City News

After helping kids safely cross Davis streets for six years, crossing guard Heather Weinberg was shocked when she got a phone call telling her not to show up for work.

Davis Farmers Market visitors can most likely recall walking by a kennel where big dogs and small puppies alike are frolicking around, oftentimes clad in sweaters and accompanied by ecstatic children whose hopeful, pleading faces beg their parents to adopt.

As of Apr. 20, this idyllic scene of child meeting man's best friend will no longer continue to be a highlight of the market.

Proposition 1E would allow the state to redistribute money in order to balance the state budget, but some organizations remain skeptical about its repercussions.

Prop 1E would amend the Mental Health Services Act, also known as Prop 63 of 2004.

On Thursday, it's time to shop, play, work, live - and celebrate.

The Davis Chamber of Commerce will celebrate local businesses at the sixth annual Celebrate Davis! festival starting at 4:30 p.m. at Community Park, located at 14th and F Streets.

A fireworks show starts at 9 p.m., sponsored by the Sutter Health Group and will end the festival.

For those who braved the forbidding Davis rain in February to watch the start of the Amgen Tour of California, the future may be looking a lot brighter.

Rumors are circulating that in 2010, America's biggest cycling stage race will be held May 16 to 23, following four straight years of February races.

The news was first reported in Cyclingnews, which quoted AEG president Andrew Messick as confirming the change.

However, Michael Roth, Vice President of Communications, said yesterday what he can confirm is that the race date will not be in February.

On Tuesday, the Davis City Council continued discussion regarding the redevelopment of Fifth Street, an issue that has been in the works for three years.

The council voted to begin community outreach and reassess the various options in the fall. The city is most concerned about the segment of the street between A Street and L Street.

Three different proposals were brought up by the city as hypothetical plans of action during the meeting.

Davis residents might be paying more for water in the fall - but don't blame it on drought.

To counterbalance the cost of improving water quality, replacing water supply infrastructure and building a new wastewater treatment facility, the city of Davis is changing water rates for Davis residents that will take effect Aug. 1.

Construction workers are moving briskly to get the new Target store in East Davis complete and open by October.

In the mean time, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is ramping up its own efforts to clean up and control contaminants at the Frontier Fertilizer Superfund site to the west of the new Target development.

Low-income refund program deadline nears

Low-income homeowners who meet certain qualifications can receive a refund on their Davis Park Maintenance Tax and Open Space Protection Tax for 2008-2009 by submitting an application to the city by June 30.

The tax appears on property tax bills. This program is an exemption, not a refund.

The Yolo County Animal Shelter is struggling against parvovirus, a highly contagious canine virus that has killed 10 dogs in the last month.

The last case of the virus was on Apr. 21 and shelter staff believe the outbreak is now under control, said Vicky Fletcher, Yolo County's chief animal services officer.

Parvovirus is a malicious disease that can result in bloody diarrhea, vomiting and a noticeably sick dog. Dogs may also display depression, lethargy and a loss of appetite. The disease may result in death due to dehydration.

On May 19 Californians will vote on the Lottery Modernization Act, better known as Prop 1C.

Proposition 1C proposes changes to the California lottery system. It would allow the state to borrow $5 billion from the lottery to balance the 2009-2010 state budget and allow future legislation to use the lottery as a resource for future deficits. Prop 1C is expected to protect education funding.

In its continued push to make Davis environmentally sustainable, the Davis City Council approved two programs allowing homeowners and new homebuyers to make their homes more energy efficient.

Both programs are part of a greater effort by the council to adopt greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets for the city of Davis.

The sun's coming out, UC Davis students are gearing up for summer, and what better way to celebrate spring than spending a day at the fair? The 134th annual Dixon May Fair, operating in this small agricultural community since 1875, kicks off Thursday and will last the whole weekend.

California voters will decide on May 19 if elected officials deserve pay raises in a time of economic decline.

Proposition 1F would amend the California Constitution to prevent elected state officials from receiving raises in deficit years. The measure defines deficit years as when the state's reserve fund has a deficit larger than 1 percent of the state's general fund revenues.

The possibility of a bike museum moving into a space currently occupied by the teen center has some concerned about the future of teen programs in Davis.

City leaders are advocating for the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame to be located in a city-owned building on Third and B Streets, where the teen center is currently located. Teen center staff are not thrilled about the prospect of losing their space, however.