Editors note: This video is part of a collaboration between The Aggie and AggieTV Construction of the Compassion Corner Earthbench came to an end last Friday, May 31st. While the majority of the construction took place during a community build on April 28th, the finishing touches have been added since. The bench – constructed entirely from bottle bricks and cob – commemorates the work of David Breaux, who has dedicated the last four years of his life inspiring passers-by to reflect on the meaning of the word compassion. The California Aggie and Aggie TV were there to capture the construction of the bench, which is a gift to the City of Davis’ public arts collection. ...
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Earthquake near Lake Almanor causes tremors in the City of Davis
On May 23 at 8:47 p.m., a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck to the south of Lake Almanor in Lassen Volcanic National Park. Tremors were felt 113 miles away by people in the City of Davis. Some minor damages were reported in the area, including collapsed chimneys, fallen objects inside houses and two destroyed water tanks, which caused approximately 300 people to be affected by the damaged water supply. About 660 people on the southwestern edge of Lake Almanor also briefly lost power. Mt. Lassen, part of Lassen Volcanic National Park, has not erupted since the early 1900s, but distinguished professor of physics and geology at UC Davis John Rundle said that the earthquake could be evidence of volcanic movement. “[Thursday’s earthquake] may be associated with volcanic unrest,” Rundle said. “That doesn’t mean that the volcano will erupt, it just means that the ground could expand at maximum one meter.” While earthquakes in this part of Northern California are not uncommon, it has been quite a while since one of this... ...
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City council approves Fifth Street redesign
On May 28, the Davis City Council approved the long-awaited project to redesign Fifth Street. The final project is anticipated to cost $1.9 million. “The project is intended to make a safer street for pedestrians and cyclists between A and L streets,” said Kelly Stachowicz, deputy city manager for the City of Davis. “We want a safe path of travel going down the street.” According to a report by the City of Davis, the redesign will change the street from four lanes to two lanes with designated bike lanes on either side. Turn pockets, a dual left-turn lane and striped pedestrian crosswalks will also be added. Additionally, new traffic signals will be added to the F and G Street intersections and the existing signals at A, B and L streets will be modified to accommodate the changes. Pedestrian safety will be improved by adding pedestrian-activated crossing lights at the crosswalks of C and J streets. Roxanne Namazi, senior civil engineer for the project, said the absence of bike lanes on... ...
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Davis Dirt to put on Street Food Rodeo
The Davis Dirt will be putting on a third Davis Street Food Rodeo on June 7. Sixteen food vendors will be serving food between 4 and 9 p.m. on Sixth and G Streets. Part of the proceeds from the event will be allocated to the Davis School Gardens. Vendors at the event include Hawaiian food from Addison’s Originals, Addy’s Paella and vegan, gluten-free desserts from Bliss Creations. “Food trucks are not seen much in Davis and we like to promote and start fun events for Davis,” said Davis Dirt editorial board member Melanie Gentles. “We thought it’d be a great opportunity to do a fun event and bring something we typically can’t have in town and benefit the community.” The event has been welcomed by the community and attracted some well-known food trucks. Event organizers and The Davis Dirt’s editorial board members, Melanie Gentles and Annie Meckstroth, have taken steps to improve the event. “We introduced street performers at the second event to reduce line waiting. There’ll be live music... ...
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Livestrong Foundation Challenge ride to take place in Davis
On an average day, most bicycle-riding Davis residents are doing so with the purpose of transportation or exercise. However, on June 23, riders in the Team Livestrong Challenge bike ride will have the opportunity to bike with another purpose: benefiting those affected by cancer. The 2013 Team Livestrong Challenge series consists of three rides, each in a different city, according to Matt Florio, fundraising and events coordinator for the Livestrong Foundation. After the Davis ride, the second ride will take place in Philadelphia, Pa. from Aug. 17 to 18 and the third ride will take place in Austin, Texas on Oct. 20. The event begins and ends in Central Park and riders will start at 7:30 a.m. The ride is multi-distance, said Florio, with Davis riders having the option of riding 25, 45, 65 or 100 miles. This is the third year the event has taken place in Davis. “We’ve been doing this for a number of years. Before Davis the event was in San Jose for three years and... ...
