by Alan C. Miller

The showtimes for Monday March 31st – Thursday April 3rd are:  6:10pm & 8:40pm

The official summary is:

"OCTOBER 8th" offers a look at the explosion of antisemitism on college campuses, social media and in the streets of America beginning the day after the October 7th attack on Israel by Hamas. Through meticulous investigation, the film also uncovers how over decades, Hamas created sophisticated networks in America to permeate U.S. institutions and examines the tsunami of online antisemitism, propaganda, and disinformation unleashed by Iran, China and Russia – with the sole purpose of dividing American society.

I am sure some will dismiss this movie as "Isreael propaganda".  I've seen two single-showing pro-Palestine movies at The Varsity that could  be considered Palestinian propaganda.  Not that I didn't learn anything or that it is all BS, but of course the most effective propaganda contains mostly truths and leaves out truths not flattering to the propaganda side.  I did not consider "No Other Land" to be propaganda; it was about a particular situation from the effects of the settlements in the West Bank.  I have yet find anything convincing to morally justify the settlements.

I haven't seen "October 8th" yet, but will be seeing it this week.  From the clips I've seen, there is a parallel to what I felt on October 8th and the days following.  I had lived as we all have, knowing there were, as in the 40's, and through much of history, people out there who wanted to kill us for who we are, for some to kill all of us ---- with one or dozens killed in individual terrorist attacks over the last few decades.  I had only come into contact with real antisemitic hatred a few times, but it's really ugly when it happens directly, and astounding.  And it has been ramping up, and most white people don't get it.  I said that on purpose to get a rise; most non-Jews don't get it.

And then it happened.  1200 Jews killed, and hundreds dragged over the border.  I never thought I'd see an event of the mass slaughter of Jews reflecting of the Holocaust in my lifetime.  While not as massive, the genocidal intent and the hate was clear.

The next day, on October 8th, I had no expectation of the media and public reaction, but I was shocked by what occurred.  Why would I not hear mass mourning and understanding by so so many?  I heard calls for Israel to 'stop the genocide', still weeks before Gaza was invaded, with no recognition of the genocidal attack that had just occurred.  Multiple independent news sources that I trusted and hosts I admired suddenly turned with narratives that bordered on or were outright antisemitic.  1200 Jews had just been killed, and the term 'Zionist' was now being openly used with the same tone as 'Nazi' by large swaths of the public and even some media outlets -- Israelis were even being called Nazis.

I was watching Israeli media directly as much as possible.  The day after the "40 beheaded babies" story broke, the story was debunked in Israel.  Yet days later our President (Biden) repeated it (why??? @#$%&!).  Then for months this group, suddenly empowered in the media, the 'anti-Zionists', including anti-Zionist Jews, began repeating the 40 beheaded babies story as a lie told by Israel, even though it had been debunked the next day in Israeli media.

And the most heinous lie of all - summed up by many as "Listen to all Women, Unless they are Jewish".  The anti-Zionists spreading information that there were no rapes.  One of the darkest things I ever witnessed was -- just a few days after October 7th -- two hours of interviews with a team of women who had prepared the bodies of the women slaughtered at the Nova Festival for respectable and fast Jewish burial.  This wasn't propaganda -- there wasn't even time to have orchestrated such a thing -- these were women who had traveled to help out due to the massiveness of the task.  They described the burns, the semen stains, the broken bones and pelvises, the severed limbs.

And then -- journalists I respected said it was all a lie -- there were no rapes.  Some say it to this day.  I believe the NY Tines didn't get it all right, but that doesn't mean there were no rapes.  And this just a handful of years after 'Me Too'.  And all this macro-hate directed at Jews when just a few years earlier we were told of the evil of 'micro-agressions'.

I've made it a point to listen to both sides, to all sides, and seek to watch every pro-Palestine movie that comes through, to fully understand, if not to agree.  And yes, criticism of Israel is more than valid, it's a right and necessary.  I am not a fan of Netanyahu nor the West Bank settlements and Israel deserves much criticism.  But the outright double-standard used against Jews, and the hate, that has to be recognized by more Americans for what it is, as it isn't going away.

So this may be propaganda in some people's eyes, and maybe it is.  As I said, I haven't seen it yet.  But I make it a point to see what is put out by all sides on this issue.  I hope you will too.

