacting or expanding rent control laws, it was a symbolic push.

Farther south, activists in Delano were competing to see which town would be the first in the Central Valley to enact a permanent cap on rent hikes.

Neither campaign was successful. Fresno’s city council declined to include a rent stabilization program in its budget for this fiscal year and elected leaders in Delano agreed only to study the issue.

In Sacramento, many of these same advocacy organizations have been pushing a bill by state Sen. María Elena Durazo that would have, among other things, lowered a statewide cap on annual rent increases from 10% to a mere 5%. But that provision was stripped out, leaving only new rules that make it harder for landlords to evict tenants without cause.

than 220K people kicked off Medi-Cal in its first checkup since COVID

By Ana B. Ibarra CalMatters

About 225,0000 Californians lost their free or lowcost health coverage as of July 1, in the first round of a Medi-Cal renewal process that had been suspended since early in the COVID19 pandemic. That’s approximately 21% of the over 1 million people who were due to reapply for coverage in June, according to preliminary numbers released by state health officials on Thursday.

Medi-Cal, the state’s health insurance program for low-income people, typically reviews enrollees’ eligibility every year. The state paused that process during the pandemic at the orders of the federal government, but resumed in the spring.

Less than 3% of the people who lost coverage no longer qualify for Medi-Cal because their household income now exceeds the program’s limits.

That means the majority of people were kicked off because they didn’t return a renewal packet and county Medi-Cal offices couldn’t verify an enrollee’s income. State health officials said they are trying to reach enrollees in multiple ways — email, mail and texts.

David Kane, a senior attorney with the Western Center on Law and Poverty, said it is concerning that tens of thousands of people could be without insurance even though they are eligible. They may have failed to respond for a number of reasons, such as not receiving the packet or not getting the packet in their language.

“I don’t think today’s preliminary numbers mean we can all sit back and think things are OK,” Kane said. “These disenrollments are not inevitable. The state, counties, advocates, and community groups together have the power to help more people keep their Medi-Cal.”

California will have to review eligibility for almost

16 million people over the next 12 months. June 30 was the deadline for the first group of enrollees. State health officials have previously estimated that between 2 million to 3 million people could lose their Medi-Cal coverage by next June through the reviews.

Californians who were dropped from Medi-Cal on July 1 have 90 days to reinstate coverage if they believe they are still eligible but didn’t return the necessary paperwork. After that period, state officials estimate this first month’s disenrollment rate will be closer to 17%.

That rate is “equal to or better” than disenrollment rates recorded prior to the pandemic, said Jacey Cooper, the state’s Medicaid director.

Millions could lose health care

During the pandemic freeze, California’s MediCal roll ballooned to

cover close to 15.8 million residents — about 40% of the state’s population.

California is the latest state to release preliminary numbers. Across 33 other states and D.C, more than 3 million people have already been kicked off Medicaid (Medi-Cal is California’s version of Medicaid), according to a Kaiser Family Foundation tracker. The foundation estimates that could grow to as many as 24 million nationwide over the next year.

According to the foundation, 74% of disenrollments happened because states could not verify a person’s eligibility — and not necessarily because they no longer qualified for free or low-cost health care.

California state officials said some people will be automatically re-enrolled if they can verify income information via government databases, but most people will have to fill out and mail back a renewal packet.

Eligible residents could miss out

Health advocates have said they worry many eligible people will fall through the cracks or get caught in administrative hurdles and unnecessarily become uninsured.

Eddie Hu in Los Angeles helped this 65-year-old father renew his Medi-Cal coverage. The process went smoothly largely because Hu works for Asian Resources, a community organization that provides some health insurance enrollment aid, and was familiar with the process. But he noted that his dad’s paperwork was sent to him in English, even though he had previously indicated he needs his paperwork in Chinese.

“We had to fill out seven to eight pages all in English,” Hu said. “If I’m not here, he would have to look for help somewhere else.” And getting outside aid from a county office or a clinic, for example, could

mean long waits on the phone or multiple in-person appointments to get all the needed paperwork straightened out, Hu said.

To qualify for Medi-Cal, people can earn up to 138% of the federal poverty level — that’s $20,121 a year for an individual or $41,400 for a family of four. Some Californians, such as pregnant women and people with disabilities, may qualify with slightly higher incomes.

State officials have said that they are working to automatically transition people who were kicked off Medi-Cal to sign up for a health plan through Covered California, the state’s health insurance marketplace. Most people who buy from the marketplace receive generous subsidies, and some people don’t have a premium cost at all. Nearly half of the people enrolled in coverage through Covered California pay less than $50 a month, according to the agency.

Larry VaLenzueL a, CaLMatters/CatChLight LoCaL photo

A home with a real estate sign in Tower District in central Fresno on June 28, 2022.

LocaL roundup

Aggie linker Calderon named to scholar list

Enterprise staff

UC Davis women’s golf and studentathlete Lauren Calderon has been named to Women’s Golf Coaches Association AllAmerican Scholar list for the 2022-2023 season, the association announced recently.

Calderon, a freshman marine and coastal science major, maintained a 3.73 GPA throughout the 2022-2023 season.

She competed in eight out of the 10 regular and postseason tournaments for the Aggies.

Calderon finished in the top 25 in two events, including a top-15 appearance.

She tied for 11th, in her best finish of the season, at the Valley Invitational. During the opening round of the Valley Invitational, she carded her best round of the season at 1-under 71 en route to an 8-over 224 finish.

National audience will see Big Sky games

ADIFFERENCE OF OPINION

Recently I said in this space that it was time for Aggie football to consider a jump into the Mountain West Conference now that San Diego State has decided to exit that Football Bowl Subdivision league.

Well, it now appears San Diego State may be staying put for a while, given that an anticipated Pac-12 invitation has yet to come the Aztec’s way.

Be that as it may, my friend George, who describes himself as a “longtime Aggie fan,” begs to differ with my annual push to have Aggie football move up from the Big Sky.

“We’d finish last or next to last every season, maybe beating New Mexico State and no one else,” he writes.

