City News

A recent study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health found that both female and male college students are equally likely to be victims of physical or emotional violence. The study surveyed students who sought treatment at health clinics in 2006-2007 at five universities in Wisconsin, Seattle and Vancouver. The results indicated that 17 percent of men and 16 percent of women reported experiencing violence within the past six months.

It only took about an hour and a half to change the Davis City Council’s opinion of the fate of two 6,000 square foot lots in East Davis. The city had planned to give the land to Habitat for Humanity, but the council decided with a 4 to 1 vote to give the Solar Community Housing Association to build cooperative housing.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger recently proposed a new way to remedy California’s budget crisis – cutting the Cal Grant program, which provides financial aid to college students. Under this proposal, no new Cal Grants would be awarded beginning fall 2009, but students already receiving Cal Grants would continue to receive them. Schwarzenegger has said the cuts are necessary to help close California’s $24.3 billion budget deficit.

The city of Davis is looking to cut corners to balance its budget for the coming year. Some city facilities could be cleaned less often due to a reduction in custodial services.Funding for the city attorney will probably be slashed,reducing time for legal analysis.And it may be easier to get away with parking violations as the city discusses eliminating one of its four parking enforcement officers.

California bans text messaging while driving Sept.30,2008 California became the seventh state to ban texting while driving whenGovernorArnold Schwarzenegger signed SB28in September.The law,which took effect Jan.1,created a$20fine for the first offense and a$50fine for each subsequent offense.

For many Davis bicyclists,yard waste on the side of the road can be a potential safety hazard and a troublesome obstacle.Yet,following a meeting at the Davis Bicycle Advisory Commission,there is little reason to believe the obstacles will be cleared away any time soon.The City of Davis Public Works department presented to the BAC the results of a Yard Waste and Bike Lanes Survey Project,a yearlong study of yard waste “pile placement” on a dozen Davis streets,to establish the degree to which they obstruct the path of cyclists.

The key word Monday night was trust,and many Davis citizens were still apprehensive,including El Macero Homeowners Association President Stephen Cole. “You’ve asked me to go out on a date,” Cole told Transmission Agency of Northern California,or TANC,officials at the Davis Veterans Memorial Hospital. “You haven’t treated me very well,you didn’t call me back and now you want to go on another date.I don’t trust you.“

While the economic crisis has caused a shortage of many services,there is surely no shortage ofstudents looking for teaching experience. The TeachForAmerica program received more than35,000applications for2009,a42percent increase over2008‘s number.UC Davis in particular showed a nearly10percent increase in applications:75applications as compared to69applications in2008.

In business news this week,Forever21plans a move to Davis and Fuzio Universal Bistro opens in a new building on G Street. Out with the old As Gottschalks prepares to move out of the University Mall this summer,apparel retailer Forever21is looking to move in. Known among young women for its affordable and chic clothing,Forever21recently placed bids to take over16Gottschalks stores,including the one in Davis.A judge could approve the deal within a week,according to the Sacramento Business Journal. The U-Mall store is34,000square feet,much larger than the typical size of a Forever21location,according to reports.

The Davis City Council and Davis Joint Unified School District Board of Education metlast week to discussshared problems and goals for the future. Membersdiscussed goals for2008and2009,one of them being tofind safer means of getting to school for students living on Olive Drive. Olive Drive is separated fromdowntown and most of the city by the Union Pacific Railroad tracks.There is currently no safe and direct route for the citizens living here to get to school.

The probability of an earthquake of6.7or greater magnitude along the Hayward Fault is currently31percent,according to California Geological Survey geologist Chris Wills. The most recent earthquake of that magnitude to hit the Hayward Fault came onOct.21,1868and has been described as one of the most destructive earthquakes in California’s history,Wills said.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom was in Davis on May27for a fundraiser hosted by the Yolo County Young Democrats.Newsom,a Democratic candidate for governor in2010,spoke to a crowd that included Davis Mayor Ruth Asmundson,Davis Mayor Pro Tem Don Saylor,State Senator Lois Wolk,stateRepresentativeMariko Yamada,Woodland Vice-Mayor Art Pimentel,Davis City Councilmembers Sue Greenwald and Lamar Heystek,Yolo County Supervisors Helen Thomson and Jim Provenza,and Yolo County Public Defender Barry Melton.