Hamdan Ballal (left) jointly won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature for "No Other Land" earlier this month. (Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images)

By Scott Steward

The film "No Other Land," showing at the Davis Varsity for three more nights, does not answer the questions about why we are all suffering this terrible attempt at erasing Palestine.  It does show the result of hatred between the Israelis and the Palestinians.  It does not show why this colonial act of creating a state of Israel saturates US society or why we are funding this genocide if Israel is an independent state. 

It begins to show what peace could look like, and for the crime of showing the reality on the ground in Palestine and for showing what peace could look like, Israelis beat Academy Award-winning director Hamdan Ballal nearly to death when he arrived back in his homeland yesterday.

Now showing at the Davis Varsity Theater.  The people who might be most opposed to this film are the people who most need to see it.  Do we keep paying for the killing, or do we stop?

"No Other Land" shows 6:30 and 8:30 tonight through Thursday.

Patrons enjoy the first Picnic in the Park of the 2024 season. The annual Davis Farmers Market tradition returns in May, and runs every Wednesday through September from 4 to 8 p.m. in Central Park. (Wendy Weitzel/Courtesy photos)

(From press release) The music, food and family fun of Picnic in the Park returns to the Davis Farmers Market on Wednesday, May 7.

The popular event is every Wednesday from 4 to 8 p.m., May through September. A local band plays each night. There’s children’s entertainment, loads of food vendors, and plenty of opportunity to gather as a community. October through April, there’s a traditional farmers market on Wednesdays, from 3 to 6 p.m.

Bands on the 2025 Picnic in the Park schedule are: Cold Shot (dance party) on May 7; Kindred Spirits (folk rock) on May 14; The Teds (rock) on May 21; According to Bazooka (indie, folk, pop) on May 28; The Geoffrey Miller Band (rockabilly) on June 4; 5-Star Alcatraz (indie, alt rock) on June 11; Julie and the Jukes (classic blues) on June 18; Now and Then (“back in the day” covers) on June 25; The Hey Nows (folk rock, Americana) on July 2; It’s About Time (big band) on July 9; Stout Rebellion (Irish folk with a rock edge) on July 16; Vaca Jazz Society (big-band jazz) on July 23; Katalysst (indie folk rock) on July 30; Island Crew (beach tunes) on Aug. 6; The Ron Goldberg Quartet (classic covers) on Aug. 13; Wealth of Nations (classic rock, acoustic) on Aug. 20; New Harmony Jazz Band (big-band jazz) on Aug. 27; Odd Man Out (folk rock) on Sept. 3; The Teds (singable, danceable rock) on Sept. 10; sKeTcHy (rock, pop, folk) on Sept. 17; and Penny Lane (Beatles covers) on Sept. 24.

(From press release) Minority Leader Schumer, as chair of the Democratic Caucus in the Senate, broke with the vast majority of his caucus to allow a GOP funding bill to advance, without any restrictions on the ongoing efforts from Donald Trump and Elon Musk to dismantle the federal government. Indivisible Yolo issued the following statement:

Under Senator Chuck Schumer’s Leadership, Senate Democrats just surrendered a rare moment of leverage to rein in the chaos and harm of Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Congressional Republicans. By voting to advance the GOP government funding bill, rather than demanding anything in return, Schumer handed more power to the extremists destroying the government. This was not just a strategic mistake – it was a demonstration that Schumer is not prepared to lead the Democratic opposition to fascism and protect our democracy. We thank him for his years of service, and call on him to step aside as minority leader.

After working hard throughout 2024 to flip Republican Congressional seats in California, including playing a key role in the razor-close win in nearby CA-13, Indivisible Yolo members were shocked and dismayed by the November results. We quickly pivoted to resisting the fascist Trump agenda however we could.

Specifically, we contacted our Senators many times to urge them to use the leverage provided by Senate rules – particularly the filibuster which had been used against progressive legislation so often in the past – to avoid or mitigate the damage caused by Republicans. We are very grateful to Senator Padilla and Senator Schiff for recognizing the stakes and voting “no” on March 14. Despite a “no” vote by nearly 80% of the Democratic caucus, Senator Schumer surrendered to the Republicans and thereby authorized nine other Senators to vote yes. We feel cheated by the losses we suffered due to the filibuster being used against us in the past, and betrayed by Senator Schumer’s refusal to use the filibuster when we needed it to save democracy. The first branch of government now is merely an advisory body and we are deprived of our democratic representation while being subjected to the tyrannical oppression of the Trump administration.