New Mexico State is not in the Mountain West, George. But who knows, maybe they’ll make a move now that San Diego State is seeking greener turf.

And here I thought one of the chancellor’s stated goals was for UC Davis to “Boldly Go.” Well, it’s time to Boldly Go.

If not now, during a time of dramatic realignment, it might just never happen.

SPEAKING OF AGGIE

FOOTBALL ... Truth be told, I was perfectly happy covering UC Davis football in the old Far Western Conference. There were some great rivalries there and Toomey Field was regularly packed.

It was as exciting as the games I’ve covered since the Aggies moved to the Big Sky, and the Big Sky is often a thrill-a-minute joy ride.

The point is, football is football. It’s great at any level. And the Aggies played at a high level indeed in their Division II glory days.

I remember in 1977 when big, bad Nevada came to town for an FWC

See NATIONAL, Page B2

Calderon tied for 22nd at the Causeway Invitational after carding a 3-over 75.

To qualify for a WGCA All-American Scholar nomination a student-athlete must:

n Have an overall cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or higher (on a 4.00 scale) for the entirety of their collegiate career.

n They must be an amateur and on the team’s roster through the conclusion of the team’s season.

n Student-athletes of all class standings are eligible. But, must be of high moral character and in good standing at the college making the nomination, certified by the head golf coach, athletic director, or the faculty athletic representative must certify the accuracy of the information on the nomination

See AGGIE, Page B2

DHS’ Hasson ready for new season, future

By Henry Krueger Enterprise correspondent

AJ Hasson has a big announcement coming up.

The Davis High football lineman, a 3-star recruit who stands at 6-foot-5 and 280-pounds, has already decided his future college destination. But is still making plans for sharing it to the local community and the college football world.

Hasson, who hopes to officially commit on a live broadcast this week, has shortened his potential list to Boise State and Washington State. Aside from his close family and friends, the only ones who know his decision are on the coaching staff of his future team.

Hasson’s ambitions beyond football led him to consider both athletics and academics while evaluating potential colleges. He plans to major in graphic design, which weighed heavily into his selection.

However, it was still a tough choice considering the array of things Hasson took into account.

“Where I chose was a good fit academically with the programs they had and the certificates that they offer,” said Hasson, who is enter his third season as a starter. “But I mean, Washington State and Boise State, they both have a pretty similar climate. Washington State has a little more of a smaller college town and Boise is more of a city. There were so many factors that made my decision, but I’m confident I chose the right school.”

As he gears up for his final season with the Blue Devils, Hasson is also recovering from a broken toe he suffered last year in lacrosse. He sat out all of Davis High’s 7-on-7 scrimmages earlier in the offseason, but now feels ready to return to the field.

“That was just me getting acclimated back to wearing a normal shoe,” Hasson said about the past couple of months. “I had to get my

ligaments warmed up and strengthen everything to be 100% for the season.”

Blue Devils head coach Nick Garratt admires the approach Hasson has taken in his recovery, specifically his desire to overcome discomfort, while also remaining in touch with what his body needs.

“It’s unusual when you see a young man like AJ who knows his body so well,” Garratt said. “He can speak about it honestly, and yet still continue to push to work hard. He has the patience and humility to go through that process.”

In an effort to prioritize his health, Hasson will only focus on football as a senior. He also plans to graduate from Da Vinci Charter Academy in December to enroll in college early and start working with his new team.

Hasson believes his dedication to football comes from his father Paul Hasson, who

See HASSON, Page B2

AJ Hasson (wearing hat) watches Blue Devil teammates go through a drill during a summer workout practice in June. Hasson, a threeyear starter, has sat out all of Davis’ 7-on7 passing games this summer while recovering from a broken toe.

Leroy yau/uc davis athLetics-courtesy photo

Lauren Calderon watches her shot during a match last fall season.

Mike trask/enterprise FiLe photo Davis High’s AJ Hasson (44) grinds out additional yards against a Franklin player in a Delta League football home game at Ron and Mary Brown Stadium on Sept. 16, 2022. This season, the senior has been moved from fullback/tight end to offensive tackle.

Synder finally gone from the NFL

You can tell a great deal about major league pitchers when they are taken out of a game.

Some feel they are getting the hook too early, others, especially if they are getting lit up, wonder, “What took you so long to come get me?”

The best managers in the game today are generally former catchers, who know before anyone if his pitcher has his best stuff or not.

Hall of Famer Bob Gibson pitched his entire career for the St. Louis Cardinals. Gibson, who died in 2020 at age 84, would have hated today’s game, which relies heavily on analytics for when and how pitching changes are often made.

Tim McCarver was Gibson’s regular catcher; he had a fine career but is known to many of today’s fans more as a broadcaster than as a player. He once called time, approached the mound and was confronted by an irate Gibson.

“The only thing you know about pitching is that you can’t hit it,” Gibson yelled at McCarver. “Now get your ass back behind the plate where you belong.” McCarver turned around, went back to his position and never challenged Gibson again.

n The NFL’s long, agonizing national nightmare is finally over. This week, league owners approved the sale of the Washington Commanders to a group headed by Josh Harris, whose investment group also owns the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils.

Thus ends the Dan Snyder-owned reign of error. Snyder’s well-publicized missteps included overseeing a toxic workplace atmosphere, mistreatment of female employees and failure to comply with NFL ownership guidelines.

The sale cost the new owners $6.05 billion. Before Snyder was allowed to leave the building, the NFL docked him $60 million in fines after an investigation into workplace misconduct and a referral to Federal Trade Commission for alleged financial improprieties.

n Baseball’s postseason awards, league MVPs, Cy Young award, manager of the year, are all awarded after the World Series.

Generally, the winners come from winning teams, in recognition of individual performances that elevated their clubs into the postseason.

Sometimes, those on losing teams do a great job, but go unrecognized.

NATIONAL: Let’s talk more about pickleball

From Page B1

showdown and 12,800 fans packed The Toom.

Think how much smaller both the city and UC Davis were 46 years ago, but being Division II didn’t matter to anyone. Everyone spent Saturday nights in the fall watching Aggie football.

