Examination of the Use of the Union Hours Bank by the Davis Fire Department
One item issued forth in the investigation by Bob Aaronson that was not contained in the Grand…
Council Hears City Manager Report on Grand Jury’s Findings into the DFD
City Manager Strongly Differs with Aaronson on Substance and Tone of Findings The Davis City Council very…
Both Sides Passionately Express Their Views on Middle Peace at Council Meeting
In a microcosm of the divide that exists in Israel and Palestine, hundreds of Davis residents turned out to Davis City Hall on Tuesday night to express their opinion and take a side on a resolution that was designed by Councilmembers Stephen Souza and Lamar Heystek to bring people together, to take no sides, and quite simply to call for a cease fire, a cessation of violence, to condemn the attacks on both sides, and to allow for the humanitarian aid.
However, this would not be a night for compromise or peace. Instead, a large number of Muslim and Middle Eastern UC Davis students called on the council to support a resolution while a smaller but vocally just as a passionate number of Jewish residents of Davis called on the council not to pass the resolution.
City Now Facing Crisis of “Unmet Needs”
The Davis Enterprise on Monday ran a story entitled, “When to tax?” The general thrust of the…
Guest Commentary: Response to Davis Enterprise on Senior Housing
City of DavisSpecial to The People’s Vanguard of Davis
By Elaine Roberts Musser
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It was with some disquiet that I read Claire St. John’s Jan. 2, 2009 article in the Davis Enterprise, entitled “Senior Living”. I immediately fired off a clarification of my position to the Enterprise that same day. I wanted to make clear the reader understood 1) I was speaking as an individual and not in my capacity as the Chair of the Davis Senior Citizens Commission; 2) the issue of how much senior housing is considered necessary in the future was left completely out of the article.
City Manager’s Handling of Fire Report Undermines Investigatory Process
Davis City Council Never Sees Unredacted Report from City Ombudsman Bob Aaronson The City of Davis spent…
Independent Investigation into Yolo County Grand Jury Report
In June of 2008, the Yolo County Grand Jury issued forth a report, concluding a nearly two-year…
Former Davis Mayor Julie Partansky Passes Away
My friends, I have sad news to report tonight. Julie Partansky, a friend, an ally, and an all-around wonderful person passed away last night after a brief battle with lung cancer. She was just 60.
Ken Wagstaff, her friend and colleague on the City Council shares a few thoughts with the community:
Julie Partansky was a unique and sensitive person. Her personality combined whimsy and serious purpose, creativity and practicality, fun and hard work.
Commission Looks At a Variety of Senior Housing Needs
The Senior Citizens Commission met on Thursday. Along with the Social Services Commission they have been working…
Gottschalks Potential Bankruptcy Concerns City
The headlines from a few days ago was that Gottschalks is likely to run out of money…
One Hundred Muslim Students Flood City Hall Demanding Resolution on Peace in Gaza
At just after 6:30 pm on Tuesday evening, almost immediately after the Davis City convened their regular…
Council Wants To Study Wood Burning More, Will Revisit Recommendations in April
Dr. Tom Cahill has been working with the city since October on establishing guidelines for wood burning that will be based on solid scientific foundations that enable people’s health issues to be addressed while at the same time respecting people’s rights to the fullest extent possible.
The city council last night heard from a wide variety of experts, many of whom have been in countless hours on the issue of wood burning.
City Can Better Utilize Hunt-Boyer Mansion with a Restaurant
Back in December, the city council met to decide the future reuse of the Dresbach-Hunt-Boyer Mansion. Currently city staff are located in that building, however, they will soon be relocated to other city facilities and the city now has the choice as to how to use the building.
The city hired a consultant to do a feasibility study and consider reuse options which were narrowed down to a restaurant or a visitor’s center. At the December 9, 2008 council meeting, the majority of the city council concurred with the staff report “that the visitor’s center concept is a better fit than a restaurant for this historic structure, as it would have the least physical impact on the building and would be far more economical to implement.” However, in a compromise, Councilmember Stephen Souza constructed a motion that would allow the city to at least test the restaurant option.
Unfortunately by putting out a RFP (Request for Proposal) for only two months during these economic times may not be doing far enough in terms of actually allowing a potential restaurant owner to use the site.
Coverage of Target Issue in Bee and Aggie Stands in Marked Contrast To the Enterprise
This morning residents in Davis wake up to more coverage of the Target issue. However, in marked contrast to the article two weeks ago in the Davis Enterprise, the Sacramento Bee and California Aggie present largely balanced arguments weighing the concerns of the local citizen’s groups against the stance of the EPA.
On Monday December 22, 2008, the Vanguard broke the news that local group, Frontier Fertilizer Superfund Oversight Group (FFSOG) was concerned about the discovery of new detection levels of TCP at the Target Superfund site. The group was asking for new testing before Target was set to lay the foundation for the new store on January 5, 2009 (coincidentally today).
Wood Burning Ban Discussion Turns Up the Heat
The headline reads: “Smoke Police Begin Crackdown on Newly Illegal Chimney Fires” The article goes on to…
Enterprise Pushes For Senior Housing On the Covell Site
City of DavisLast night, the Davis Enterprise ran a full-1200 word front page special on the push by the Covell Partners to re-package their failed 2005 project as Senior Housing. The push which began with a new proposal before the HESC (Housing Element Steering Committee), continued with a letter writing campaign that eventually nullified the HESC workshop, and continued this fall with a number of handpicked Seniors coming before the city council asking for a senior housing facility at the site formerly known as Covell Village.
The Enterprise article features Janice Bridge, the former School Board Member, who has been on the fore of pushing for a senior housing project. Of course those with a fairly good memory will recall that Janice Bridge was one of the leaders of the Covell Village project as well, serving as Secretary of the group Neighbors for Covell–a very different project that did not offer the senior housing and scale-down options that just three years later Ms. Bridge is now pushing for.
Guest Commentary: Research Sheds Light on Wood Burning
By Alan Kandel Note: Alan Kandel did this article originally for the California Progress Report. Since this…
Davis Residents Gather For Peace in the Middle East
On New Year’s Eve in a very foggy Central Park in Davis, nearly 100 residents gathered for a peace vigil. The precipitating event was the recent bombing and killing of civilians in Gaza but members of the community deplored the violence and killing of innocent life on both sides of the tragic Middle East struggle.
As we once again begin a new year, it is helpful to use this moment to reflect on the struggle for peace across the world. Once again, I am reminded of the U2 song, “New Year’s Day.”
Scaled Down Wood Burning Ban and Restrictions Before Council Next Week
Back in July, the Davis City Council voted unanimously to support a wood burning ban and send…
The Rise of New Investigative Reporting
OPen GovernmentBack in November the New York Times had an interesting article, the focus was on a San Diego blog–Voice of San Diego.
Writes the New York Times:
“Over the last two years, some of this city’s darkest secrets have been dragged into the light — city officials with conflicts of interest and hidden pay raises, affordable housing that was not affordable, misleading crime statistics.