City News

On Apr. 11, Yolo County rancher Hank Stone was given the livestock man of the year award during Friday night's performance of the Grand National Rodeo at the Cow Palace in Daly City, Calif.

"The livestock man of the year award is one of the most prestigious awards that only one person gets each year," said executive vice president of the California Cattlemen's Association, Matt Byrne.

Stone, who has been a rancher for 60 years, has owned and worked on his family ranch, Yolo Land & Cattle Co. for the past 20 years. He is a 30-year member of the California Cattlemen's Association and has served on the board of directors for the California Beef Cattle Improvement Association for 20 years. Additionally, he has served on the livestock development board at UC Davis and currently is serving on the animal science committee at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

Schools and cities across the country are closing athletic fields in response to reports of a lead threat in artificial turf, but turf manufacturers say there is no health risk.

The wave of field closures began two weeks ago when health officials in New Jersey discovered elevated lead levels in two synthetic turf fields. This prompted the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to begin a national investigation.

"We are in the very, very initial stages of our investigation," said commission spokesman Scott Wolfson. "The key point for all parents and school administrators is that there is not a cause for alarm and panic at this time. It is not an issue where fields need to be shut down immediately."

Candidates forDavis City Council will answer questions and meet with the public at a forumonWednesday.The forum is hosted by the Davis Neighborhood Coalition and the Sierra Club's Yolano Group.Davis Bicycles! is co-sponsoring.

"We're going to be asking them questions about growth issues on our periphery,sprawl on agricultural land versus more growth within the city,parking issues downtown," said Pamela Nieberg,chair of the Yolano Group."We'll also look at whether or not they support the democratic process,like Measure J."

Another goal of the forum is to determine how"green" the candidates actually are,she said.

Californians will likely be able to vote on a $10 billion bond measure to build a high speed rail line stretching from Northern California to San Diego in November.

The state legislature has removed the bond from the ballot on two previous occasions, but proponents are optimistic that a bill currently in committee will increase the measure's chances of staying on the ballot.

Assembly Bill 3034 - scheduled to be heard in Appropriations on May 7 - amends and updates some of the language in the original 2002 bond measure to address some concerns of Governor Schwarzenegger as well as those of environmental and business groups.

FRIDAY

Backpack brigade

A window was reported smashed and a backpack was stolen onF Street.

Lethal weapon

An assault with a deadly weapon was reportedatSycamore Lane andWake Forest Drive.

The UC Davis Summer Abroad is extending the deadline to apply to select programstotoday, Apr. 29 and May 1, in the hope of encouraging students to take the opportunity to study abroad and give students who missed the deadline a chanceto apply.

"We know there are some students out there who want to apply who haven't," said Eric Schroeder, director of the Summer Abroad Education Abroad Center (EAC) program and University Writing Program lecturer.

Programs take place during both summer sessions, but only deadlines for programs in the second summer session can be extended.

The Bush Administration's five-year plan for increasing fuel efficiency released last week has ignited outrage from many California lawmakers. California Attorney General Edmund Brown Jr. called the plan a "covert assault" on California's landmark tailpipe greenhouse gas regulations.

The Department of Transportation unveiled the plan Tuesday to implement requirements of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which mandates an increase in Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency standards.

For passenger cars, the proposal would increase fuel economy from the current 27.5 miles per gallon to 35.7 mpg by 2015. For light trucks, the proposal calls for increases from 23.5 mpg in 2010 to 28.6 mpg in 2015.

What would you do with $733,000?

For the Davis Schools Foundation, this is enough money to fund 10 teacher positions and one-and-a-half librarian positions. The funds will go toward elementary school high school teachers. As of Monday, the foundation had raised $733,000 with the help of Hanlees Auto Group.

Hanlees Auto Group in Davis made a $30,000 donation Apr. 16and challenged the community to match that amount over the course of five days. On Apr. 20, the last day of the challenge, the community surpassed that amount with $142,000 - $17,000 of which was raised at an entertainment event at Hanlees on that day alone.