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FRIDAY Flippant On Lake Boulevard, an elderly man was shoplifting by putting items into his pants. SATURDAY What in the world An unknown man was knocking on someone’s door on Russell Boulevard; when she answered all he would say was that his name was Cosmo and nothing else. MONDAY Too juiced An intoxicated college-aged student was passed out in front of Jamba Juice on First Street. A close shave A group of kids threw a shaving cream bottle cap at someone’s head on Glide Drive, giving her a headache. TUESDAY Frittering about There was a hang-up call to the police on Drexel Drive, and all that was heard was a group of people having a conversation about fries. Fratricide On Drake Drive, someone’s roommate tried to poison his rat, so he was concerned the roommate would try to poison him, too. Police briefs are compiled from the City of Davis daily crime bulletins. Contact EINAT GILBOA at city@theaggie.org. ...
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Aug. 15 An unmentionable crime A burglar entered someone’s laundry room and stole 20 pairs of panties for the second time on Cowell Boulevard. Aug. 24 Weeding Rainbow A person was riding a bike through the neighborhood saying he was working with the schools to plant dandelions on Menlo Drive. Oct. 27 A meaty crime On L Street, someone ordered veggie pizza only to find that it had chicken on it, and as the restaurant remade it with chicken again, the man thought the employees did it on purpose. Nov. 9 Rage on, Aggie There were two party complaints in the same area on A Street. Nov. 30 Petty theft A person on Hanover Drive had their identity stolen and the identity thief used the person’s email to send obscene things to the victim’s mother. Jan. 25 Bathing beauty Someone was concerned with their neighbor’s mental state as the neighbor hadn’t bathed in years, forcing the person to drive past with their hand over their eyes on Fiesta Avenue. Feb.... ...
Read More →City News Highlights
Residents anticipating Whole Foods opening Oct. 18 — Whole Foods Market opened in Davis Commons on Oct. 24 and was well-received by community members. — Originally reported by Matt Costello Organic community in Davis fights for Prop. 37 Oct. 24 — A panel discussion hosted by UC Davis Slow Food advocated for Proposition 37 and increased awareness of genetically modified foods (GMOs). Panelists discussed reasons for labeling and the adverse effects of GMOs on the environment. — Originally reported by Julie Webb Wild turkeys rampant across town Nov. 13 — The City of Davis took efforts to educate residents about how to approach wild turkeys and the hazardous effects of feeding the local wild turkey population. — Originally reported by Meredith Sturmer University of Beer hosts grand opening Jan. 15 — University of Beer opened in January at 615 Third St. and became the newest addition to the downtown Davis bar scene. The new venue offers a selection of 60 beers. — Originally reported by Joe Steptoe New Harmony Mutual... ...
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Movement attempts shutdown of Monsanto office in Davis
As early as 6 a.m. on May 24, around 100 protesters had already gathered at the Davis office of Monsanto Company at 1910 Fifth St. — known to most as just Monsanto — to express their discontent with the actions and legacy of the multinational agribusiness corporation. “We’re just trying to spread awareness about their history and eventually bring them down,” said Kim Sloan, lead activist with the Anti-Monsanto Project (AMP) who was present at the protest. The protest was initiated by the Anti-Monsanto Project, a movement composed of over 30 Northern California groups and organizations, as part of the worldwide March Against Monsanto movement. The movement aims to “bring awareness to health, agricultural, environmental and political issues associated with Monsanto,” according to the demand letter issued by the AMP. That letter, according to Sloan, was sent to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the California Department of Agriculture, Gov. Jerry Brown and California Attorney General Kamala Harris, among others, as part of the lobbying efforts of the AMP. The AMP... ...
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Five Davis neighborhoods top Atlantic’s list of most bikeable
On May 17, The Atlantic magazine published a list of the 25 most bikeable neighborhoods in America, based on ratings given to each neighborhood by Bike Score, an extension of the Walk Score and Transit Score. Davis had five neighborhoods in the ranking and Sacramento had seven. Professors from Simon Fraser University and the University of British Columbia helped to develop the methodology for rating cities. The rankings are based on thousands of voters from the community near the headquarters in Seattle, Wash. Voters suggested over 100 factors that make a city bikeable. “Bike Score provides a 0-100 rating of the bikeability of a location based on the availability of bike infrastructure (lanes and trails), the hilliness of the area, nearby amenities and road connectivity, [in addition to] the number of bike commuters,” Walkscore CEO Josh Herst said in an email. The first Bike Score came out in May 2012, with rankings for only 10 U.S. cities, and today they offer a Bike Score for over 100 U.S. cities. Based... ...