By Alan Hirsch

Below is the core of Caltrans press release issued Wednesday 3/12 at 3:28pm announcing postponement of the Eastbound 50 Freeway in West Sac closure for this weekend. They say indefinitely—but it could be forever as they may figure out how to do the pavement rehab work while keeping some of regular 3 lanes up.

But if they reschedule total closure another weekend later in March, drivers will have to contend traffic from with opening of the A’s and River cat baseball season to Sutter Health Park.

This will may push out the work… and could conflict with the schedule to begin work to widened i-80 with toll lane- which is set to begin just next month. The Toll Lane construction work - Phase I of it-- will continue into 2028.

For previous articles on evolving (potential) freeway closure, click here , here2.and here3. 

Note the bike lane will also be continue thru Monday 3/17 next week- but could go longer as Caltrans notes unhelpfully “weather permitting”.

Editorial: This indefinite postponement could be due to pushbacks to Caltrans from local city council members and state representatives- after receiving calls from constituents. We will likely never know.  It is strange the freeway closure was not announced or discussed during YoloTD board meetings even though Caltrans was present - only in public comment. One wonders, for example, if there will be a total west bound closure too.

Double Bridge-Freeway shutdown to hit West Sac

By Alan Hirsch, Yolo Mobility

Seen Friday in West Sacramento at the tower bridge

Both US 50 freeway in West Sac and the Tower Bridge look to be 100% shut down for periods this coming weekend. Combine this with likely congestion on Jefferson  blvd  entrance to 50 where freeway reopens, this could be a perfect storm for residents of West Sac who may not be able to leave their neighborhoods due to cut-thru Freeway traffic congesting local streets, a detour Caltrans suggests for freeway drivers in its press releases. Caltrans press release seems unaware the Tower bridge will also be shut for a charity event both Saturday and Sunday AM until 1pm.

As reported previously here and here are reprinted Caltrans press releases reporting, east bound highway 50 freeway will be closed in West Sac from the 50-80 split at Enterprise Blvd to Jefferson Blvd. This beginning next Friday 3/14  at 9pm thru Monday, and opening only Tuesday 3/18  at 5am. This is for Caltrans pavement rehab work and is not related to widening to add the I-80 Yolo toll lane, whose construction is yet to begin. The press release seems to indicate east bound drivers can still go north on I-80 at the split to Natomas.

(note- as told to me Monday night at YoloTD meeting, US 50 shut it may yet be put back again to another weekend-—when it will conflict with Baseball season openers at Sutter Health field.)

By Alan “Lorax” Hirsch

About 1500 people attended the science rally Friday March 7th at the Sacramento state capitol — 1/3 carrying unique home made signs. Who says scientists are not creative?! Evidence of people from UC Merced, Sac State, government agencies and of course UC Davis.

Davis’s Beth Bourne seemed the only counter protestor. She was escorted off capitol grounds to the street side sidewalk by CHiP officers because of her disruptive chanting.

Commentary by Heather Caswell with Jonathan Greenberg

Our decision to threaten the City of Davis with a class action lawsuit on behalf of members of the Downtown Davis Business Association (DDBA) was not made easily, or quickly. For years, an organization that was created to support the interests of hundreds of dues-paying businesses has instead been co-opted to support controversial political positions promoted by the Davis City Council, as detailed below.

As stated in the California Supreme Court’s landmark 1976 Stanson v. Mott decision, a “fundamental precept of this nation’s democratic electoral process is that the government may not ‘take sides’ in election contests or bestow an unfair advantage on one of several competing factions.”

This means that it would be illegal if the Davis City Council, even indirectly, allowed a special tax dedicated to promoting the interest of downtown businesses be used to promote political speech benefiting city council positions on public initiatives.

We believe that this is what the DDBA has done,  through an unaccountable board of directors, which holds its power through irregular and potentially illegal elections

The DDBA has done this through an un-accountable board of directors, which holds its power through irregular and potentially illegal elections. Fewer than 10% of the organization's members voted in the January 23 election that I ran in. Three quarters of the dozens of DDBA businesses that I spoke to never received email notifications of the election. Not a single one was notified by the organization that they could run for its board. And at a time when all DDBA Board meetings are held over zoom, members, for no good reason, were required to vote in person within a one hour period, instead of online, at their convenience.

When Ezra Beeman and I ran to help create a more responsive board, the existing board members and the DDBA Executive Director colluded to change the election rules at the last minute, while they selectively recruited other former board members to show up to run or vote against us. Without any mention during the board meetings prior to the election, they added four seats to the seven member board two days before the election (the DDBA website today still states that they are a seven member board). They then delayed the printing of ballots for three days to print them just hours before the election, so that the names of their friendly candidates could be included.

