The following is the July 29 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.
Sign Up for the Yolo County Newsletter
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 those who don’t live in this region, the summer heat reaches near mythical status. When I talk to family and friends in other parts of the state these days, I’m almost always met with some hushed version of, “how are you managing the heat?”
Don’t get me wrong, I’m definitely still getting used it, and I’m not necessarily looking forward to the coming triple-digit temperatures. But I’m also finding that there’s some satisfaction in figuring out ways to cool off.
Recently, that’s meant sitting in the shade of my covered patio with a cold drink, taking a dip in the stock tank “pool” my wife and I dropped into our backyard, avoiding too much outdoor work in the heat of the day and enjoying the relief that comes with a breeze out of the west.
But sometimes, when it’s really hot and none of my usual tricks work, all that’s left to do is escape into good, powerful climate control.
Over the last few weeks, that hasn’t always been an option for people living in the Capay Valley, where frequent power outages have disrupted daily life in the heat of summer. A couple of residents reached out and told us about how the small, rural community has been affected.
Also this week, researchers released a report detailing the damage done to the Sacramento Valley’s aquifers during the last prolonged drought.
And the Elkhorn Fire Protection District was dissolved at the beginning of July after decades of service.
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
Frequent power outages disrupt daily life in the Capay Valley as PG&E investigates
PG&E said the number of outages is “not acceptable.” The causes of many remain unclear.
BY DANIEL HENNESSY | dhennessy@kvie.org
In short: A dozen power outages have hit the Capay Valley in the last two weeks. Residents say the outages have lasted for hours and disrupted daily life.
A bit more: Pacific Gas & Electric said that it is working on identifying the causes of the outages in the valley but that some were related to equipment failures or fallen tree branches.
NEWS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED
Researchers find permanent damage to Sacramento Valley groundwater storage
A small volunteer fire station goes quiet in Yolo County after decades of service
Inside the Sacramento region’s lone Venezuelan restaurant
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?
In Yolo County, the annual nut buying period begins Aug. 1 and lasts through Apr. 1, 2027.
During this period, county officials will be inspecting places where nuts are bought and sold to ensure they have been legally acquired and not stolen from orchards.
“During the nut buying period, anyone in possession of unprocessed almonds, walnuts or pistachios must have Proof of Ownership documentation. The documentation must remain with the nuts while they are in that person’s possession,” a county news release said.
Sellers can get proof of ownership forms at the Yolo County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office in Woodland.
HEARING FROM YOU
This week, I got coffee with Marc Hoshovsky, who lives in Davis and wrote a book called “Exploring the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument Region.”
Marc told me that the monument, which runs along Yolo County’s western edge, is a place geologists travel to from around the world. The region is one of the only places on the planet where one can see all three types of tectonic plate boundaries, as well as ocean crust that was pushed up onto the continent during the era of the dinosaurs.
Marc said that a trained eye can find rocks in local creeks that tell the entire geological history of central California.
It’s hot out there these days, but our conversation had me itching to lace up the hiking boots.
Thanks, Marc!
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.
- Marc Hoshovsky is giving a free talk about the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument at the Sacramento REI at 11 a.m. Aug. 1. “Beyond its scientific significance, the monument offers rugged beauty, diverse wildlife habitats, scenic hiking opportunities, and traces of California’s rich mining heritage waiting to be discovered,” the event description reads. More information can be found here.
- Hope Café is taking place at International House Davis at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 20. “Hope Café is a pause from everything happening in the world right now to connect with neighbors. It’s a little bit of a workshop, and a little bit of a party. Guests will experience live music alongside creative activities and guided conversations,” the press release said. More information can be found here.
- The Yolo County Fair is approaching fast! 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.
Daniel Hennessy is a reporter covering Yolo County for Abridged by PBS KVIE. He joined Abridged through the California Local News Fellowship.
