November 2011 - Davis Vanguard

Council Finally Supports “Truth in Budgeting” – Accounting For Unmet Needs in the Budget

By David GreenwaldNovember 30, 20119 comments

Pothole-stock One of the Vanguard’s biggest criticisms of city budgeting, going back to at least 2008, is the fact that the city’s deferred maintenance and other unmet needs was not counted against the budget but rather put into a separate “unmet” needs category.

In 2008 for instance, this enabled the council to boast that they had a balanced budget with 15 percent reserve, while it was clear one of the reasons that they achieved this “feat” was due entirely to deferring costs of infrastructure, road repairs, and other needs to a future date – costs that were nontrivial, amounting to perhaps $13 million, depending on what was included in that category.

Commentary: Mark Yudof Remains Oblivious To the Rest of the World

By David GreenwaldNovember 30, 201116 comments

During a time when the University of California is reeling from the mishandling of student protests by campus police on multiple campuses – protests spawned by increasing fees – it is appalling the degree to which the university is completely tone deaf to the concerns of students, many of whom believe that their fees are going to line the pockets of already wealthy and highly-paid administrators.

And at such a time, President Yudof and the regents supported a pretty massive increase to already well-paid executives. His defense was almost laughable.

District Attorney and Sheriff Refer Pepper Spraying Matter to Attorney General

By David GreenwaldNovember 30, 201113 comments

From the beginning, we were concerned about the ability of the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office and the Sheriff’s Department to do a fair investigation into the pepper spraying incident at UC Davis.

It quickly became clear, apparently, to the DA’s office and the Sheriff’s Department that this was a matter that, not only were they not well-equipped to investigate, but it would probably be more trouble than it was worth.

Project Occupy Dutton Hall

By uptownstudiosNovember 30, 201129 comments

“We have three demands: 1)The immediate resignation of Chancellor Katehi; 2) A replacement of campus police with a ‘student run safety team,’ or on-campus police must be unarmed (this demand is still under discussion); 3)A freeze on tuition hikes.”

At 6 pm on Monday, November 28^th, 2011, a general assembly was held on the UC Davis campus, during which a unanimous decision was made, by a group of students, to occupy Dutton Hall for two weeks.

Open Letter to the Public From Occupier

By David GreenwaldNovember 29, 20111 comments

Open Letter to the Public

I keep hearing, “Why can’t Occupy UC Davis be like those great protests of our past? Like the peace protests? Everyone was behind those students at Kent State.”

A Gallup Poll conducted one week after the Kent State shootings found that 58 percent of the public blamed the students themselves, while only 11 percent blamed the National Guardsmen. Newsweek, May 18, 1970, p. 30. They got what was coming to them.

Commentary: Reynoso Appointment A Potential Game Changer with Some Possible Pitfalls

By David GreenwaldNovember 29, 201116 comments

The appointment of former Supreme Court Justice Cruz Reynoso was a good move for UC President Mark Yudof. He is an individual who is well respected by many in this community and, in particular, among the group most likely to be skeptical of the idea of a task force.

When I spoke with him yesterday, he understood fully that he was being put into this position because of his reputation both as a champion for social justice and also his reputation for fairness.

Students Protesters Vote to Occupy Dutton Hall

By David GreenwaldNovember 29, 201148 comments

A group of about 50 students met yesterday evening and voted unanimously, after some vigorous debate, to occupy, hold and blockade Dutton Hall, which houses the campus’ financial aid services and the university cashier, and is thus the intake point of student fees.

Students were frustrated over the continuing fee hikes that they fear are creating a transition toward a privatized university, and also frustrated over the closure of Mrak Hall to the public after protests last week.

Gang Case Falls Apart For Prosecutor Following Poor Eyewitness Identification Techniques

By David GreenwaldNovember 29, 201133 comments

On January 24, 2011, a white male in his twenties, a musician in a band, was walking home from his drummer’s house on Sacramento Avenue (in West Sacramento) at 10:30 pm on a Monday night. He was wearing headphones when he was approached by a person in a Michael Jordan jersey, who asked where he was from.

When he responded that he lived right there, he was told, “You better get your ass there now.” As he continued, a group of young individuals came toward him and one of them said, “We’re here to check your pockets.”

Former Supreme Court Justice Cruz Reynoso Named to Chair Task Force on Pepper Spray Incident

By David GreenwaldNovember 29, 20119 comments

In a strong signal that this incident will not simply be swept under the rug, UC President Mark Yudof announced today that former California Supreme Court Justice Cruz Reynoso will chair the task force formed to address the pepper spraying of UC Davis students.

Justice Reynoso, a UC Davis Law Professor Emeritus, who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2000, will be “absolutely fair,” President Yudof said.

Defending the Indefensible

By David GreenwaldNovember 28, 201137 comments

A new defense has emerged of Lt. John Pike, an amateur video which shows the embattled lieutenant warning the protesters that if they do not move, they will be subject to the use of force.

Reported the Davis Enterprise last week, “Some Occupy critics have seized on the new video as proof that protesters incited the officer’s response.”

Commentary: Black Friday and Violence

By David GreenwaldNovember 28, 20117 comments

For a number of years, I would get up early with my father and brother-in-law, and trek to the local Staples in San Luis Obispo on the Friday after Thanksgiving, hoping to time it just right so that we arrived right around 6 am at the store’s opening and hoping that we would snatch up some deal.

In recent years, I have grown less and less interested. Perhaps the luster has worn off. Perhaps the deals are not nearly as alluring as they were five or ten years ago.