There were other great rivalries with Sac State, Chico State, Humboldt State and Cal State Hayward, but so many FWC schools eventually dropped football that UC Davis was left on an island and forced to move up to I-AA (now the FCS).

The trip to Humboldt that took us directly through the Drive-Thru Tree in Leggett was a family favorite. Saturday night in Chico was a regular

treat. Even Cox Stadium at San Francisco State, with a real alligator roaming the sidelines, was a thing that memories are made of.

If we could resurrect the football programs at all those schools, including late-comer Sonoma State, we could win 20 straight league championships again and qualify for the Division II playoffs every year.

I’d be the last to complain.

Absent that possibility, however, it’s time to move up before other Big Sky schools make the move first and there’s no room at the inn.

GRIZ, BOBCATS DOMINATE ESPN TV Big Sky officials are busting buttons over the announcement that two conference football games will be nationally

televised live by ESPN2 this fall.

The first will be Montana at Idaho in the worldfamous Kibbie Dome on October 14, followed the next Saturday by Montana State at Sacramento State in a matchup of last season’s undefeated co-champions, both of which finished 8-0.

The Big Sky press release crowing about the TV games also listed previous contests carried by either ESPN2 or ESPNU.

In 2021 we had Montana at Eastern Washington, plus Montana State at Weber State. In 2022 it was UC Davis at Montana State, and Montana at Sacramento State.

If you’re getting the feeling that ESPN is interested only in games featuring a school from Montana, you would be correct.

They don’t call it the “Big Sky” Conference for nothing.

THE READERS ALWAYS WRITE “Bob,” notes John on the Bird Streets, “I know you hate pickleball and think it’s not a real sport, but trust me, it will be in the 2024 Olympics.”

John, let’s pull together a couple of Barcaloungers and have a nice cold beverage while you come to your senses.

Pickleball will not be in the 2024 Olympics. Trust me on this. And by the 2028 Olympics, all pickleball players will have worn out their paddles and gone back to playing canasta, which provides just as much exercise as pickleball. Even more if you’re the one shuffling the cards.

One such person is Oakland A’s manager Mark Kotsay. Before this season is over, the A’s may well lose 120 games. The team’s skinflint organization has the lowest payroll in the game, play in the league’s worst stadium and simply don’t have the personnel to compete night-in and night-out with their opponents.

Kotsay has done an admirable job in keeping the A’s together despite all the adversity.

Yes, they lose a lot, but are competitive in most every game.

Kotsay knows the hand he’s been dealt: Young players with little experience at the big league level, several players simply having bad years, an ownership that doesn’t want to spend money.

Through 51 games, the A’s are 30th and last in average attendance, 10,031. Yet Kotsay, a former A’s player himself, soldiers on. He’s to be commended.

HASSON: ‘He expected good things from me’

From Page B1

coaches Davis High’s junior varsity team. This season will be the first season Paul hasn’t coached his son since he was six years old.

“I look up to him a lot,” the younger Hasson said of his father. “Football was the obvious choice and he was always my

coach. He expected good things from me, but he was also fair. If I messed up, he told me.”

n To read the rest of the story on AJ Hasson, visit www.davisenterprise.com, click on the Sports tab and look for the story.

— Follow Henry Krueger on Twitter: @ henrykrveger.

AGGIE: Kings ink another player

From Page B1

form.

Kings

SACRAMENTO — The Sacramento Kings announced Friday that

they have signed center Nerlens Noel.

A 10-year veteran, Noel has posted averages of 7.1 points (54.6 FG%), 6.1 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.5 blocks per game in 467 career games (223 starts).

Have safe fun in the summer sun

Special to The Enterprise

With an abundance of activities available throughout the summer months, from swimming and hiking to organized sports and spontaneous backyard games, the sunshine leads to fun almost everywhere you look.

It’s important to keep in mind a few safety precautions to help enjoy those moments to the fullest, whether your family’s excitement takes place near the water, at the ballpark or around the neighborhood.

Consider this advice from the experts at the American Heart Association for a safe summer.

Stay hydrated

Hot and humid months lead to more outdoor activities where the warm temperatures may lead to sweating and loss of fluids and electrolytes. Keeping the body hydrated is important for optimal functioning, especially in the heat. Be sure to drink plenty of water by bringing refillable water bottles and containers when summer calls for fun on the go. In addition to drinking plenty of water, you can supplement intake by eating foods with high water content like melons, lettuce and cucumbers.

Be aware of the signs

and symptoms of mild dehydration, including a dry or sticky mouth, headache, muscle cramps, fatigue or decreased urination. More severe cases may include nausea or vomiting, confusion, dizziness, rapid or irregular heartbeat, rapid breathing, seizures or unconsciousness.

Keep skin healthy

Taking steps to protect skin starts before you ever step into the sun, as it may be easy to get caught up in the joys of summer and forget about those damaging rays. Avoiding time spent outdoors in the midday hours helps limit exposure, but it also may not be realistic for busy families with sporting events, pool dates and more.

Wearing sunscreen can help reduce the risk of sunburn, skin cancer and early onset of wrinkles; experts recommend using SPF 30 or higher at least 30 minutes before heading into the sun and reapplying at least every two hours throughout long days outdoors. Also consider wearing clothing that protects skin, such as sunglasses, a large-brimmed hat and light, long-sleeved shirts and pants.

Learn CPR

With summer comes

rest, relaxation and fun, but it can also bring increased risk with more time spent in the heat and around water. An average of 33 drownings occur in the U.S. each day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with one-third of them proving fatal. Knowing CPR — cardiopulmonary resuscitation — could be the key to saving someone from cardiac

arrest or drowning.

If performed immediately, it can double or triple a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival, according to the American Heart Association. However, only about 40% of people who experience out-of-hospital cardiac arrest receive help before professionals arrive.

Because about 72% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen in homes, you will likely be trying to

save the life of someone you love – a family member, spouse, parent or friend (Family Features) if called upon to perform CPR. Call 9-1-1, or send someone to do so, then push hard and fast in the center of the person’s chest until medical assistance arrives.

