Springtime Ruminations from Dobbins Stadium

It’s the bottom of the 2^nd inning of the UC Davis vs. Saint Mary’s afternoon baseball game at Dobbins Stadium and I’m reveling in spring.  The Aggies are now tied 2-2 with a great line drive from #7 Scott Heylman that brought in a runner from third base.  A brisk wind is blowing from the north-west, rain clouds threaten on the horizon and green growth glows under an ever strengthening sun.

Yeah, great day at the "office"! Thanks for asking.

The metallic ping of an aluminum bat striking a baseball isn’t quite as satisfying as the full throated crack of a wooden bat connecting with it’s goal, but the ping brings back warm memories of playing Little League and watching the other Aggies with my dad.

I learned the art of watching live baseball with my pops… once you’re settled in, it’s quite all right to peruse the newspaper, chat up your neighbor or work on a crossword puzzle as long as your head jerks to attention when bat connects to ball.

So today, while supporting our local college ball club, enjoying a brisk spring day outside, and honoring the memory of my father, I thought I’d put fingers to keyboard and bring you some spring time ruminations live from Dobbins Stadium.

I was a parent-approved truant… My parents wouldn’t have been shocked or angered by the recent truancy letter that went out to DJUSD parents of children who had more than 3 unapproved absences, though they surely would have received one every year I was in school… and for many years, my mom was the school guidance counselor!  Not only did we go on family vacations on school days, but my dad regularly rewarded my good grades by checking me out of school early for trips to the baseball stadium and sometimes, to go to the barbershop.

Where are all of the candidates? The 2010 Election is shaping up to be  a lot less exciting than 2008.  Don Saylor scared off all challengers to the Yolo County District 2 Supervisor’s seat being vacated by long-time public servant Helen Thomson.  Incumbent Assemblymember Mariko Yamada will not face a serious challenger for her seat.  Out of all the County positions, all of the incumbents are running again and going unchallenged except for widely respected Public Guardian Cass Sylvia (nice website, Cass!)

So, the only lawn signs that should be sprouting are for our 5 City Council candidates that are vying for 2 seats (and a possible appointment after Saylor vacates his seat in January 2011): Joe Krovoza, Jon Li, Rochelle Swanson, Sydney Vergis and Daniel Watts.  Interesting notes: this will be the first time in recent memory that a seat will most likely be won by a political novice… at last week’s Farmers Market, many of us remarked that all of our council candidates should be ashamed for still not showing their faces at our most hallowed weekly civic gathering… The Davis Chamber of Commerce will host the first Candidate’s Forum on April 6^th, 11:45am at the Odd Fellow’s Hall, tickets are $25 for non-members and include lunch, call 756-5160 to buy your tickets.

Measure Q will renew the local half-cent sales tax and the measure’s most vocal opponents have had the rug pulled out from under them with the recent reorganization announced by the City Manager that looks to make some deep and long-term cuts to our underfunded budget.

Measure R will renew the “Citizens’ Right to Vote on Future Use of Open Space and Agricultural Lands”, originally known as Measure J.  I’m left wondering why my right to vote on the City’s plans to pave over our beloved Civic Center Park has been left out…

Speaking of protecting open space… Measure O was passed by over 70% of the citizenry in 2000 and generates about $600,000 per year in property taxes to protect Davis from urban sprawl and save our agricultural heritage from the very real danger of rural ranchette development.  For some reason or another, several local folks believe that this program is a waste of money… this spring, we’ll bring you lots of information about Measure O this spring that proves those naysayers just flat wrong.

One fiber to rule them all… The community rallied around a proposal to bring the Google Fiber for Communities pilot project to Davis… kudos to all of those who volunteered their time and energy.

For those of you wondering, at the bottom of the 5^th with bases loaded and one out, the Aggies are down 2 to 4… #19 Eric Johnson swings big with an easily caught pop-fly to right field and brings in a runner to home base…

With spring comes more than just baseball and election season.  We’ll also be bringing you all the information you can handle on vegetable gardening, cooking with local produce, behind the scenes at our favorite  events and the details on how the new Health Care reforms affect our county government.  Want to write about something we’re neglecting? Write it!  Think that we should pay more attention to something important? Let us know in the comments below.

And now, tied 4-4 in the bottom of the ninth, the win is the Aggies for the taking… and sophomore David Popkins grounds out to bring in shortstop and new leadoff batter Justin Schafer for a UC Davis win, 5 to 4… Go Ags!