Student View: It’s so Much More than Just the 1%…

By uptownstudiosNovember 28, 201113 comments

by Amani Rashid –

A group of students on this campus decided they had something to say; a message to send on behalf of all the students on this campus; turns out we no longer shoot the messenger we just mace him for the hell of it until all the pepper spray is gone and he coughs blood.

I think that before anyone can really form too much of an opinion pertaining to the “Occupy Davis” movement they need to understand it better; I think that before anyone can pick sides and point fingers they’re in need for a little history lesson.

Off-Topic Column: Happy Thanksgiving

By David GreenwaldNovember 24, 201128 comments

The Vanguard is off for the next four days, taking its annual Thanksgiving vacation. We plan to return on Monday, barring some unforeseen major events in the coming days.

We also will have a major new feature – a bulletin board. The feature will enable people to start their own topics and also enable off-topic posts to be moved from the comment section to the bulletin board. That will enable such posts to not be deleted and allow discussions on them to occur.

Latest Vanguard News and Commentary on the Pepper Spray Issue

By David GreenwaldNovember 23, 201186 comments

The Investigation: Former LA Chief Bratton Heads Up Investigation

On Tuesday UC President Mark Yudof announced that former Los Angeles Police Chief William J. Bratton will undertake an independent fact-finding of the pepper spray incident and report back the results to him within 30 days.

“My intent,” President Yudof said, “is to provide the Chancellor and the entire University of California community with an independent, unvarnished report about what happened at Davis.”

Revelations by Topete Juror Put Verdict and Death Sentence in Jeopardy

By David GreenwaldNovember 23, 201123 comments

Lost in the melee of the pepper spraying incident is an interview of a juror by Davis Enterprise reporter Lauren Keene, whose interview now casts doubt on the dismissal of the other juror, ostensibly for language reasons.

“She said under no circumstances will she go for the death penalty,” the juror, who is apparently a Davis resident but is withholding his name, told the Enterprise four days after the jury came back with a death sentence recommendation.

NRC to Consider Restrictions on Single-Use Plastic Bags

By uptownstudiosNovember 23, 201152 comments

By Alan Pryor –

The long-awaited proposed ordinance restricting single-use plastic take-out bags will finally start working its way through the process to get before the Davis City Council. The first step is submission to the Davis Natural Resources Commission (NRC) of a document prepared by the NRC’s Zero Waste Subcommittee containing a draft ordinance, background information, and justification for the proposed ordinance.

Timing and Information Availability

This is scheduled to be considered by the NRC on Monday, November 28 beginning at 6:30 PM in Council Chambers. This meeting will be informational and for discussion purposes only. There will be no vote on the proposal until at least until early next year to allow sufficient time for public input and comment. The entire draft proposed ordinance along with all supporting documentation will be posted on the City’s website as part of the NRC’s agenda packet within a day or two for those wishing to see the full language of the proposed ordinance and additional details. That document also contains a list of all 16 municipalities (with internet links to their ordinances) within California that have adopted plastic bag restrictive ordinances (including San Francisco, Palo Alto, San Jose, and Santa Clara Co., among others, in the Bay Area). There is also a list of the over 50 other municipalities or jurisdictions in the State that are in the process of weighing such restrictive ordinances.

Commentary: Katehi’s Visit Does More Harm Than Good

By David GreenwaldNovember 22, 201170 comments

It was not a friendly crowd that faced Chancellor Linda Katehi on Monday afternoon, but they clearly wanted to hear what the chancellor had to say, even as many chanted for her to resign. The crowd listened politely, quickly shouting down those who wished to catcall or heckle the chancellor.

But in the end, it would have been better for her not to have made an appearance, if this were all she was going to say.

Vanguard Analysis: Use of Pepper Spray Appears to Violate Both Law and UCD Policies

By David GreenwaldNovember 22, 201129 comments

One of the points that defenders of the police here have failed to address is whether or not the actions of the police here are legal, or if they have clearly violated community standards. In so doing, regardless of legality, it means that the community is not willing to accept this type of response from their police and therefore political pressure will force the agency to have to change policies and even dismiss officials.

However, that point aside, it is of questionable legality what occurred on the UC Davis campus. The Vanguard has examined both the UC Davis Use of Force policy, as well as case law, and come to the determination that these actions violate both.

Katehi Makes Brief Appearance to Large Audience on Quad

By David GreenwaldNovember 22, 201127 comments

Students Who Were Pepper Sprayed Tell Their Stories

UC officials, who hoped the matter of pepper spraying students on the Quad of the MU last Friday would simply go away, were treated to a rude awakening as more than 5,000 people – students, staff, faculty and members of the community alike – jammed into the UCD Quad Monday afternoon.

No police were seen and none were needed as the large crowd policed itself and there were no known incidents. Chancellor Katehi offered a brief word of apology and quickly fled, an appearance that will likely do little to quiet the calls for her resignation, that were heard loudly and clearly, with the English Department’s faculty joining the Faculty Association in calling for the chancellor’s resignation.

BREAKING NEWS: Police Chief Placed on Admin Leave

By David GreenwaldNovember 21, 201145 comments

UC Davis has just announced that Police Chief Annette Spicuzza has been placed on administrative leave, pending a review of officers’ use of pepper spray against protesters. UC Davis Lt. Matt Carmichael will serve as interim police chief.

“As I have gathered more information about the events that took place on our Quad on Friday, it has become clear to me that this is a necessary step toward restoring trust on our campus,” said UC Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi.

Month: November 2011