Like the alcohol issue that we covered last week, this issue of the noise ordinance appears be dividing the city’s residents from the student population.
When I was growing up in San Luis Obispo and later attended Cal Poly, the city always had a love-hate relationship with the students. The businesses liked the business they got from students, but the residents of the community considered the students an annoyance who made noise, drank and partied.
Moving to Davis, that element seemed less pronounced. There were active efforts here to make students a greater part of the community, whether it was their inclusion in Neighbor’s Night Out Parties or the UC Davis Liaison Commission.
Ordinance Addresses the Wrong Problem and May Be Unenforceable With Unintended ConsequencesIt was billed as a routine measure by Police Chief Landy Black, giving the city the ability to charge minors who had consumed alcohol. At the same time it was acknowledged only one other jurisdiction has a similar law on its books, and students expressed concerns about profiling and due process concerns.
The council passed the first reading of the ordinance, under the understanding that the UC Davis Student Liaison commission would weigh in and the matter would come back before the council. This action preserved the ability for the council to get the matter on the books prior to Picnic Day, which appears to be the real target of this measure.
Back in late October, the County Board of Supervisors held off on raising the speed limit, on the stretch of Russell from Pedrick Road to Lake Blvd, to 45 mph from the current 35 mph.
Few in the community are likely shocked by the news that a young soccer coach and licensed foster parent would be charged with 48 felony child molestation counts with a child under 14. These charges stem from alleged conduct with two children from June 2007 until November 2011.
It is sad that we are not more shocked by these charges, but even in a small community like this one, these charges and stories are not foreign to us. It is only when these stories penetrate into the inner circles of our private lives that they gain more resonance.
by Lamar HeystekThe following is an open letter to the Davis City Council:
Occupy This: Will We Ever Learn?
One of the most riveting moments of the civil rights movement was when Bull Connor turned the firehoses and attack dogs on protesters. It galvanized public sympathy and support for the civil rights movement.
Just as Stephen Souza was pushing off from his announcement at the steps of the Bicycle Hall of Fame, fire engines and emergency vehicles were rolling in. First, UC Davis’ fire engine and hook and ladder truck, then Station 32 from Davis rolled in.
According to a report from the Davis Police Department, on Saturday, Davis Police officers were dispatched to 945 J Street, an apartment in the College Square Apartments on J Street, to a report of a dead body.
The Vanguard is receiving conflicting reports about the extent to which Davis’ Police Ombudsman, Robert Aaronson, is investigating an incident that occurred on May 12, 2011. At that time, a Davis High student, Alana de Hinojosa, was, according to attorneys at the ACLU, “pulled out of her class at Davis High in front of her teacher and all her classmates, and escorted by a school staff member to the office of the head campus supervisor.”
Last week, the ACLU sent a letter to Superintendent Winfred Roberson alleging that on the morning of May 12, 2011, a Davis High Student, Alana de Hinojosa “was pulled out of her class at Davis High in front of her teacher and all her classmates, and escorted by a school staff member to the office of the head campus supervisor. There, Ms. de Hinojosa was questioned by a sworn officer of the Davis Police Department, Officer Ellsworth, the High School’s vice-principal, and another school staff member about her newspaper article.”
It all began with an article in the Davis High HUB entitled “Art or Vandalism,” printed in the April 27, 2011 edition under the byline of Alana de Hinojosa, Editor-in-Chief.
Traffic intersections have proven to be one of the most dangerous locations for drivers. One of the chief problems are vehicles running red lights, trying to race to get through in time.
In trying to make these intersections, many cities utilized new technology and have installed red light cameras, much as Davis has done so at the intersection of Russell and Sycamore.
Many in Davis were devastated by the news on an otherwise uneventful Picnic Day that a former Davis High and UC Davis star baseball player had died from a tragic accident.
The Yolo County coroner ruled the cause of death was blunt force neck and head injury. After extensive examination and testing the Yolo County Coroner concluded that the manner of death was homicide, as it was by definition, “a death caused by human hands.”
“I have had no contact with them since [the incident],” Linda Clark told the Vanguard in a Thursday interview at her Davis home. “Apparently they are aware of my complaint… and [according to News 10] it’s being investigated. But nobody has contacted me.”
On Sunday, Davis resident Linda Clark described in bold terms in a Davis Enterprise op-ed what many people face on a consistent basis from ICE and other agencies. Public officials have expressed shock that it could happen here in Davis, but unfortunately it is welcome to the real world.
Writes Linda Clark, “The incident described above occurred in a quiet, family-oriented neighborhood right here in Davis. Most residents of the house are either visiting international scholars or students, or American citizens who are students. No drug dealers. No ‘illegal immigrants.’ “
Crimes Reaches 40 Year Lows Nationally and Statewide – The 2010 Preliminary Annual Uniform Crime Report, released on Monday, shows a 5.5 percent decrease in the number of reported violent crimes when compared with data from 2009. It also shows a 2.8 percent decline in reported property crimes.
We always were concerned that the new Target would bring crime into Davis, but this is a bit extreme.
It is probably not the best idea to make light of crime, particularly since the would-be robbers/burglars did $100,000 in damage to the store, however no one was hurt and this scheme is so ridiculous that it begs for at least some light humor.
Cutting the Ombudsman’s Salary Would Be Penny Wise But Pound Foolish – To his credit, new San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr participated as a member of the panel, along with some defense attorneys, a representative from the DA’s office, a representative from the Public Defender’s office and renowned civil rights attorney John Burris.
The city council on Tuesday will hear a largely informational report on the 2011 Picnic Day, which followed a 2010 Picnic Day that saw “uncontrollable crowds and riotous behavior in downtown Davis.”
Efforts were made by leaders in the community and on campus to “make Picnic Day 2011 a different event, focusing on family and community-friendly efforts and ‘rewinding’ Picnic Day to its original purpose as the university’s primary open house.”