Use an AED, if available, following the prompts. If you have been trained, have a pocket mask and

are willing and able, give breaths as they are important for children and in situations like drowning. You can learn more about Hands-Only CPR and conventional CPR through resources provided due to the national support of Elevance Health Foundation.

Find more ways to keep your family safe this summer by visiting heart.org. Family Features

Helping families find strength and independence

By Steve Greenfield Special to the Enterprise

The Yolo Crisis Nurs-

ery is a valuable resource for families in need in Yolo County. The nursery provides safe stays for children through age 5, as well as wraparound services, to help vulnerable families find a path to stability and strength.

The cost of living in Yolo County has been rising. At the nursery, we have seen an increase in the number of hard-working families facing complicated challenges due to increasing costs for essentials like rent, food, gas, and diapers.

I have been on the Board of Directors of the Yolo Crisis Nursery for four years. Over this time, I have seen first-hand the tremendous impact that the generosity of our community has on local families struggling to make ends meet and care for their families.

Our executive director, Heather Sleuter, and her trauma-informed care

yolo Crisis Nursery

team provide exceptional care for the children, as well as parental education, and wraparound services that help families address the root causes of their crisis. This model is tremendously successful at keeping families out of the child welfare system. Since opening in 2001, the nursery has served over 8,750 with a 98% success rate.

Last year, my wife Teri and I participated in the Yolo Crisis Nursery Adopt a Family program to sponsor a client family over the holidays. When we received our family’s wish list there were countless kitchen essentials in addition to toys and clothing. After speaking with Heather, we learned that this father was starting over, and his holiday wish was to outfit his kitchen to prepare healthy and nutritious meals to share with his family.

My mother-in-law, Kathryn Thorpe, had recently passed away peacefully in her own

home. Kathryn was a genuinely kind and generous person. To honor her, we tried to thoughtfully distribute and donate items to causes Kathryn valued throughout the community. When we saw this holiday wish list, we knew this Nursery dad and his family was the perfect new home for Kathryn’s kitchen — pots, pans, plates, cups, glasses, utensils, small kitchen appliances, and more.

“It was both healing and heartwarming to know that my mom’s kitchen will

Local students wrap up studies

Enterprise staff

Julianna Morgan of Davis, an interdisciplinary major in Emerson College’s Class of 2023, earned Dean’s List Honors for the spring 2023 semester.

The requirement to make Dean’s List at Emerson College is a grade point average of 3.7 or higher for that semester.

Emerson College educates individuals who will solve problems and change the world through engaged leadership in communication and the arts, a mission informed by liberal learning.

Missouri State University awarded 2,953 degrees to students in spring 2023 at its commencement cere-

Name Droppers

monies on May 19 at Great Southern Bank Arena.

Anna Oberholtzer of Davis graduated with a bachelor’s degree in theater and dance, Summa Cum Laude.

Students who graduated with honors completed at least 30 credit hours with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5.

Meredith Chamberlain of Woodland graduated from the University of Vermont with a bachelor’s degree in zoology.

UVM President Suresh Garimella conferred degrees on an estimated 3,383 graduates at the university’s 222nd Commencement ceremony.

Speaking on the spirit of excellence, the Honorable Sethuraman Panchanathan, director of the U.S. National Science Foundation, delivered the keynote address.

This year’s commencement was marked by a spirit of resilience and triumph. The world was a much different place when the Class of 2023 entered UVM in the fall of 2019, and with the advent of a pandemic in the spring of their first year, they learned to adjust to unique challenges and contribute to UVM’s successful response to the crisis.

—Do you know of someone who has won an award or accomplished something noteworthy? Email it to newsroom@davisenterprise.net.

help a family build a brighter future together,” said Teri Greenfield, Kathryn’s daughter. “I know my mom would be thrilled. We wish the family much love and happiness as they enjoy home cooked meals together.”

This family is not alone. The increasing costs of essential items makes it hard for families with young children starting out or starting over. At the nursery last year, we distributed 5,212 care packages filled with food, clothing, diapers, wipes,

Courtesy photo

and other childcare essentials. These in-kind gifts, as well as gift cards to Target, Walmart, or a supermarket, help provide a family in crisis with the essentials.

If you believe all children deserve to grow up in a safe, stable, and loving home, please join us and get involved with the Yolo Crisis Nursery. There are so many ways to become involved, you could volunteer, make a financial contribution, apply to serve on the Board of Directors, or join the Friends of the Yolo

Crisis Nursery.

My involvement with the nursery has introduced me to an incredible group of people. Our board is an active and involved group of volunteers that provide guidance, governance, and oversight for Yolo Crisis Nursery’s mission, operations, and program effectiveness. We have a few open Board of Directors seats. If you are interested in serving, we invite you to learn more by emailing board@yolocrisisnursery.org.

We all come with diverse backgrounds, professions and experience, but we are unified in our commitment to serve children ages birth to age five and their families. Please consider this my invitation for you to join us with your time, talents, or a financial contribution. I promise you will be glad you did.

To learn more, please visit our website www.yolocrisisnursery.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Steve Greenfield is a member of the Yolo Crisis Nursery Board of Directors.

A kitchen brings a family together.

Off on homeless spending

By Kerry JacKson and Wayne Winegarden Special to CalMatters

California put aside $7.2 billion to address homelessness in the 2021-22 state budget. Last year, there were an estimated 172,000 homeless statewide, which equates to spending nearly $42,000 per homeless person.

Spending of this magnitude — which only accounts for state money — is sufficient if it were applied effectively. The worsening crisis indicates that something is off with how the state spends its resources.

This perspective is important in light of a comprehensive homeless survey by UC San Francisco. Many of its findings are enlightening, but too many of its suggestions call for more spending.

It strains credulity to believe that spending $42,000 per person is insufficient, but if bumped up to $45,000, all will be OK. California does not have the worst-in-thenation homeless crisis because it spends too little.

Continued calls for more government subsidies supporting the state’s ineffective housing-first approach will waste money while failing to alleviate the emergency.

