The following is the Aug. 5 edition of the Abridged by PBS KVIE Yolo County email newsletter, by reporter Daniel Hennessy and the team at Yolo Local. Want it sent directly to your inbox? Sign up here.
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Stay in-the-know on all things Yolo! Weekly email with stories and insights from Yolo County reporter Daniel Hennessy.
Hey, it’s Daniel! Let’s dive in.
For as long as I can remember, my family has been taking summertime trips to the East Coast to visit relatives. When I was younger, we would spend a week or two at my grandpa’s cabin on Lake Wallenpaupack (real name – you can find it in season two, episode 11 of The Office).
These days, though, we all pile in at my aunt and uncle’s house about a block from the beach at the Jersey Shore. It’s usually a week filled with plenty of sunshine, big family dinners and answering to my youngest cousins by a nickname that caught on when they were too young to be able to pronounce Daniel (Big Dodo, if you’re wondering).
That’s where I’ll be when this newsletter drops into your inbox, but we still have a slate of stories for you this week.
For fresh news, we’re headed to Davis, where another large housing development is on the ballot in November, this time with less organized opposition.
Then we go to West Sacramento, where Savannah Kuchar brings us an update on new e-bike rules at the district’s schools.
And we’ll revisit Berty, the agriculture dog who has a big job.
We’ve teamed up with Yolo Local, a civic media initiative of Davis Media Access, to bring you this weekly newsletter. Here’s what you need to know today:
STORY OF THE WEEK
Davis voters just shot down a housing plan. Why is this new development different?
Village Farms, an 1,800-unit project, failed in the June primary election.
BY DANIEL HENNESSY | dhennessy@kvie.org
In short: The Willowgrove Project, which would add more than 1,200 units of housing to Davis, will go before voters in November. Unlike the Village Farms development, which failed in June, there is little formal opposition to the development.
A bit more: Opponents of Village Farms said that Willowgrove has fewer complications and a better affordable housing plan.
NEWS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED
West Sacramento schools add e-bike regulations ahead of new school year
Meet the 4-year-old-labrador protecting California crops at her post in Yolo County
ICE arrests of Indian nationals surge in Sacramento region. Advocates say Sikhs targeted
DISPATCHES FROM THE FARM
Agriculture is a central part of life in Yolo County, so I’ll be checking in each week with a farmer, rancher or other industry player for the latest ag updates. What are the people who help produce our food thinking about?
This week, I talked to Erik Cadaret of the Yolo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District.
Erik told me how important surface water management is to understanding groundwater in the Sacramento Valley.
One of the big things to keep an eye on is the water level at Shasta Lake, which is the largest man-made lake in California. The Sacramento River spills out of Shasta Lake, so the amount of surface water that many of our local farmers receive each year depends on the water in the lake. In good years, they get a full allocation, but in bad years, like 2022, they must turn to groundwater.
Erik said that as reservoir levels have become more volatile, water managers are increasingly focusing on ways to recharge groundwater so that droughts aren’t as damaging to the aquifer.
HEARING FROM YOU
Hopefully the worst of the heat is behind us, but temperatures look like they’re going to stay pretty high for a while. To that end, Yolo County has shared a map that includes local cooling centers where anyone can drop in to escape the weather.
Stay safe out there.
UPCOMING MEETINGS & EVENTS
It can be hard to keep up with local government and community events, so we’ll continuously feature a few below. Have something you think we should highlight? Email me.
- The Friends of the Davis Public Library book sale is happening this weekend at the Mary L Stephens Davis Branch Library. Hours are noon to 7 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday (when you can fill up a bag with books for $10). More information can be found here.
- A romance book club hosted by the Winters Community Library meets 4 p.m. Aug. 8 at Hooby’s Brewing. More information can be found here.
- Craft Wednesday is happening at 4 p.m. Aug. 12 at the Knights Landing Branch Library. Attendees can show up for a movie and a craft, for which all supplies will be provided. More information can be found here.
- The Yolo County Fair starts this coming weekend! This year, the free-gate fair will run Aug. 7-9 and Aug. 12-16. Attendees can enjoy concerts, livestock shows, corgi racing, community competitions, racing pigs, destruction derby and the junior rodeo. More information can be found here.
Want to discover more events across the Sacramento region, in Yolo County and beyond? Check out Abridged by PBS KVIE’s new searchable events calendar with things to do across the four-county area.
BEFORE I GO,
Thanks for coming back (and signing up) for this newsletter. Remember: I’m accountable to you. If you read a story and think there’s an angle I’m missing, I want to hear about it! Please reach out with your feedback and know that I take it seriously.
Until next time,
Big Dodo (if you’re under 4 years old)