Read More →Police actively investigate alleged hate crimes, double homicide
UC Davis Police are continuing their investigation of an alleged hate crime that occurred on May 12 near the UC Davis Arboretum. According to the UC Davis Police Department (UCDPD), neither the victim nor the suspects are UC Davis students. The police report stated that the incident occurred when the victim was walking along Levee Road, and the suspects slowed down near the victim. The suspects then allegedly exited the vehicle, a burgundy Jeep SUV, and repeatedly assaulted the victim, physically and verbally with “sexual-orientation bias slurs.” UCDPD Lt. Greg Murphy said the police are actively investigating the crime but can’t reveal too much information right now because it might jeopardize their search. “We talked to the victim, victim’s father and one of the other people from the suspect’s car,” said UCDPD Sergeant Don Malloy. “The case is still open and we are investigating.” Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi and Mayor Joe Krovoza sent an email to the campus community addressing the crime. “While such behavior is inconsistent with our values,... ...
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THURSDAY Bending the rules Somebody believes college students are vandalizing the “No Parking” sign at the corner of Picasso Avenue and Cezanne Court by bending it more and more so that it becomes increasingly hidden by a tree. SATURDAY Fair game Someone was concerned for the welfare of a panhandler and their child as both were fair and in the sun with no protection on West Covell Boulevard. Surprised party Four females walked into somebody’s apartment on Cowell Boulevard, but the person didn’t know them and wanted them gone. SUNDAY Nip in the bud On Bermuda Avenue, a person has twice found flower petals left at her doorstep in the past few months and believes someone is leaving them there to figure out if anyone is home. Cause for alarm Someone’s husband has been out of town and the door to his room left closed, but his alarm clock just started going off for the first time in several nights on Ipanema Place. TUESDAY Summer’s here and the time is... ...
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Tour de Cluck to celebrate chickens, bikes, local artists
Tour de Cluck May 25 in Central Park Art Auction and Exhibit Free Bicycle Chicken Coop Crawl 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sold out With over a month left until the start of the 2013 Tour de France, Davis residents looking to get their fix of a tour de something are in luck — the fourth annual Tour de Cluck will take place on May 25. The two main components to Tour de Cluck include the Art Auction and Exhibit and the Bicycle Chicken Coop Crawl, although additional events are ongoing throughout the month of May, according to Neil Ruud, Tour de Cluck event coordinator. The proceeds from the art auction will go to the Davis Art Center, which offers support to local artists, sponsors art-related events and maintains a close relationship with the local arts community in Davis, Ruud said. Tickets for the event are sold out. Seven hundred people are expected to attend the coop crawl, according to Gilbride, and 17 coops are being showcased. “It’s a fundraiser... ...
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California ranks low in small business friendliness, survey finds
Thumbtack.com, in partnership with the Kauffman Foundation, released results from their second annual Small Business Friendliness Survey, and California was rated with a D grade, an improvement from last year’s F grade. Based in San Francisco, Thumbtack.com operates as an online marketplace for local service providers. According to its 2013 study, the Bay Area was rated as the top region in California for small businesses, and San Francisco was the state’s highest-ranked city. California is among the lowest-ranking states in the U.S. for its overall friendliness to small businesses, along with Maine and Illinois. Some of the highest-ranking states are Idaho, Utah and New Hampshire. According to the U.S. Small Business Association website, a small business is defined as “a business that is organized for profit … makes a significant contribution to the U.S. economy through payment of taxes or use of American products, materials or labor; [and] is independently owned and operated.” Approximately 8,000 out of 275,000 small business owners nationwide who use Thumbtack.com were surveyed over a course... ...
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SUNDAY May 19 What in carnation … Someone wanted the police to know that a flowerpot had been removed from their home on La Coruno Street and smashed two doors down, but did not want to file a report. Brohemian A guy in a grey tank top, grey shorts, black knee-high socks and black shoes called the police saying he smoked too much weed, had marijuana poisoning and needed their assistance getting home on First Street. MONDAY May 20 Bit of a bulldozer A neighbor threatened to run somebody’s kids over with his car on Grambling Court. Boxer Rebellion Someone tried to walk through the drive-through at Jack in the Box on G Street, but got upset when he was refused service and punched out the window. Quite the prick A realtor found evidence of a squatter in one of his homes on M Street. The squatter left behind a note saying when he would be back, as well as some hypodermic needles. TUESDAY May 21 Shtick by brick Someone... ...
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