The survey confirms some things we already know, such as most of the homeless in California (78%) are unsheltered. It also provides essential information to help sustainably address homelessness, such as the pivotal role housing unaffordability plays in driving the problem.

Solutions require policymakers to leverage all we have learned to adopt a more innovative structure for addressing the grim conditions.

The UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative does recommend some innovative policies. Gov. Gavin Newsom has also sought to create homelessness courts. While neither a perfect nor sweeping solution, a court system ordering treatment programs for homeless people could make a difference.

If the effort has the necessary scope and force, it can help move homeless people suffering from mental illness and addiction into a setting of care rather than the current invisible asylum of “the street, the jail, and the emergency room.”

Other suggestions merely throw money at the current ineffective government-run programs, a poor strategy bound to fail. Instead, California should fund well-run and fully accountable private sector groups that help homeless people gain control, address any issues and then become selfsufficient. The “California Way” bias has blinded lawmakers from successful initiatives in other states and tailoring them to West Coast needs. Partnerships and nonprofits in Virginia, Tennessee and elsewhere have shown that they can sustainably address homelessness through novel methods, flexibility and personalization.

The richest target for deregulation is also the state’s most firmly entrenched law: the California Environmental Quality Act. While well-intended when enacted in 1970, it has become a destructive force derailing “the possibility of homeownership” among the “hardworking members of Latino, Black and other minority communities,” says Jennifer Hernandez, an environmental and land-use lawyer who has documented CEQA’s long list of litigation abuses.

Both Newsom and before him Gov. Jerry Brown have publicly supported CEQA reform, which is a start. A better plan would be a legislative initiative to repeal and replace.

Concerns that dismantling CEQA would invite environmental mayhem are overblown. Fresh legislation relying on the volumes of knowledge gained in protecting the environment since CEQA became law, and including provisions that would prevent it from becoming another tool for abuse should not be beyond the abilities of lawmakers.

Spending $42,000 a year per homeless person is wheel-spinning on a grand scale. It shows a lack of reflection and a poverty of ideas. The progressive policy framework has made no progress on homelessness. It shouldn’t be too much to ask lawmakers to rethink their premises.

— Kerry Jackson is a fellow with the Center for California Reform at the Pacific Research Institute. Wayne Winegarden is a senior fellow in business and economics at the Pacific Research Institute.

Closures hurt struggling schools

Gov. Gavin Newsom is fond of rattling off statistics that prove, he claims, California’s enviable status as a national, or even global, leader in all things wonderful.

He tends, however, to cher rypick his numbers rather than provide a full picture, as a recent Sacramento Bee analysis of his economic assertions on national television demonstrates.

However, there’s one aspect of California society — perhaps its most important — that Newsom excludes from his episodes of braggadocio: how the state is educating nearly 6 million public school students.

The sad fact is that California’s students fare poorly visà-vis those of other states when it comes to basic skills in language and mathematics, as underscored in a newly published report by the Public Policy Institute of California.

California kids were lagging behind even before Newsom and other officials shut down schools during the COVID-19 pandemic and, the PPIC studies show, educational proficiency plummeted during the closures.

When state academic testing resumed in 2022 after being suspended during the pandemic, it showed “significant declines in

Ed Whisler

proficiency rates.”

Before the pandemic, 51% of students met standards in English language arts (ELA) and it had dropped to 47%. In mathematics, proficiency declined from 40% to 33%.

“Only 35% of low-income students met state standards in ELA and 21% were proficient in math,” PPIC reported, “compared to 65% of higher-income students in ELA and 51% in math.”

Furthermore, PPIC noted, the nationwide test of reading and math proficiency “shows that California has consistently lagged behind most other states … 38th in math and 33rd in reading.”

Since Newsom is particularly fond of comparing California to other states, particularly Florida and Texas, one might wonder how we fare in educational attainment. The answer is, PPIC says, that “Florida ranks much higher than California.” However, the state “is ranked just above Texas in reading but far below in

Was very happy and thankful for the nice tribute column for my next-door neighbor Ed Whisler. We were neighbors and classmates at East Davis Elementary School (later renamed Valley Oak) through Davis High School graduation.

We had an enthusiastic J Street group of youngsters, Chuck and Melinda Moore, Johnny McKnight, Albert Vasquez, Janet Bieber, Bruce Gallimore, a few others, myself and, of course, Eddie Whisler.

Eddie was a lover of nature and most outdoor endeavors. He and his brother Ray were raised by a couple of nice, down-home folks from the state of Iowa. Scouts, motor sports, camping trips, there was always something going on at the Whisler garage and front lawn. Eddie was a genuine person, loved our small town of Davis and a real gentleman who will be missed.

Speak out

President

math,” although it does best New York in reading and math.

While school closures loomed large in the overall erosion of educational achievement during the pandemic, there were significant differences within the state because closures were not uniform.

“Most of California’s public school students spent the majority of the 2020–21 academic year fully online — longer than students in other states,” PPIC’s research found, but “the return to inperson instruction varied across the state.” Rural counties tended to return to inperson schooling more quickly than schools in urban areas. By June 2021, San Francisco, Sacramento and Los Angeles counties had fewer than 10% of their school systems returned to classroom instruction.

PPIC did not mention that in urban school districts — Los Angeles Unified most notably — teacher unions often refused to return to the classroom without concessions from their employers, thus continuing online classes for additional months.

Newsom advocated reopening schools and his own kids quickly resumed classes at their private school,

Our neighborhood group has started to dwindle, but the memories and good times will continue. Rest in Peace Ed Whisler, you enjoyed a great run!

Terry Cottle Las Vegas

Rago’s 90th birthday

I read Bob Dunning’s piece on Coach Ralph Rago with much fondness for the man, coach and all-around good guy!

Coach Rago was one of my football and baseball coach’s many years ago. I can still hear him yelling instructions at practice with that high pitched Italian voice of his. Tough, hard-nosed, but fair as a coach.

As a person Ralph is a gem — the type of person that is easy to take for granted because he was always there; at other athletic contests, reunions of past Blue Devils and certainly about town. While most of us former DHS graduates age with loss of hair, weight gain and wrinkles, Ralph still looks like a lightweight boxer. What an amazing career with a life well lived!

