City News

A$3.8million drop in funding is translating to significant cuts in programs and services in the Davis Joint Unified School District. The main services and programs on the chopping block for budget cuts will affect class sizes and classes that are either under-enrolled,do not contribute to college preparation,or do not fulfill graduation requirements.Secretarial jobs,maintenanceand custodial work will also be affected by thecutbacks.

Local residents filled the Davis Community Chambers to near-capacity on Friday to listen to street design expert Dan Burden present ways to make Fifth Street safer andmore usable for all who use it. Burden’s plan is what he terms the “Road Diet.” It would slim the number of lanes on Fifth Street to two or three,manage the same level of traffic flow,increase safety for everyoneand create more space for bicycles and pedestrians.

Though recent rains soaked Davis and much of California,they weren’t enough to solve California’s water problems. Gov.Arnold Schwarzenegger announced a state of drought emergency in California on Feb.27. The snowpack is currently at90percent of normal,while precipitation is close to100percent.

Now the city of Davis is offering its own economic stimulus. The Davis City Council last week passed a package of three measures designed to help local businesses and development projects survive the current economic downturn.

California‘s Proposition8may have passed in November,but the battleover same-sex marriagehas moved back to the courts.This time,the constitutionality ofNovember‘s amendment is on trial.The California Supreme Court heard oral arguments for three cases working to get Prop8overturned last Thursday in San Francisco.

Interested in starting your own business? This could be your chance to do so and win cash. The Yolo Business Ascent Challenge, which will begin on Mar. 12, will be an opportunity for entrepreneurs to showcase their talents and their projects.

Drop off hazardous waste this weekend It’s time to get rid of that hazardous waste you’ve got lying around. The Yolo County Central Landfill will host free household hazardous waste drop-off days this weekend for Yolo County residents.

In business news this week, Renew Denim opens up downtown, Wachovia transitions to PremierWest Bank, mattress store Sleep Center opens downtown, and Cindy’s turns into Thai Dynamite at night.

With less money in their pockets, international wine drinkers turn increasingly to imported U.S. wines. As a result, the U.S. wine industry remains one of the few sectors seemingly immune to the economic crisis.

A recent study funded by the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine shows that northwest orca whales are accumulating contaminants from the salmon they eat.

State Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco/San Mateo) proposed legislation last week that would prevent raises for top executive officers in California public colleges during years of student fee increases.

As newspapers around the country face deep cuts and make their own headlines,local papers are trying to save jobs and trees. This was the second week The Enterprise didn’t show up anyone’s doorstep,instead appearing online only as part of a new circulation policy aimed at saving money.