enterprise THE DAVIS
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2022
Fatal UCD collision under Yolo DA’s review
Clinical lab scientist Bryan Dzebkowski works with COVID-19 test samples in a lab at the Sonoma County Department of Public Health on June 8, 2021. Dzebkowski was hired by the department specifically to work with COVID-19 tests.
By Lauren Keene Enterprise staff writer
Health to do just that, but Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed it in September, citing increased investments already made in public health during this budget cycle. “I believe we should turn our focus to utilizing the resources received in the Budget for this transformation, which calls for immediate action on recruitment and hiring to support a modern and innovative public health system,” Newsom’s veto message states. Many of his
Nearly five months have passed since UC Davis student Trisha Nicole Yasay died of injuries sustained in an on-campus collision with a garbage truck. Last week, the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office released an autopsy report that says blunt-force injuries caused Yasay’s May 25 death. The results of the police investigation into the fatal collision, however, have yet to be released. UCD police initially responded to the crash scene but turned over the probe to the Davis Police Department’s Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team because of the advanced technology available to that unit. MAIT officers completed their report in late August and, because it involved a death, forwarded the matter over to the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office to determine whether anyone should face criminal liability for Yasay’s death. “We have the case and it’s under review,” Chief Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Raven confirmed Friday, adding that his office has been in
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Anne Wernikoff/ CalMatters photo
Public-health boost: Was it enough? By Kristen Hwang CalMatters A two-year search for a laboratory director. Sixty-three retirements or resignations of county public health leaders since the COVID19 pandemic began. More than 100 current public health nursing vacancies. It’s evident that California’s public health workforce is tired, strained and under-resourced after a prolonged response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but
what’s not clear is exactly how hamstrung it has become — and how prepared it is for a future emergency. The pandemic brought an unprecedented influx of money to public health and a $300 million annual state budget commitment, but whether the cash is enough to make up for long-time shortages is uncertain. “It’s been a long time since anyone has paid attention to (public health),” Long Beach Health and Human Services Director Kelly Colopy said.
“Our funding is supposed to be about planning for future emergencies, but there’s no money to respond until after it’s happened.” To address the long-term workforce and infrastructure needs, a coalition of local health departments has been calling on the state to perform a comprehensive workforce study to make recommendations for adequate resources. The Legislature approved a measure that would have required the California Department of Public
Teachers keep up push for higher pay By Aaron Geerts Enterprise staff writer The teachers of the DJUSD have lost zero resolve in their struggle for higher wages since the last School Board meeting. While important updates of happenings around the district were given at the Thursday gathering, the wage issue loomed over all like rain cloud. Prior to the meeting, more than 200 certificated and classified staff members of the DTA and CSEA met at Central Park. They marched together to the meeting at the Community Chambers and continued to advocate for not only higher wages, but the best for the DJUSD students.
VOL. 124, NO. 128
INDEX
Business ���������� A5 Forum ������������� B2 Op-Ed ��������������B3 Classifieds ������B7 Living ����������������B4 Sports ��������������B1 Comics ������������B5 Obituaries �������� A4 The Wary I �������� A2
The public comment section of the meeting was filled with discontented DJUSD teachers who continuing to push for increased wages. They came prepared with various facts, statistics and reasons why their wages should increase. From attracting and retaining quality educators to comparing DJUSD wages to neighboring districts as well as struggling to afford to live where they work, the teachers let their voices be heard. “I too have the same question as the gentleman a couple weeks ago,” said California Employee Association President, Sande Royval. “‘When is a good time to make historic
WEATHER Today: Sunny and breezy. High 69. Low 48.
moves on our wages and benefits?’ It’s now. The storm is here and we’re all feeling it. “Now’s not the time to be conservative. We hear about fiscal solvency, and where’s ours? How do we find fiscal solvency working for DJUSD? Districts around us have a higher ADA, their LCAP is different, we hear that all the time. Davis is always going to be in the situation we’re in. I’ve lived here for 62 years in this affluent district. We’re always going to be affluent unless the university crumbles and the housing markets fail. We’re going to have the same
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Yolo supes mull funding for Davis Downtown Streets Team By Anne Ternus-Bellamy Enterprise staff writer One week after the Davis City Council approved spending $380,000 for a pilot Downtown Streets Team program, the county Board of Supervisors will consider a matching grant. That match — which would come out of county American Rescue Plan funds — would extend the pilot project from one year to two. County supervisors will consider the proposal at their meeting on Tuesday. Last Tuesday, the City Council unanimously
approved the project and authorized both cannabis community benefit funds as well as ARP dollars to fund it. A Downtown Streets Team has been a priority for the Davis Downtown Business Association, as it serves multiple purposes, from the short-term (beautifying downtown) to the longterm (addressing homelessness). The program utilizes a volunteer work model under which teams of unhoused residents clean up high-visibility areas of downtown and, in exchange, receive case
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