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

but he refused to intervene in districts that were lagging behind in returning kids to the classroom, apparently unwilling to confront the unions.

Variations in reopening meant that “districts with more Black, Latino, lowincome, and English Learner students tended to reopen later than other districts,” and “learning gaps widened the longer students remained remote and may have worsened longstanding achievement gaps between low-income marginalized students and their peers.”

The statistical picture painted in the PPIC research confirms what was obvious to many at the time, that closing schools and forcing at-risk children into haphazard online classes while lacking internet access, tutoring and other resources would make the achievement gap even wider.

California’s economic and social future depends on having a well-educated workforce and citizenry. We were falling behind before COVID-19 struck, and we are even further behind now.

— 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.

Thank you Coach Ralph Rago for 90 productive years and best wishes for many more. You belong in the same category with the many other outstanding coaches who spent much of their adult lives mentoring and instructing us Davis youths at Davis High School.

Terry Cottle DHS Class of 1976

Inclusive or divisive?

I am indebted to John Sugarman for boiling down the issue of how the City Council should handle crosswalk painting in his letter on July 11: “Governmental celebration of an attribute [race, gender, sexual orientation], on the other hand, is a needlessly provocative, wrongheaded, unlegislated, divisive and undemocratic exercise of governance.”

It’s astounding to see how simple it can be: To be inclusive is to be divisive. We are now ready for the 2024 presidential election..

Dave Hart Davis

We get the politicians our system creates

By Llewellyn King

Special to The Enterprise

commenTary

am often asked why, in a country of such talent and imagination, the U.S. political class is so feeble. Why are our politicians so uninspiring, to say nothing of ignorant and oafish?

I

I would name three barriers that keep good people out of politics: the money, the primary system and the media scrutiny.

Taking these in order, you must have access to enormous funding to be a candidate. Mr. Smith, the character in the 1939 movie “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” was appointed. He didn’t have to subject his rectitude to the electoral process.

A candidate for Congress must get substantial funding from the

outset and be prepared to spend much of his or her career raising money, which frequently means bending your judgment to the will of donors. Yes, Mr. Smith, to some extent, the system is inherently corrupt.

The short answer is because political life is awful, and potential candidates have to weigh the effect on their families plus the wear and tear of becoming a candidate, let alone winning.I asked a prominent political consultant what he asks a candidate before going to work for him or her. First is money: Do you have your own, or can you raise it? Second are skeletons in the closet: Have you been arrested for indecent exposure or drunk-driving offenses?

Finally, the consultant told me, he asks a candidate: What do you stand for? In short, the mechanisms of politics triumph over principles. A member of the House once told me that he spent much of his time meeting with donors and attending fundraisers. “You’ve got to do it,” he said.

In the days of the smoke-filled rooms (there really was a lot of smoke), the party — the professionals — prevailed. In the primary system, the odds are on those who are extreme and appeal to the fringes of their party ideology. The party doesn’t shape today’s candidates; they shape the party.

Look at the Republicans, little recognizable from the party of old; the party that was held in check by the New England stalwarts. Or look at how the Democrats fight to avoid falling into the chasm of the far left. Once, the Democrats were held in check by labor, which gave the party an institutional center.

On the face of it, the primary system favors grassroots democracy and the individual. In fact, it favors those with rich friends who will cough up.

Finally, there is media scrutiny. If you want to run for office, you become a public plaything. Everything you ever wrote or

said can and will be dredged up.

Opposition research operatives will interview old lovers; check on what you wrote in the school yearbook; rake through your social media posts; and that unfortunate slip of the tongue in a local television interview years ago will be reprised on the evening news. You have a target on your back, and it will be there every day you are in office.

may not even win.

These are some of the factors that might explain why Congress is so risible and why such outrageously fringy people now occupy high office.

T

his delving into every corner of life is a huge barrier that keeps a lot of talent out of politics. Anyone who has ever had a disputed business dealing, a DUI arrest (not even a conviction) or a messy divorce is advised to forego a political career, no matter how talented and how much real expertise Mr. Smith might bring to the statehouse or Congress.

Having observed politics on three continents, I am firmly of the belief that it needs strong institutions in the form of local political associations and party structure, and candidates should be judged on the body of their work, not on a slip of the tongue or an indiscretion.

However, the selection of candidates is always a hard call. If parties have too much control over the system, party hacks are favored and new, quality candidates are shut out.

If primaries continue as they have, the fringes triumph. Just look at the Congress — a smorgasbord of wackiness.

Run for political office, and you put your family at risk, your private life on display and, having been hung out to dry, youLlewellyn King is the executive producer and host of “White House Chronicle” on PBS. He wrote this for InsideSources.com.

Ending Mono Lake diversions would help environment but hurt climate

By Jim Newton, CalMatters

C

alifornia’s effort to secure water supplies is a struggle older than the state itself.

In all of that, Mono Lake is a small data point, barely a dot on the state’s vast water map. So why is Mono Lake suddenly attracting attention in water circles?

A coalition of environmentalists and Native American tribes — the Kutzadika’a Paiute have lived in the Mono basin for centuries — are fighting for that water, arguing that Los Angeles, which began diverting streams away from the lake in 1941, should give up its rights and let the lake be. That would allow Mono Lake’s surface level to rise, though it still would confront the more ancient problem of evaporation.

It played out during the Gold Rush, and it defines modern San Francisco and Los Angeles. It has created divisions between north and south as well as east and west. It consumes endless political energy and mountains of literal energy, spent by moving water from the Sacramento Bay Delta to San Jose and Southern California, from the Colorado River to the Los Angeles basin, from the Sierra Nevada to the Bay Area.Mono Lake on the eastern edge of the Sierra Nevada on May 20. commenTary

that feed the lake). Today, the DWP withdraws no more than 16,000 acre feet a year, and it often takes much less than that.

sierra

By contrast, the Los Angeles Aqueduct, the genius project of William Mulholland, brings water to Los Angeles from Mono and the Owens Valley by gravity alone. In fact, it generates a bit of power as it flows south. That’s the opposite of spending energy to heave water over mountains from the Bay Delta or the Colorado.

