City News

Heated debates have recently risen in Sacramento over whether installing security cameras in public locations will aid crime prevention or invade privacy. A$614,694grant from Homeland Security has made it possible for Sacramento to consider installing32security cameras throughout the city.In addition,the plan includes four mobile trailers with cameras to provide surveillance for large events and crowds.

On Oct. 12, a month-long community effort to cut back on carbon emissions will kick off in Davis. “Davis Low Carbon Diet Challenge” will include eco-teams consisting of friends, family and co-workers whose goal is to lose 5,000 pounds of carbon by making more environmentally friendly decisions in their day-to-day lives.

Sudwerk Brewery is ready for Yolo County to be associated with more than just agriculture and cows. It’s time for people to think of award-winning brews when they think of Davis, Calif. Davis’ only brewery, Sudwerk, located on Second Street at Pole Line, recently won a gold medal at the California state fair for their pilsner.

Is governing California even possible these days? Sacramento Bee columnist Daniel Weintraub tackled that question in a speech at UC Davis last week, arguing that hyper-partisanship in the capitol is the number one obstacle to effective state government.

Little Prague is hosting a special celebration this weekend in honor of its 30th anniversary. Tonight and tomorrow, the party will feature prizes, a special menu and reduced prices on drinks and desserts.

Mayor Pro Tempore Don Saylor is kicking off his campaign for Yolo County Supervisor with a neighborhood party.

Congress is giving student aid a facelift this fall – or at least voting on it. On Sept.17,the House passed the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act with a majority vote.The act has yet to make it through the Senate. The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act would change the process by which money for loans and grants is directed within higher education.Essentially,the behind-the-scenes logistics of student aidwould change.

Continuing consumers of clove and flavored cigarettes may have to find an alternative. Sept. 22 marked the official commencement of The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, which put a ban on all clove and flavored cigarettes – excluding menthol. The ban, which is only one component of the act, aims to deter the younger market from smoking, since cigarette companies often market clove and flavored cigarettes to this age group.

Earlier this month,customers were turned away from many locations of the popular fast food chain,Jack in the Box,throughout the state.On Thursday,Sept.17,much to the confusion of customers,Roseville‘s Abe Alizadeh– owner of more than70Jack in the Box restaurants,11T.G.I.Friday‘s and a plethora of real estate companies– closed his Jack in the Box restaurants due to financial troubles.

Davis is making a move to encourage healthy lifestyles among its citizens. Earlier this month,the city joined the statewide Healthy Eating Active Living Cities Campaign,HEAL,in an effort to reduce local obesity and physical inactivity rates.

In hard economic times, business can be tough. But the city of Davis has seen that when the going gets tough, the tough get going. A few new businesses have sprouted downtown, including Generations Family Footwear (710 2nd St.), European Wax Center (768 5th St.) and Village Pizza & Grill (403 G St.). Village Pizza and Grill owner Aziz Fattahi recently expanded his small Village Bakery by the Amtrak station to a bustling building on G Street. His upgrade was well-planned.

In response to the increasing amount of vacant space available in the Sacramento region,Davis developed a plan to attract new businesses to the area. City Council passed a resolution to defer tenant improvement fees for new businesses.