May 19, 2013

Home ⁄ City News (page 3)

Community members advocate breaking cycle of gun violence

Community members advocate breaking cycle of gun violence

State to consider new gun control legislation

Written by PAAYAL ZAVERI
Aggie News Writer
Published on April 18, 2013
Filed under City News, State

As a result of numerous incidents of gun violence across the country, the City of Davis hosted a Feb. 19 forum on ending gun violence. Renowned gun violence researcher Dr. Garen Wintemute from the UC Davis School of Medicine spoke at the forum, along with Amanda and Nick Wilcox from the California chapter of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. The forum prompted a group of Davis officials and community members to submit a letter to state and national legislators expressing support for a change in gun control and safety in order to reduce incidents of gun violence, said Susan Lovenburg, a member of the Davis School Board. A group of officials who signed the letter attended the California Senate Public Safety Committee’s public hearing on April 16 for the LIFE (Life-saving Intelligent Firearms Enforcement) Act. The LIFE Act is a set of eight bills aimed at improving firearm safety and protecting the community from gun violence in California. The LIFE Act was passed by the Senate Public Safety... ...

State representatives, students promote four student debt bills

A press conference was held on the South Steps of the State Capitol on April 8, where State Representative Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont), State Controller John Chiang (D-Torrance), members from the California State Student Association (CSSA) and other California higher education students expressed support for several bills focusing on reducing the $1 trillion student loan debt. There were around 150 people in attendance with five speakers. According to College Board Trends in Student Aid for 2011-12, undergraduate students received an average of $13,218 per full-time equivalent (FTE) student in financial aid, including $6,932 in grant aid from all sources and $5,056 in federal loans. In addition, students borrowed about $8.1 billion from private, state and institutional sources to help finance their education. Wieckowski’s four bills — Assembly Bill (AB) 233, AB 391, AB 534 and Assembly Joint Resolution 11 — use a dual approach to the student debt issue that focuses on preemptive financial literacy education as well as alleviating the financial stress from paying off student loans for graduates, according... ...

Hate crime allegations prompt questions, reflection

Hate crime allegations prompt questions, reflection

A preliminary hearing will take place on April 26 in Yolo Superior Court concerning the alleged March 10 hate crime against Davis resident Lawrence “Mikey” Partida. Suspect Clayton Daniel Garzon is scheduled to appear at the hearing on charges of felony battery and threat with hate crime enhancements. “I just want to get it over with and move on,” Partida said in regard to the preliminary hearing. According to The Davis Enterprise, Garzon’s attorney Linda Parisi argued that the anti-gay slurs reportedly used by Garzon during the assault were common slang terms and “not an expression of hate.” “I just met with my lawyer for the first time,” Partida said. “[Parisi] is working to delay the hearing and we’re working to make sure that doesn’t happen.” On April 3, a status update was posted on the Mikey’s Justice Fund Facebook page regarding the preliminary hearing, encouraging anyone with additional information regarding the crime to contact the Davis Police Department because “the most difficult thing will be proving this was a... ...

Police briefs

FRIDAY, 5 APRIL 2013 All in a day’s haze A group of 15 to 20 college-aged subjects — several of them blindfolded — were reported walking in a line toward the playground on Portage Bay East. MONDAY, 8 APRIL 2013 Fountain of Youth A man was passed out on the stone fountain while sitting upright with his head between his knees on Fourth and C streets. TUESDAY, 9 APRIL 2013 Crouching Neighbor, Hidden Camera Somebody’s neighbor was videotaping her in her backyard on K Street. But it was coming right tortoise! Somebody’s large male desert tortoise went missing after a party on Creekhollow Lane. Meet the Parents Someone reported that a man on a bike stopped, grabbed his daughter’s hand and tried to kiss her on the mouth on Russell Boulevard. Police briefs are compiled from the City of Davis daily crime bulletins. Contact EINAT GILBOA at city@theaggie.org. ...

Senator proposes bill to create online courses for public universities

On Feb. 21, Senate President Pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) presented Senate Bill 520, which would create online courses at the state level in hopes of providing relief for California students struggling to get into introductory courses. The bill is set for a hearing on April 24. These classes would be offered in an online clearinghouse — an online course registrar offered by the state — and students could receive credit at UC, CSU and California Community Colleges (CCCs), according to the bill’s summary. Bob Powell, chair of the University of California Academic Senate and UC Davis professor of chemical engineering, chemical science and food science and technology, co-authored with Bill Jacob, vice chair of the University of California Academic Senate, an open letter opposing Steinberg’s bill. “We need to do this in a way that creates high-quality courses that are periodically reviewed, can be updated regularly as new material comes into the curriculum and has UC faculty both designing them and teaching them. That’s really what it’s about for... ...