So, financially, it does not make sense for DWP to cut off Mono Lake supplies. And the environmental costs would be mixed: It might shore up bird habitat that is not presently jeopardized, but it would do so at the expense of contributing to climate change.

There’s a lot of history behind this struggle, as there is in all matters involving California water. And that early history does not reflect well on the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s stewardship of Mono Lake. After receiving its permits to draw water from the area in 1940, the DWP did so voraciously. The level of the lake dropped by 45 feet from 1941 to 1982.

In 1994, the state water board put a halt to that, limiting the amount the DWP can take in any given year. In the years since, the lake has slowly rebounded, though its condition remains delicate.

Paradoxically, the argument for forcing Los Angeles to end its diversions from the Mono basin now rests largely on the fact that, since 1994, it hasn’t drawn that much water anyway. So, if it’s already prevented from taking more, why not stop drawing this water altogether? To advocates, that seems like common sense; to the DWP, it feels like being punished for having succeeded.

In the big scheme of things, it’s true that the amounts that DWP takes from the Mono Lake basin are tiny (no water is drawn from the lake itself, since it’s briny; the DWP gets its water from four creeks

Compared to Los Angeles’ overall usage, that’s a pittance. The city consumes about 500,000 acre feet of water annually, so even in a big year, the water from the Mono watershed amounts to no more than about 3% of the total.

Still, that’s enough water to supply some 45,000 homes or as many as 200,000 people in the denser areas of Los Angeles (San Francisco, with its more tightly packed population and fewer gardens, stretches an acre foot of water to about eight households).

Then there are the birds. Mono Lake is an important way station for migratory birds and a vital shorebird habitat. If the level of the lake falls too low, it exposes land bridges that connect the lake’s major nesting island to shore, allowing coyotes to dart across the bridge and disrupt the birds. That makes keeping the lake level high enough to preserve the islands an important priority.

And yet, despite recent droughts — and even with the DWP’s diversions — the water has not fallen to the level that creates coyote bridges in decades. The level of the lake today is more than 10 feet higher than it was in 1981, according to the DWP.

“There’s nothing even remotely like a land bridge out there now,” Martin Adams, the DWP’s general manager and chief engineer, said in an interview this week.

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On the issue of conservation, I asked Adams whether he would walk away from the agency’s water rights in the Mono Lake area if the DWP could find an additional 16,000 acre feet through conservation.

His answer was simple: no.

The DWP’s first priority with conservation, he said, is to cut back on importing water from expensive, environmentally inferior alternatives. If suddenly granted a windfall, “we’ll purchase less water from the Metropolitan Water District,” he said.

I ran all of this by Jeff Kightlinger, former general manager of the Metropolitan Water District and one of California’s most highly regarded water experts. Kightlinger doesn’t have a dog in this fight. If anything, a decision by the DWP to abandon its rights to Mono Lake water would help Kightlinger’s former agency, since DWP might be forced to buy more water from Southern California’s giant importer.

Nevertheless, Kightlinger sympathized with the DWP on this one.

Yes, he said, there are issues related to birds, but those mostly seem under control — no land bridges are endangering the nesting areas. And yes, there are gains to made in conservation, but Kightlinger agreed with Adams that it’s hard to see why the DWP would give up a clean water source in the eastern Sierra, where it gets water essentially for free, in return for spending more money and using more energy to buy it from Metropolitan.

News Op-Ed

hat makes good financial sense. Metropolitan water is expensive — about $750 per acre foot — because it has to be shipped, either from Northern California through the State Water Project or from the Colorado River, where other states and Native American tribes are fighting for their rights.

T

Since generating electricity is one of the main contributors to carbon emissions, it’s bad for the climate to move water.

“All of these resource decisions involve trade-offs,” he said. “I’m not hearing the compelling argument in this case.”

But it’s not just money. There are environmental ramifications as well, and Martin’s priorities make good environmental sense. Metropolitan water has to be shipped long distances, and as a result, it requires huge amounts of electrical power (water is heavy and very hard to move uphill). In fact, moving water from point to point is among the largest uses of electricity in California.Could that change? Of course — if the lake levels begin dropping again, putting the birds in danger. Or, if prolonged drought meant that even the DWP’s modest withdrawals from the area’s creeks cut off the supply to the lake and it falls into a downward spiral.

If history is any guide, this fight will drag on for a long time. For the moment, a very wet winter has allowed it to not feel pressing. But it hasn’t gone away.

— Jim Newton is a veteran journalist, best-selling author and teacher. He worked at the Los Angeles Times for 25 years as a reporter, editor, bureau chief and columnist, covering government and politics

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Ave, 1199 9th Avenue, San Francisco. info@orchidsanfran cisco.org

2nd Annual FREAKSHOW! Presented by the Menagerie Oddities & Curiosities Market @ 11am / $10

We put the Freak in Show! Join our strange & unusual cast of artists, vendors, performers, exhibits and workshops during this one-of-akind event in the heart of Sacra‐mento. Library Galleria, 828 I Street, Sacramento. theme nageriealameda@gmail.com, 510365-6024

Seb Wildblood @ 1:30pm Monarch Gardens, 428 11th St, San Francisco

Clementine Darling @ 2pm Welcome Haight & Ashbury, 1500 Haight St, San Francisco

Unof�cial: Pardon The Interruption: Union Square In Bloom Summer Music Series 2023 @ 2:30pm Union Square, San Francisco

Crush MS Summer Celebration @ 4pm / $100 Wineries unite to crush multiple sclerosis Reid Family Vineyards, 1020 Borrette Lane, Napa. kirk wood75@gmail.com, 707-3633639

Blu & Exile, Brainorchestra, Teeko, Umamifunk @ 7:30pm / $25 Neck of the Woods, 406 Clement St, San Francisco

Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco

Aubrey Haddard: Sofar San Francisco @ 7:30pm

Sofar San Francisco, San Fran‐

cisco

Luke Null @ 8pm / $25.25

Punch Line Comedy ClubSacramento, 2100 Arden Way, Sacramento

Truth Cult @ 8pm Harlow's, 2708 J St, Sacramento

Red's Blues: Red’s Blues at Father Paddy’s in Woodland

8pm Father Paddy's, 435 Main St, Woodland

Temby: Johnny Foley's Irish House

9pm Johnny Foley's Irish House, 243 O'Farrell St, San Francisco No Scrubs - 90's Dance Party

10pm / Free-$50

of the Woods, 406 Clement St, San Francisco Gary Mule Deer: Private

12pm

- San Francisco, San

GEL @ 8pm Harlow's, 2708 J St, Sacramento

SPY @ 8pm Harlow's, 2708 J St, Sacramento

X-Raided @ 8pm / $25

Brick and Mortar Music Hall, 1710 Mission Street, San Francisco

Sam Burton @ 8pm Cafe Du Nord, 2174 Market St, San Francisco

Lift San Francisco 2023

@ 9am / $129

Aug 3rd - Aug 4th

Lift Events & Experiences, known for Canada’s number-one cannabis industry conferences and tradeshows, is expanding across the continent, welcoming individu‐als from across the full cannabis ecosystem. Moscone Center, 747 Howard Street, San Francisco. info @liftexpo.ca

Music Illu‐

minated by Music in the

Vineyards @ 5pm / $175

Music in the Vineyards, now in its 29th season, is a nationally-acclaimed chamber music festival held each summer in the Napa Valley showcasing world-class artists per‐forming in winery settings. Music In the Vineyards, 1020 Clinton Street, Napa. info@musicinthevine yards.org, 707-258-5559

Illuminated @ 5pm Music In the Vineyards, 1020 Clin‐ton St #201, Napa

The Polish Ambassador @ 6:30pm

The Flamingo House Social Club, 2315 K St, Sacramento

Grey Bush @ 7:30pm Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St, Sacra‐

"Liberace & Liza Open

Their Golden Gates!"

@ 8pm / $34-$39

Feinstein's at the Nikko, 222 Ma‐son Street, San Francisco

Silent Pictures @ 8:30pm

Bottom Of the Hill, 1233 17th St, San Francisco

Cartoon Hearts @ 8:30pm

Bottom Of the Hill, 1233 17th St, San Francisco

Litty DeBungus

@ 9pm Boom Boom Room, 1601 Fillmore St, San Francisco

Cloudii @ 9pm DNA Lounge, 375 11th St, San Francisco

NUH @ 9pm DNA Lounge, 375 11th St, San Francisco

Artist Talk with Sayako Dairiki @ 2pm Visit the Pence Gallery for an Artist Talk with Sayako Dairki on August 5! Pence Gallery, 212 D Street, Davis. pence socialmedia@gmail.com, 530-758-3370

Women's World Cup Village San Francisco (Golden Gate Park) @ 4pm / Free Street Soccer USA and SF Park & Rec are hosting free community screenings of the 2023 Women's World Cup in San Francisco! Come join for soccer activities, food, drinks, and watch the Round of 16! 14th Ave East Meadow, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. alex@ streetsoccerusa.org, 707-3323873

Sorry Papi Tour: The All Girl Party 18+ With ID @ 8pm / $12.50-$35 Ace of Spades, 1417 R St., Sacra‐mento

Regard @ 1pm / $16

Regard is a collabora‐tive dance perfor‐mance set in The CJM’s light-�lled Stephen and Maribelle Leavitt Yud Gallery that celebrates au‐thentic, soulful connec‐tions between people. The Contemporary Jewish Mu‐seum, 736 Mission Street, San Francisco. 415-6557800

Mark Harris II

@ 7pm

Blue Note Napa, 1030 Main St, Napa

Bleeth @ 8pm Kilowatt Bar, 3160 16th St, San Francisco

Hotel Ugly

@ 8pm Great American Music Hall, 859 O'‐farrell St, San Francisco

Gürschach: Bar Con: After Dark @ 8:30pm Neck Of the Woods, 406 Clement St, San Francisco

Drevo @ 9:30pm The Great Northern, 119 Utah St, San Francisco Orso @ 9:30pm The Great Northern, 119 Utah St, San Francisco

TOKiMONSTA @ 10pm 1015 Folsom, 1015 Folsom Street, San Francisco

Gypsum @ 10pm The Hiberna Bank, 1 Jones Street, San Francisco

Heroes Cup @ 10am / $3.97-$23.18

Join us at Heroes Cup Soccer Tournament for Charity! Celebrate teamwork and support local edu‐cation at Dodd Stadium in Napa on August 5th. Be part of the differ‐ence! Justin-Siena High School, 4026 Maher Street, Napa. michael @theherofoundationus.org, 707225-7792

Regard @ 1pm / $16

Regard is a collaborative dance performance set in The CJM’s light-�lled Stephen and Maribelle Leavitt Yud Gallery that celebrates authentic, soulful connections be‐tween people. The Contemporary Jewish Museum, 736 Mission Street, San Francisco. 415-6557800

Nobuko Miyamoto's 120,000 Stories @ 2pm / $30-$100

Blending live music, talk story, and compelling imagery, activist and groundbreaking actress Nobuko Miyamoto brings her acclaimed concert to the Presidio Theatre Performing Arts Center on August 5. Presidio Theatre, 99 Moraga Av‐enue, San Francisco. dtsuchida@jc ccnc.org, 415-567-5505

The Soul Section @ 8pm Blue Note Napa, 1030 Main St, Napa Quench, Californicorns, OVRGRWN at The Independent @ 8pm The Independent, 628 Divisadero St, San Francisco A'niche @ 10:30pm Brick & Mortar Music Hall, 1710 Mission St, San Francisco Prophet @ 10:30pm Brick & Mortar Music Hall, 1710 Mission St, San Francisco Prophet & A'niche @ 10:30pm / $15 Brick and Mortar Music Hall, 1710 Mission Street, San Francisco

Regard @ 1pm / $16 Regard is a collaborative dance performance set in The CJM’s light-�lled