As joblessness approaches11percent in California,the Employment Development Department has been swamped by a continuous surge in unemployment insurance claims. It now has State Senate Majority Leader Dean Florez to contend with as well.

With a growing membership and recent big tournament win,the UC Davis Chess Team is on the rise. Last month the club’steam,the UCD Knights,prevailed as champions of the Sacramento Team Chess Championship.The tournament saw many of Northern California’s best teams take each other on in anail-biting competition.Eight teams competed in seven rounds of simultaneous games over a series of weeks.

Cal Polyspoiled UC Davis‘ Senior Day on Saturday. ThisFriday,the Aggies canspoil the Mustangs‘ season. After losing to Sacramento State(16-6) and Cal Poly (10-9,3-2) this weekend,the UC Davis men’s tennis team (3-15,1-4) hasits sightsseton the Big West Conference tournamentthis weekin Indian Wells,Calif.

Let’s face it:spring has sprung.The arboretum is blooming,the Quad is buzzing,and short skirts are making a comeback.With all these pheromones in the air,it’s time to start scoping out some new date ideas for the warm months ahead,whether you’re happily coupled or single and on the prowl.

Though resting some of their stars,the UC Davis men’s track and field team had a solid day in their final home meet of the season,the Woody Wilson Classic. “I thought the meet was really good,” said coach Jon Vochatzer. “If I had to throw a grade on there,I’d give it a B.We held a lot of folk out for various reasons:injury here,soreness there.But those who did run stepped up and competed.We competed with a lot of heart and soul.“

No five-point loss couldovershadow the accomplishments of the five seniors on UC Davis women’s tennis team. Jenna Kappel,Jessica Harris,Andrea Phillips,Randi Schuler and Emma Shapiro were all honored before Saturday’s Senior Day match,a6-1loss toNo.49Sacramento State.

ASUCD Senate meetings are scheduled to begin Thursdays at6:10p.m.Times listed are according to the clock at theApr.9meeting location,the Memorial Union’s Mee Room.

Over1000people gathered around drum circles and traditional dancers in the Pavilion on Saturday for the37th annual UC Davis Powwow.The event,presented by the Native American Student Union (NASU) attracted an estimated1,300guests during the course of the daylong event.

The expansion of the United States‘ government and growth of secret agencies has fueled its population’s belief in conspiracy theories,said Kathy Olmsted,a professor in the department of history and author of recently publishedReal Enemies:Conspiracy Theories and American Democracy,World War I to9/11.

Tony Simon,a neuroscientist with the UC Davis M.I.N.D.Institute,was recently awarded a five-year$2.6million grant by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to continue his research on the gene linked to autism,schizophrenia and ADHD. Simon,who has found that the deletion of the gene leads to various disorders,has been conducting research to discover how the brain changes when the deletion takes place.

Chid Onyewuenyi highlighted theUC Davis‘ last home meet of the seasonbydominating the shot put competition at the Woody Wilson Classic. The juniorthrew14.60m to second place’s13.65m,crushing the regional qualifying mark and setting a new school record – a fact she didn’t become aware of until about30minutes later.

The10th-ranked UC Davis women’s water polo team finishedits Big WestConferenceregular season in just the fashionitwas hoping. Led by senior Lindsay Kiyama and freshman Kaylee Miller,who eachscored a hat trick,UC Davis pounded Pacific14-6on Saturday afternoon at Schaal Aquatics Center.