City News

A group of parents, children and other community members gathered Sunday for a pro-life prayer demonstration on Fifth Street. The demonstration, known as a Life Chain, is an annual event that has occurred in Davis for over 10 years.

Fees and tuition at California colleges are rising rapidly, and California Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi says it's up to students to change that.

Garamendi spoke at a Davis College Democrats rally on campus on Friday in front of an audience of about 85 people. He gave a rousing and energetic speech touching on national and regional political issues, including the federal Wall Street bailout and the state budget deal.

Friday's article on the unemployment rate incorrectly stated that August job losses led to a total of 15,109,000 unemployed Californians. The job losses actually brought the number of employed Californians down to 15,109,000. The number of unemployed Californians was 1,417,000. The Aggie regrets the error.

The 2007 Guinness Book of World Record's "Largest Corn Maze in the World" has grown.

Cool Patch Pumpkins, located in Dixon, has grown three acres since last year to a size of 43 acres. It is also the site of a complex consisting of a pumpkin patch boasting over 2,000 pumpkins of 30 varieties, a food area with tri-tip sandwiches and hot dogs and a children's play area complete with a mountain of straw.

California's job market is in its roughest patch in 12 years, and students may be affected.

The unemployment rate in California for the month of August was 7.7 percent, the highest since 1996.

The American Lung Association released a report last month that found that the smoking rate among college students is lower than ever before. Although one in five college students smoked cigarettes in 2006, the lowest rate since 1989, experts say the rate may increase again.

The city of Davis is going on a diet. Selected residents will soon begin a city-sponsored project called the Low Carbon Diet, intended to reduce household carbon dioxide emissions by 5,000 pounds per year.

Police search for Davis bank robber

Davis police announced Tuesday afternoon that they were in search of a bank robbery suspect.

At approximately 10:50 a.m. Tuesday, a white male adult entered the US Bank office on F Street and handed a note to a teller demanding money, according to a DPD press release. The teller handed over the money and the suspect fled.

The word is out: Lance Armstrong will ride again.

Armstrong announced last week that he would participate in the 2009 Amgen Tour of California, riding for the Kazakhstan-based Astana team.

THURSDAY

Hey, it's comfy when you're drunk

A subject was sleeping on the sidewalk on Olive Drive.

California recently became the seventh U.S. state to ban text messaging while driving after Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Senate Bill 28 last week, a measure that will further prohibit a driver's ability to use a cell phone while driving.

SB 28, written by Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), will ban the use of a wireless communications device to "write, send or read a text-based communication," which includes but is not limited to text messages, instant messages and electronic mail.

Addressing what the state court system says is a "state of crisis," Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill that authorizes $5 billion worth of construction and renovation of facilities throughout the state.

The city of Davis could be on the way to boosting the wages of some of its lowest paid workers after last week's City Council meeting. The council voted 3-2 to have city staff write a living wage ordinance covering everyone paid by the city. The ordinance would require contractors who work with the city to pay their employees a predetermined wage above the state minimum wage of $8 per hour.

A report released last week showed that many students who are taking remedial classes in college actually had good grades in high school.

The study, released by education advocacy group Strong American Schools, looked at the scope and cost of college remediation courses - classes that students take to catch up on skills they need for college - whether or not they learned them in high school.

Concerns about possible misconduct in the Davis Fire Department are being addressed as the city of Davis continues an internal investigation.

The Davis City Council voted Tuesday night to send a letter responding to a Yolo County Grand Jury investigation that raised serious questions about practices and policies within the fire department.