Beating suspect charged with hate crime

Beating suspect charged with hate crime

Twenty-year-old Davis resident Clayton Daniel Garzon was released from Yolo County Jail last Thursday on a $520,000 bail. Garzon is suspected in the March 10 beating of 31-year-old Lawrence “Mikey” Partida, also a Davis resident. Garzon pleaded not guilty to three felony counts of assault, battery and criminal threats. The day before his release, Garzon’s bail increased from $75,000 to $520,000 at the urging of the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office, who charged that the incident was a hate crime and that Partida was targeted because of his sexual orientation. The beating is being investigated as a hate crime due to the anti-gay slurs allegedly said by Garzon before, during and after the early-morning attack outside a house party on Third and I Streets, which left Partida bleeding, unconscious and in need of hospitalization for a fractured skull, brain hemorrhaging and a broken eye socket. The bail increase was also supported by the local Sikh community as stated in a press release issued by the American Sikh Political Action Committee... ...

Whole Foods proposes full GMO labeling transparency

Whole Foods proposes full GMO labeling transparency

At the March 8 Natural Products Expo West, Whole Foods committed to a full transparency of genetically modified organisms (GMO) labeling plan. By 2018, over 340 Whole Foods stores in the U.S. and Canada intend to have GMO labeling on all food products. This plan is in response to the increasing prevalence surrounding the national conversation concerning GMOs — plants whose genetic makeup is altered to produce traits unattainable in nature. “GMOs are pervasive — 93 percent of soy, 88 percent of field corn, 94 percent of cotton and over 90 percent of canola seed and sugar beets planted in the U.S. are GMOs,” said Libba Letton, spokesperson for Whole Foods Markets. Because of this, there has been a push from Whole Foods by their customers for GMO labeling. “We are committing to full transparency and setting a five-year deadline to label all products to support the consumer’s right to know. Our customers have consistently asked for clear labeling,” said Kate Lowry, global PR director for Whole Foods. The commitment... ...

Q&A with local roller derby team Rage Blockout

Q&A with local roller derby team Rage Blockout

The Aggie sat down with Annastasia McPherson, president of the SoYo (Solano-Yolo) roller derby team Rage Blockout, to discuss how the only roller derby team in the county developed. The Aggie: When was the team created? How did it start? McPherson: Back in May of last year, I had been looking for a roller derby team. Nothing was close enough. [There’s] not much in Yolo County, so I always had to drive over an hour to try to play. I got into touch with the only skater in Woodland [and] I set something up on Facebook — over 20 people came over. We started with the basic skating skills and we formed the board. From the very beginning, we were hoping to possibly become a big part of Sacramento. It’s a lot of sweat and tears. It’s really hard to start a league from nothing. We lost girls on the way because of money and injuries. We’ve done everything that we’ve had to. We recently got [into] the league; we... ...

State representative introduces bill terminating textbook sales tax

State representative introduces bill terminating textbook sales tax

On Feb. 19, State Rep. Tim Donnelly (R-Twin Peaks) proposed the Textbook Relief Act, which would exempt textbooks from sales tax in California. Donnelly said the initiative is an investment in California’s future. “We need to do something to signal to students in California that we actually want them here, and that we want them to complete their education,” Donnelly said. “Every student’s success is California’s success.” Donnelly said he believes the bill aligns the financial incentives with the desired behavior, which is completion of higher education. “When students get out of school and get a full time job, they become part of the income stream for the state,” Donnelly said. According to Donnelly, California has a surplus of money that simply needs to be redistributed so that money isn’t wasted. Donnelly said that the sales tax exemption on textbooks wouldn’t be detrimental to the state’s budget. “There’s money all over the place that we’re wasting on things. To me, this would be a sound investment because it essentially says... ...

Picnic Day regulations to stay the same

Due to a decrease in arrests last year, UC Davis and the City of Davis are keeping the same regulations for this year’s Picnic Day. Problems in the past include open containers of alcohol, public urination, noise violations and smoking. The first three will be subjected to a $403 fine and smoking will be subjected to a $480 fine due to the safety enhancement zone. In 2011, the Davis City Council established a safety zone in downtown Davis during Picnic Day. The next year, the council extended the zone to include Old North Davis. The zone doubles fines just for Picnic Day in the downtown Davis area — along Russell Boulevard, between Anderson Road and the railroad tracks as well as between First and Eighth streets. “Some other big issues are people coming from other cities. We have cut advertisement to limit the people coming out of town or out of state who have no affiliation with UC Davis. Picnic Day only means something to people in Davis,” said Jonathan... ...

