Housing & Development · Davis, CA
Davis voters will decide in the November election whether to approve Measure W, which would amend the city's general plan to allow the 232-acre Willowgrove development near the Wildhorse neighborhood and East Covell Boulevard. The proposal includes 1,250 homes—43% designated as affordable—with single-family units, apartments, a community park, and potential retail space, while preserving 374 acres of Bullseye Farms farmland. The developer has committed a $6.8 million donation for affordable housing and park construction, plus fair-share funding for traffic and infrastructure improvements. The land lies primarily outside Davis city limits and would require Yolo County LAFCO approval for annexation. Measure W received unanimous support from the Davis Planning Commission and City Council, with no formal opposition listed on the city's website.
Local Politics · Davis, CA
The Davis City Council voted at its Oct. 6 meeting to amend the municipal code and establish Davis Power, an inactive city-owned electric utility intended to serve new developments through a process called greenfield municipalization. The utility would build its own infrastructure for new neighborhoods rather than connecting them to PG&E's existing system, potentially charging residents about half what investor-owned utilities charge. Establishing the inactive utility costs less than $200,000, but full build-out could exceed $25 million and take years, with financing through loans, bonds, and developer contributions. The move follows a 20-year effort since Davis voters first supported replacing PG&E with public power.
Local Politics · Yolo County
The Yolo County Board of Supervisors received an overview of the 2026-29 Yolo County Plan to Address Homelessness on Tuesday. The 2026 Point-in-Time count identified 912 people experiencing homelessness in Yolo County on Jan. 27, with 358 in West Sacramento, 320 in Woodland, 194 in Davis, and 40 in Winters and rural areas; 65.4 percent were unsheltered. County staff cited depleted resources, staffing shortfalls, a lack of affordable housing, insufficient services, and reduced shelter capacity as key challenges. Board Chair Sheila Allen raised concerns about potential effects of H.R. 1 on access to services for people experiencing homelessness. The plan outlines goals including strengthening crisis response systems, increasing permanent affordable housing, improving health-care-to-housing connections, and enhancing countywide coordination.
Education · Davis, CA
UC Davis received $953 million in external research awards for 2025-2026, down slightly from $961 million the prior year, according to data released Tuesday. Federal funding grew 10% while state funding dropped from $209 million to $105 million, a decline attributed partly to multi-year awards being allocated as lump sums. Industry partners added an additional $53 million in research awards, offsetting the state reduction. The School of Medicine received a record-high $439 million, and researchers are pursuing projects including neurotoxicity measurement of airborne nanoplastics and AI-integrated STEM teacher training.
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Crime · Davis, CA
Beth Bourne, chair of Yolo County Moms for Liberty and a candidate for the Davis school board, was arrested Tuesday afternoon in Sonoma on suspicion of trespassing at Sonoma Valley High School during a counter-protest of a student walkout over the removal of a pride flag. Sonoma Police Chief Brandon Cutting said Bourne returned to school property after being warned she would be arrested, leading to her booking into Sonoma County jail shortly after 3:30 p.m. on a misdemeanor charge. Bourne's arraignment was scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Thursday in Sonoma Superior Court. Separately, Bourne is due Monday morning in Yolo Superior Court for arraignment on two misdemeanor counts of disobeying a civil harassment restraining order obtained by Davis parent Jessica Murray; Yolo County District Attorney Melinda Aiello confirmed the office is proceeding with that case.
Education · Davis, CA
The CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Board of Managers has officially approved Davis High School's football program as a member of the Greater Sacramento League for the 2026 and 2027 seasons. While the Blue Devils will remain in the Sierra Foothill League for other sports, the football team is eligible to compete for the league title and earn All-League recognition during this period. However, the team is ineligible for SJS playoff berths or bowl games in these years due to its previous independent status. The section has also proposed a 2028-32 realignment that would move Davis football to the Delta League - Valley Tier.
Community News · Davis, CA
OLE Health opened a new community garden at the Davis Community Clinic on Oct. 7, completing a network of gardens at every OLE comprehensive health center in Yolo County. The project was funded and land-supported by Sutter Health, which has invested over $3.5 million since 2021 in OLE's food and wellness initiatives. The garden provides patients access to fresh produce, nutrition education, cooking classes, and wellness resources; OLE has harvested more than 15,000 pounds of produce at its Yolo County sites since 2021. The opening ceremony included remarks from OLE CEO Alicia Hardy, Sutter Davis Hospital CEO Michael Cureton, and Yolo County District 4 Supervisor Sheila Allen, followed by a ribbon-cutting with the Davis Chamber of Commerce.
