The following is the Aug. 19 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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Hey, it’s Daniel! Let’s dive in.
I have to say, the Yolo County Fair is the best I’ve been to.
My wife, a friend and I spent Friday evening at the fairgrounds, and it lived up to the hype. Between sweet, cinnamon Yolo rolls (which I’m still dreaming about), Holy Rosary’s famous tacos and funnel cake, we were happily full as we remarked at the well-proportioned beauty of 4-H and FFA livestock and delighted at the speed of the racing pigs.
But the highlight of the night was the destruction derby. I’m not usually an excitable guy, but the sight of reinforced trucks crashing into each other at surprisingly fast speeds had me on the edge of my seat.
When a truck would make a run from across the arena, beelining for an opponent, I found myself pointing and shouting in my wife’s ear, “Here comes a crash!” Then she’d politely remind me that she was watching the same thing I was.
This week, we’re starting in Davis, where leaders are considering tweaking regulations around outdoor dining facilities downtown.
Thanks to contributor Phillip Reese, we also take a look at the growing teacher count in the Sacramento region. Student-to-teacher ratios have fallen over the last six years in the area’s largest districts, including Woodland and Davis.
And with lots of talk about this year’s El Niño and the amount of precipitation it will bring, we’ll revisit a recent study about groundwater in the Sacramento Valley.
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 considers extending deadline for downtown businesses with outdoor dining
Many restaurants will need to submit site plans and get permits.
BY DANIEL HENNESSY | dhennessy@kvie.org
In short: The Davis City Council on Tuesday continued the discussion on changes to the Downtown Dining Program Ordinance until Sept. 1.
A bit more: The ordinance went into effect last year, establishing a process to consistently regulate outdoor dining in downtown. Three G Street businesses are in the program now, but staff said more time is needed to bring others into compliance.
NEWS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED
Sacramento-area schools grew teacher count by 11% amid recent wave of new hires
Researchers find permanent damage to Sacramento Valley groundwater storage
Where did the birds go? Once-abundant wetlands are drying up after federal staff cutbacks
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 checked in with Joe Coelho, who works for American Pistachio Growers, a trade association for pistachio farmers.
Joe said that demand for pistachios, especially in California, is the highest he’s ever seen it. At the same time, he anticipates this year’s pistachio yields to be low due to unseasonable spring heat.
Pistachio trees like it cold during the winter months and warm weather can cause them to produce blanks, or buds with no nuts.
Statewide, Joe is expecting a yield that is almost half of what it would be in a good year.
Usually, a down year means trees will overproduce the following year, but that is not a guarantee.
When pistachio trees are planted, it takes five to seven years before a farmer can get a return. Almond trees are closer to 18 months.
HEARING FROM YOU
This week, we’re highlighting a response from Janet Foley in Davis to last week’s story about the Yolo Causeway.
“The main thing I wanted to highlight after the article about the Yolo Causeway (and I-50) construction is that it has been more than a nuisance. It’s been DANGEROUS, constantly changing, hard to see temporary lane markings, construction debris, I believe people have died due to this and it’s certainly been harrowing. Honestly, I prefer the bumper to bumper than people and trucks hurtling down lanes they can’t see at 60 miles an hour.”
Thanks for sharing, Janet. Our local freeways loom large in daily life, and we’ll do our best to keep you up to speed on developments.
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 Yolo County Office of Education and Woodland Public Library are hosting a free, nine-week evening course for aspiring entrepreneurs. The course will include guest speakers, hands-on instruction, mentorship and networking opportunities. There is an information and registration session at Square One Maker Space 6:30-8 p.m. Aug. 25 and the class will run every Tuesday and Thursday starting Sept. 1. More information can be found here.
- The Yolo County Office of Education is seeking input on a new name for Community School in Woodland, formerly named César Chavez Community School. The link to provide input can be found here.
- The Classic Car and Truck Show hosted by the Friends of the Yolo Branch Library will happen from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 22. More than 100 classic cars and trucks will be on display at the Yolo Branch Library, along with fire trucks, tractors and engines. More information can be found here.
- Local author Kate Washington is providing a reading and signing of her new book “Midstream: A Life Remade in 50 Swims,” at the Arthur F Turner Community Library in West Sacramento. 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.
See you around,