A distinct mural splashed with pizzazz adorns the eastern wall of The Paint Chip, an art supplies and custom framing store located at 217 F St.

"[The mural is] kind of a way to not only enhance downtown Davis, but also create an eye catcher for visitors," said the new co-owner of the store Maia Wilson. "It has a local business feel to it and it certainly gets people's attention. It portrays what downtown Davis is about."

The Paint Chip changed hands in March after continuous ownership for three generations.

Previous owner Clint Winger sold the store to Wilson and her fiancé Brian Sturges because he was retiring. Wilson, who served as the production manager for six years at The Paint Chip, loved her job and did not want the art store to change to the hands of a different owner.

Regis Homes of Sacramento proposed a residential project at the corner of Fifth Street and Alhambra Drive. The Verona Project, according to the city's website, will cover an 8.55-acre vacant parcel of land.

The project must be reviewed by the Planning Commission, which will then make a recommendation to the Davis City Council. The council will decide to approve or deny the project before the builder can start the construction phase.

"If we get it approved by early summer, assuming we get it approved, it takes about six to eight months before the project is started," said Bill Heartman, president of the Regis Homes of Sacramento. "Construction wouldn't start until first part of next year and the delivery of the units would be about the end of 2009."

For better or for worse,beer is widely regarded as a staple of college students' diets,so any move to dramatically increase the price of the beverage would likelyimpact many on campus.

If State Representative Jim Beall has his way,students may choose to moderate their intake of beer.Earlier this month,the first-term Democratic lawmaker from San Jose announced that hewould propose legislation to increase the excise tax on beerto as much as30cents per gallon - a rate that would raise the price of a six-pack of beer by$1.80.

MONDAY

Follow the yellow brick road

A vehicle was seen passing over a double yellow line on West Covell andLakeboulevards.

What,no road trip?

A whitemotor home was parked at Portage Bay East andHudson Court for the past three to four weeks.

The city of Davis is trying to decide where it should grow.

A report detailing potential housing development sites inDavis was presented to the Davis City Council and Planning Commission in a joint meeting Tuesday.The report lists 36 sites inDavis that could be developed as housing before2 013.

"This is a tool for the City Council,but it's also the means by which the City Councild etermines what growth policy they're going to pursue," said planning commission chair Greg Clumpner.

The study and report were completed by the Housing Element Steering Committee,a15-member body appointed by members of the City Council.

The sites were ranked by how well they met a set of principles selected by the steering committee, including whether they promoted a compact urban form,were close to existing facilities and were close to campus.The committee also evaluated sites based on whether they could provide compact,high-density housing and promote walking and bicycle use.

Joint meeting of City Council and Planning Commission

Presentation from Housing Element Steering Committee on potential housing sites was presented to the council members and commissioners.The report ranked 36 potential sites located in Davis that could be developed or redeveloped into housing. Report included overview of the committee's 13-month process of collecting community input, identifying sites, establishing goals, ranking sites and adding recommendations.The report was approved by the commission Mar.20.C ouncilmembers and commissioners asked questions of the steering committee chair and vice chair, then provided comments on the report and individual sites.Council members and commissioners were not legally allowed to comment on sites that presented a conflict of interest. No action was taken.The presentation and report were informational.The report will be reviewed by the Planning Commission and the City Council separately in future meetings.

With all the new construction that has taken place in the past several years,Davisstillhas more history to preserve than meets the eye.

On Monday, the Historic Resources Management Commission announced their nominees for their annual preservation appreciation awards.The nominees will be presented tothe Davis City Council in May in honor of National Historic Preservation month.

The nominees include Richard Berteaux, architect, UC Davis professor emeritus and former commissioner,whohas done volunteer work, historic preservation and reuse projects including the Davis Civic Center Gymnasium,the Third and A project Grieve-Asbill House and the Hattie Weber Museum.The Sierra Railroad Company nominated the A.J. Plant House located at221FirstSt.,and the Old North Davis Neighborhood Association nominated the Craftsman Bungalow located at 643 F St.