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Bird Rescue hosts different type of open house A3

Area athletes win titles at track and field finals B6

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DAILYREPUBLIC.COM | Well said. Well read.

Local FFA students earns Supreme Champion Steer at Dixon May Fair Susan Hiland

SHILAND@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

Aaron Rosenblatt/Daily Republic

Brett Atkinson stands in front of a 1956 Caterpillar D8-14A Series at the Dixon May Fair, Friday.

Caterpillar enthusiasts show off tractors, history at Kids Day

Daily Republic Staff DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

DIXON — The sounds of kids shouting and screeching – humans and goats, alike – carried across the hot, blue sky canopy of the Dixon May Fair on Friday. It was Kids Day at the fairgrounds, with temperatures rising into the low 90s. Brett Atkinson has been coming to the springtime fair for nearly 64 years, and as his family first planted its roots in the area in 1886, the first May Day celebra-

tion was held. And right around the time the Dixon May Fair got that moniker, Verne Atkinson had opened up his land leveling business (1955) using a 1943 RG Letourneau pull scraper – one of 24 pieces of farm equipment and construction pieces that were on display at the fair. That included “that little green thing,” as described by Ashly Taggart for her father’s FMC garden tractor, a 1946 Model A Bean Cutter. “I think it’s pretty cool,” Amberly Taggart said about seeing

her father’s tractor sitting among the other historical pieces. This was the first time the Antique Caterpillar Machinery Owners Club, Chapter 15, had shown their collection pieces at the fair. Atkinson had seven pieces on display, each personally restored. There were also pieces from Chapter 5 from the Petaluma area. Atkinson said it was a spur-ofthe-moment decision to go to the fair, but also a chance to promote the club and the local chapter. See Tractors, Page A12

DIXON — Payton King, 16, from Fairfield Rodriguez FFA, took the crown for Supreme Champion Steer. She had the best steer at the 2023 Dixon May Fair. This is King’s first steer showing for FFA and she was very pleased with the outcome of the day on Friday. She has been with 4-H since she was 6 years old and was showing other animals when she was 9. “I showed pigs for three years,” she said. This year she decided to go with a steer because her brother wanted to show one. “I liked the idea,” she said “It was something different. I have shown pigs before but never a steer.”

She wanted a quality animal and bought the steer from Baser Livestock in Lincoln. “I showed him in several jackpot shows,” she said. The jackpot shows are more intense competitions than the county fairs. “I like to see how well we do at those competitions,” she said. “You can win big money.” She did not win big money, but she did earn some bling. “I won a belt buckle at one of them,” she said as she flashed her prize Saturday at the livestock auction. Saturday was the day for her to say goodbye to her steer, which weighed in at 1326 pounds. She and her family waited See Steer, Page A12

Susan Hiland/Daily Republic

Payton King of Fairfield Rodriguez FFA holds her Supreme Champion Steer title at the 2023 Dixon May Fair, Saturday.

Vallejo councilwoman Verder-Aliga seeking state Senate post representation from Solano County,” she said while sitting at the CaymusVALLEJO — Rozzana Suisun Winery during a Verder-Aliga said it is tourism celebration event important the 3rd Dis- on Thursday. trict of the state Senate Verder-Aliga described be represented by a campaign platsomeone from form built around Solano County. improving mental After all, Solano health, homemakes up about lessness and 45% of the district, affordable housing. and the district Verder-Aliga encompasses has been an elected all of Solano. official for 27 years, So Verder-Aliga first with the Vallejo VERDER-ALIGA recently announced City school district, she is running for then the Solano County the seat currently held Board of Education and for by Sen. Bill Dodd, who the last nine years on the is terming out. He has Vallejo City Council. endorsed the Vallejo city She also has worked councilwoman. in the mental health field “It will be good to have for 35 years.

Daily Republic Staff

DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

Verder-Aliga defends the efforts of Vallejo to combat the issues on which she is running, noting that the city has an affordable housing project and a homeless navigation project in the works. “And we are the only city that has done that,” Verder-Aliga said. “We’ve come together, faced our challenges head

on, made city government work for its residents, and shown positive change can happen,” she stated in her election announcement. “Now, my goal is to reinvigorate the California Dream and strengthen the opportunities it promises its people in the state Senate. The scale of the issues is larger, but the principles are the same:

bring people together, find common ground, and move our communities forward to make people’s lives better,” Verder-Aliga added “That’s my focus and the type of leadership I’ll bring.” Verder-Aliga has doctorate and master’s degrees in Counseling Psychology and a bachelor’s in Music Education. She is a licensed marriage family therapist.

She is currently a senior Mental Health manager for Solano County Behavioral Health and responsible for managing the Vallejo, Fairfield and Vacaville Adult Integrated Outpatient Care Clinics. If she wins the seat, Verder-Aliga would be the first Filipino-American ever elected to the state Senate.

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