Plans for the construction of a new Yolo County Superior Courthouse in Woodland have been set in motion. Construction will begin in spring 2013, thanks to combined efforts of Yolo Court officials, state agencies, Woodland City Council and staff, as well as private businesses.

Currently, the courthouse has seven departments spread across Downtown Woodland. The new building will encompass all departments. The five-story, 14-courtroom and 163,000-square-foot building will be located between Fifth and Sixth streets at 1000 Main Street.

“Even with the cost reductions we achieved, this will be a state-of-the-art building that will meet safety, security and access requirements as well as being a building that will have the stature and distinguishing characteristics of a courthouse,” said Steve Basha, Yolo Court’s presiding judge.

A press release stated the project had several rounds of cost cutting before it was finalized. About $9 million was cut from the project’s plan.

Construction was officially approved after the state treasurer finalized a sale of $133.8 million in lease revenue construction bonds. They will be repaid with court user fees and penalties over the next 25 years. State general funds will not be used.

Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig said that the current courthouse building cannot handle the level of cases it receives and does not provide proper safety.

“It’s a historic landmark … but it’s not safe for victims of crime,” Reisig said to the Sacramento Bee. “We move inmates down the hallways. There is no place for victims and witnesses to sit. It’s not safe for the lawyers.”

Architect firms Fentress Architects and Dreyfuss & Blackford of Sacramento headed the project. According to the press release, the building will include many sustainable and energy-saving features to ensure it is economical in the long run.

The next step will involve the project’s construction manager, Hensel Phelps Construction Co., as the project goes to subcontractor bidding.

“I am very pleased with the selection of Hensel Phelps, and we are excited to be working with such a distinguished construction firm,” said Yolo’s Court Executive Officer Jim Perry in a press release. “Hensel Phelps is a local company with offices in West Sacramento. They have history here in Yolo County, and recently built the Yolo County Health Services building in Woodland. The added value of knowing our local contractors and this community is significant.”

City officials said they are eager for construction to begin. The courthouse is expected to be completed by 2015.

PAAYAL ZAVERI can be reached at city@theaggie.org.

From Dec. 6 to 9, Davis will be hosting the Art Basel Miami Beach Davis Satellite Show. The art show will run from noon to 8 p.m. from Dec. 6 to 8, and from noon to 6 p.m. on Dec. 9. It will be held at 212 F St.

Artists and curators Charlie Schneider and Allison Fall will host the event. The show will occur simultaneously with the Art Basel Miami Beach Satellite Show located in Miami Beach, Fla.

“A satellite show means that it’s both part of something, but not a main official event,” Schneider said. “Why not Davis if there is one in Miami Beach already? It ties in conceptually since it happens the same exact time as Miami. It just ties in as becoming a big happening.”

The exhibition will mainly be comprised of contemporary art such as performance art, public art and video art. Works by artists from Australia, Los Angeles, Chicago and other locations around the world will be exhibited at the show. A total of about 20 or 21 participating artists will have their work shown in a single space.

Artists from different backgrounds will be present at the satellite show. A fiber artist with origins from South Korea, Aram Han, views her art as looking into what it means to be from another country, and the labor that goes into her work.

“She [Han] is going to do a performance at a local cleaners. She will be performing there and at the gallery where she will be performing with her piece,” Schneider said.

Alfredo Salazar-Caro, a Chicago-based visual artist, will be presenting a video of his project STREET TEAM, which will be first shown in major museums in New York City.

“STREET TEAM started in late 2011 and early 2012. It consists of video installations of several artists that I put together,” Salazar-Caro said. “I put their work together in a tiny projector and took them to several cities. Different pieces were projected on different pieces of work.”

Viewers in Davis will be presented Salazar-Caro’s work as a video. Salazar-Caro will be preparing a video of STREET TEAM as it is set up, exhibited and taken down in the museums of New York for Davis viewers.

“I’m working on developing the virtual stuff. I’m really invested in it. It’s a really interesting realm to play with as an artist,” Salazar-Caro said. “I think it’s the artist’s wet dream making everything art.”

Nicole Seisler, an artist from Chicago, strives to combine her audience, the performance and her art. Clay is her main medium, but she reaches out to other materials as well.

“Clay comes from the ground and part of my interest is that it is an abundant material and we all have access to it,” Seisler said. “All these natural elements are materials that are a commonality between all of us. Everyone has to deal with it together. My work is so often about groups and participatory actions [combining] these materials [with] patterning and sight.”

Seisler will be creating participatory art from 1,000 miles away since she will be in Chicago during the show.

“[My exhibit will be] a participatory work that involves shadow hunting. I will send materials, basically tool kits, that people will be able to take away from the gallery,” Seisler said. “Tool kits so people can produce the same things that I produce when I’m hunting for shadows in Chicago. There will be a postcard and there will be directions, and then they will send it back to me … dancing across cities.”

The Art Basel Miami Beach Davis Satellite Show will be facilitating art simultaneously to several other major fairs, essentially aiming to increase the art scene in the City of Davis.
“I want people to come to this show. I want to have a fantastic art show in Davis. I want to be part of Art Basel west of Mississippi,” Schneider said.

KAMILA KUDELSKA can be reached at city@theaggie.org.

Since Nov. 13, the Davis Police Department received six different accounts of burglaries that have occurred in three different residences. Electronics and miscellaneous items were stolen.

According to a press release, two of the incidents occurred at the Saratoga West Apartments at 2121 Glacier Dr. Two other burglaries occurred at 224 A St. The others occurred in the 700 block of Coolidge and the Villa Verde Apartments at 218 University Ave.

Most of the burglaries occurred between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. The police said there were no signs of forced entry in any of the cases.

With the holiday season approaching, residents will be away from their homes for extended periods of time. The Davis Police Department recommend that residents make their homes appear unvacated. They also recommend always locking doors and windows, stopping mail and newspaper deliveries when away and putting timers on household lights.

Additionally, using the Vacation House Check Program is highly encouraged by the police.

— Claire Tan

On Saturday evening, the International House (I-House) Davis was host to about 100 guests celebrating an early Thanksgiving, including many international exchange students experiencing the American tradition for the first time.

The evening featured a traditional Thanksgiving dinner provided by various organizations within and around Davis. Guests were then invited to read out what they were thankful for, with contributions ranging from unconditional family love to the flat conditions in Davis that enabled easier cycling.

All who attended thoroughly enjoyed the evening, helped in part by the intimate seating arrangement and atmospheric lighting, which contributed to a festive and memorable ambience felt throughout the I-House.

The event was coordinated by Elisabeth Sherwin, executive director of the I-House, who was very pleased with the outcome of the evening.

“It’s been a great success. I love sharing this American holiday with others,” Sherwin said.

The evening helped international students to embrace a cornerstone of American culture and tradition, according to those who attended the event.

“I think [the event] is important for visiting students so that they have some conception and understanding of Thanksgiving. It’s not a religious holiday, so it’s for everyone,” said Karena Schmitendorf, an instructor for an English conversation class and attendee of the event.

Many international students present at the dinner agreed.

“Exchange students don’t have the chance to celebrate Thanksgiving. I don’t have close family here, so it’s important to have this opportunity,” said Hyewon Suk, a third-year music composition major on international exchange from South Korea.

The Campus Rotaract Club (CRC) of Davis assisted with the event. Volunteers were more than willing to help out and appreciated the opportunity to give back to the community.

“You meet great people and I love helping out. Everyone has different stories to tell from all over the world. It’s a great environment,” said Bill Quach, a fourth-year bioscience major and vice president of the CRC.

 — Joe Steptoe