enterprise THE DAVIS
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2022
Garamendi: ‘We may lose our democracy’
Traces in the desert Davis-based anthropologists find ancient footprints in Utah By Aaron Geerts Enterprise staff writer
By Caleb Hampton
The Far Western Anthropological Research Group (FWARG) recently made history with the discovery of 12,000-year-old human footprints in Utah. With their HQ based here in Davis, the group has been wiping the dirt off our understanding of human history since 1979. Back in July, the company principal at the Henderson office, Daron Duke, and Tommy Urban, a research scientist from Cornell University, were driving to a dig site at an Air Force base in Utah. Whether it was serendipitous timing, fate or otherwise, Urban glanced out into the desert and spotted what he thought was a footprint. Upon further inspection, they discovered 88 total prints in the vicinity. Although the men weren’t positive if they were human footprints, after some careful research of stride length, size and radiocarbon dating, they now believe the prints do,
Enterprise staff writer
See TRACES, Back page
Daron Duke/Courtesy photo
Anthropologist Daron Duke gets up close and personal with a 12,000-year-old footprint in the Utah desert, one of 88 in the unprecedented find.
On Wednesday, in an hourlong talk at the UC Davis School of Law, Rep. John Garamendi, D-Walnut Grove, delivered a stark warning that the United States’ democracy is under threat. “You have a republic, if you can keep it,” he said in his opening remarks, quoting Benjamin Franklin. “There’s no guarantees,” the congressman said. “There’s no guarantee that American democracy will survive.” Garamendi’s talk, titled “Reflections on Protecting Democracy,” was scheduled weeks ago, but came days after President Joe Biden made similar warnings in a televised speech in Philadelphia. “Equality and democracy are under assault,” Biden said. “We do ourselves no favor to pretend otherwise.” After the 2020 election, it was widely reported that Trump pressured election officials to “find votes” for him or invalidate results that favored President Biden. That effort failed. However, since then, the Republican Party has passed new state laws and gotten Trump loyalists
See GARAMENDI, Back page
Vegetation to be thinned out along Putah Creek By Anne Ternus-Bellamy Enterprise staff writer The city of Davis and Yolo County have announced a partnership to thin vegetation in the North Fork Putah Creek Wildfire Risk Reduction Project along the Putah Creek pathway between Drummond Avenue and Mace Boulevard. The project — set to begin Monday — will be implemented by the California Conservation Corps at no cost to either the city or the county and comes under order from Davis Fire Marshall Patrick Sandholdt, who said, “It is prudent to
VOL. 124, NO. 109
INDEX
Business ���������� A3 Forum ������������� B2 Op-Ed ��������������B3 Classifieds ������B5 Living ���������������� A5 Sports ��������������B1 Comics ������������B4 Obituaries ��������B5 The Wary I �������� A2
thin the area of vegetation near to homes to reduce the risk of wildfire.” A press release from the county said every precaution will be taken to mitigate impact on wildlife. “The project team has trained wildlife spotters, who monitor trees and the work area for animal habitat, to assist the effort,” the county said. “The city of Davis wildlife specialist will also perform an inspection of the area, and the project work is occurring outside
See VEGETATION, Page A4
WEATHER
Courtesy graphic
Recology rolls out new garbage carts By Anne Ternus-Bellamy
under SB 1383.
Enterprise staff writer
That law aims to slow climate change by reducing methane gas, including the methane emissions from landfills that are caused by decomposing organic materials (paper, cardboard, yard materials, food waste). In order to make sure these materials stay
Davis residents will soon be seeing garbage and recycling carts in new colors. The city announced Friday that Recology’s new cart colors — blue, green and gray — are part of the ongoing implementation of new state regulations
out of landfills, SB 1383 contains strict laws regarding waste sorting, including what color waste collection containers must be used statewide. The regulations require all new waste hauler collection containers statewide to be color-coded (either just
HOW TO REACH US
Today: Partly sunny www.davisenterprise.com and warm. Main line: 530-756-0800 High 92. Low 64. Circulation: 530-756-0826
http://facebook.com/ TheDavisEnterpriseNewspaper http://twitter.com/D_Enterprise
See GARBAGE, Page A4
SUNDAY • $1.50