City council approves water rate increase

Without a majority protest at the March 19 public hearing, Measure I’s proposed water rates were officially passed. Water rates are expected to be tripled by 2018, and the increased rates will help fund the Woodland-Davis Clean Water Agency surface water project. The project, supplying Woodland and Davis with drinking water from the Sacramento River, is estimated to cost $113 million for the City of Davis, making for a combined $245 million for both cities. “The project will give city residents a supplemental water supply so they are not just relying on groundwater,” said Herb Niederberger, the City of Davis general manager of development, utilities and operations. “Groundwater contains many elements, so surface water is a cleaner option.” The project includes construction, operation and maintenance of a water intake facility, a water treatment facility and pipelines. These would be owned and operated by the Woodland-Davis Clean Water Agency. Rates will rise starting May 1 and will be raised differently depending on income levels. The first increase will be 5 percent... ...

Police briefs

FRIDAY My way or the highway A male subject approached someone and asked for money, then proceeded to kick the person’s car on First Street. SUNDAY Tabling A man asked somebody to vote for him, and when she said no, he asked if he could come in for dinner on Union Drive. Ill-matched An 8-year-old and a 4-year-old were playing with matches in a driveway on Gauguin Place. Seeking God A homeless man was knocking on a door requesting to be baptized by the Lord on Drexel Drive. MONDAY Rein-canine-ation Two huskies and a black Lab were found near the cemetery on Pole Line Road. TUESDAY Transport-ception Somebody broke into a car and stole a bicycle from its interior on Shasta Drive. Police briefs are compiled from the City of Davis daily crime bulletins. Contact EINAT GILBOA at city@theaggie.org. ...

Small businesses face challenges in Davis

On Thursday, a status update was posted on the Facebook page of Common Grounds Coffee, which read, “PLEASE SHARE: Our landlord has refused to renew our lease in favor of a Starbucks. We are suddenly homeless and our last day open will be Easter Sunday.” Common Grounds was located in the Oakshade Town Center in South Davis for almost 13 years, according to co-owner Michelle Kim, who ran the business with her husband Son Chang. “We’re in bad shape right now,” Kim said. “They only gave us seven days to evacuate because our lease will end this Thursday [April 4].” According to Kim, the Oakshade Town Center is owned by Regency Centers, a nationwide property development company based in Florida who bought the shopping center from former landlord Paul Petrovich in 2011 for $35 million. Regency Centers is “a proven developer of quality, high-performance shopping centers,” as stated on their website. Kim said that negotiations with Regency regarding the end of their lease began in January, and options such as... ...

Picnic Day regulations to stay the same

Due to a decrease in arrests last year, UC Davis and the City of Davis are keeping the same regulations for this year’s Picnic Day. Problems in the past include open containers of alcohol, public urination, noise violations and smoking. The first three will be subjected to a $403 fine and smoking will be subjected to a $480 fine due to the safety enhancement zone. In 2011, the Davis City Council established a safety zone in downtown Davis during Picnic Day. The next year, the council extended the zone to include Old North Davis. The zone doubles fines just for Picnic Day in the downtown Davis area — along Russell Boulevard, between Anderson Road and the railroad tracks as well as between First and Eighth streets. “Some other big issues are people coming from other cities. We have cut advertisement to limit the people coming out of town or out of state who have no affiliation with UC Davis. Picnic Day only means something to people in Davis,” said Jonathan... ...

News in Brief: Davis resident arrested for hate crime

On March 14, 19-year-old Clayton Garzon of Davis was arrested for a hate crime that occurred on March 10. According to a Davis Police press release, Garzon was booked at the Yolo County Jail on charges of assault causing great bodily injury, committing a hate crime, assault with a deadly weapon, stalking, committing a felony while on release from custody and inflicting bodily injury during the commission of a felony. At the time, he was released from Solano County Jail pending other felony charges. Garzon was later released from the Yolo County Jail after posting a $75,000 bail. He will be arraigned on April 12 at the Yolo Superior Court. On March 10, Davis resident Mikey Partida was leaving a house party at the 300 block of I Street when Garzon approached Partida and began a physical altercation, yelling homophobic slurs. Partida was transported to the UC Davis Medical Center. Currently, he is going through therapy at the Sacramento acute rehabilitation facility. According to witnesses’ statements, the motive for the... ...