EB US 50 Closed Friday 3/14 9pm to Tues 3/18 5am

(Weekday Causeway Bike Path closure also)

By Caltrans & Alan Hirsch  

Released Wed. 3/5 begin: “Caltrans is alerting motorists that this weekend’s extended connector closure for the ongoing Yolo Interstate 80 (I-80) and U.S. Highway 50 (US-50) Pavement Rehabilitation Project has been postponed (emphasis added) because of the weather forecast for rain and cold temperatures. The work has been rescheduled for the following weekend.”

AH Annotation #1: What Caltrans means to say is US 50 east bound in West Sac from I-80 split to Jefferson Ave will be 100% closed Friday 9pm thru Tuesday 5am 3/14 thu 3/18- a week later than stated in previous press release. Please use local streets in West Sacramento instead. “expect delays”. (see below)

AH Annotation #2: The Yolo Causeway bicycle path also is scheduled to be closed all next week for repair work. Caltrans are not- but should be  --providing a bus “bike bridge” for that period. They bury this in press release.

AH Annotation #3: This was announced late last week for this weekend but has been delayed by a decision of Caltrans and contractor.  That this will cause a major inconvenience to local residents & Tahoe traffic – who are likely planning their life around closure. This closure will also cause cut-thru traffic on local streets in all three Yolo County cities. Caltrans is even suggesting drivers use local street in West Sac as alternative to the 3 lane freeway. See below.

AH Annotation #4. If you think Caltrans is treating public cavalierly, write “Chair and member, Yolo Transportation District board (YoloTD) and tell them at link below. Public has complained to board in the past about lack of information from Caltrans on I-80 construction. YoloTD gave Caltrans $100million to”fix” i-80 in May of 2024. clerk YoloTD [email protected]

Attorney Roger Dreyer Calls Out the City’s Failure to Take Responsibility Until the Last Minute

For Immediate Release: Kellie DeMarco

Woodland, CA — After a Yolo County jury unanimously found the City of Davis fully responsible for the tragic death of Jennifer Comey, a wife and mother killed by a falling tree limb in a city park sandbox next to her toddler, the City immediately pushed out a carefully crafted press release in an effort to control the narrative. But here’s what they aren’t telling the public.

For four years, the City of Davis denied responsibility, instead blaming private contractor DRG Inc. for the tragedy. It wasn’t until one week before trial ended—a clear PR stunt—that the City finally admitted fault while continuing to point fingers at DRG. However, the jury saw through the City’s tactics and ruled unanimously (12–0) that DRG was not responsible in any way. Instead, the jury held Davis 100% accountable for failing to inspect and maintain its own trees.

“What was most impressive about this case is that the jury was not distracted by the misleading tactics of the attorneys for the City,” said Roger Dreyer, attorney for the Pitts family. “They focused on the devastating loss this family has endured. This jury’s decision was a remarkable demonstration of how citizens do their job for the public.”

THE FACTS THE CITY WON’T SHARE

Expect cut thru traffic in Davis, Woodland, West Sac

By Alan “Lorax” Hirsch & Caltrans

Official Caltrans map routing Freeway Traffic onto local streets in West Sac

The essence of Thursdays Caltrans press release is simple, but its repercussions to hundreds of thousands of people are wider ranging: “I-50 east bound to Sacto in West Sacramento will be 100% closed (after the split) for 3 1/2 days, from Fri. 3/7 9pm to Tues. 3/11 5am.

Its impacts will be felt by hundreds of thousands of travelers- including Sac airport users from Yolo/Solano now facing congestion on I-5 causeway, workers on Monday, and of course Tahoe vacationers on Friday & Saturday. Those dependent on the bus will also be affected:

80,000 cars cross the Yolo causeway-- each direction -- every day.

There will also be an impact on local travel inside Davis, West Sacramento, and Woodland.  Local residents can expect cut thru traffic delays as, traffic is likely to backup over the causeway deep into Davis and traffic will cut up Pole Line and 113 and backup the I-5 Causeway to the airport as has happen on other occasions. And of course south Mace in Davis will likely be effected.  West Sac travel on West Capitol and Industrial & Jefferson will be “affected” as they parallel the closed freeway section- as will Yolo buses that use this segment.