A grass fire along Highway 113 adjacent to the northbound off-ramp to Hutchison Drive burned 2 to 3 acres and resulted in heat damage to five vehicles parked in Lot 57 this morning (Oct. 30).

The fire report came in to the UC Davis and Davis fire departments just before 10 a.m., and both responded. Crews extinguished the fire by about 11:15 a.m.

Authorities closed the Hutchison Drive off-ramp temporarily closed and cut power to the area, although the outage did not affect any buildings. Assistant Fire Chief Nate Hartinger said one of the vehicles sustained severe damage, which was worse than the others. Light poles and a power pole also sustained damage and were being assessed by Facilities Management.

The fire occurred on a day with a red flag warning, indicating windy conditions and low humidity, the perfect ingredients for rapid spread of fires.

UCCS names new governance fellow

UC Center Sacramento announced its appointment of outgoing state Sen. Anthony Cannella of Ceres (Stanislaus County) as the center’s governance fellow for 2019. Cannella is winding down his second and last four-year term in the Senate — last because of the two-term limit for senators.

“First as City Council member and mayor of Ceres, and later during two terms in the state Senate, Anthony Cannella has distinguished himself as a thoughtful and effective leader,” said Richard Kravitz, director of UC Center Sacramento. “He will be an outstanding resource for the 150 or more UCCS students who will have the privilege of connecting with him.”

A lifelong resident of the Central Valley, Cannella is a civil engineer who has applied engineering principles to advance the dual goal of more effective and more efficient government.

The center appoints a new governance fellow annually, choosing from among prominent California public servants — alternating between Democrats and Republicans. Cannella is a Republican.

Prior fellows have included former members of the Legislature, statewide office holders and an associate justice of the state Supreme Court.

UCCS is a teaching and policy research dissemination program of the University of California. Its mission is to prepare California’s future leaders for careers in public service and to share knowledge in the interest of better public policymaking. Governance fellows provide guidance to UCCS undergraduates as they undertake coursework and internships at or near the Capitol.

Open enrollment continues

The Health Care Facilitator Program has scheduled two presentations on the Davis campus for benefits-eligible staff and faculty:

• Thursday, Nov. 1 — 10 a.m.-noon, ballroom, Activities and Recreation Center
• Monday, Nov. 5 — 2-4 p.m., Founders Room, Buehler Alumni Center

General help desks with benefits staff are scheduled as follows, on and off the Davis campus:

• Tuesday, Nov. 13 — 2-4 p.m., 260 Cousteau Place (boardroom, Suite 100)
• Thursday, Nov. 15 — 11 a.m.-1 p.m., HR Administration Building
• Monday, Nov. 19 — 2-4 p.m., HR Administration Building

Open enrollment began last week and runs through 5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 20, two days before Thanksgiving.

See last week’s Dateline article for more information.

CCLBTQIA+ Fall Welcome

The Chancellor’s Committee on LGBTQIA+ Communities has extended an invitation to all to attend the committee’s fall welcome, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 7, in the multipurpose room at the Student Community Center.

The event provides the opportunity to learn about the committee, explore leadership opportunities and discuss upcoming events. Lunch will be provided. Please RSVP here.

Documentary debut: Waking Up to Wildfires

A UC Davis Environmental Health Sciences Center-produced documentary about the wine country fires of 2017 will make its debut in the heart of wine country this coming Sunday (Nov. 4). The 30-minute documentary by Emmy-winning filmmaker Paige Bierma includes interviews with UC Davis scientists.

The free premiere of Waking Up to Wildfires will take place at the Sebastiani Theatre, 476 First St., Sonoma, and is co-sponsored by the Environmental Health Sciences Center and the Sebastiani Theatre Foundation. See the trailer.

The event will run from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., including the screening and a question-and-answer session afterward with some of the people featured in the film, including Irva Hertz-Picciotto, professor and director of the Environmental Health Sciences Center; and Tony Wexler, distinguished professor and director of the Air Quality Research Center.

Tickets are available online; donations welcome to the Sebastiani Theatre Foundation at the door.

Caltrans starts night work near campus

The California Department of Transportation, or Caltrans, began renovation work this week, at night, to overpasses along Interstate 80 and Highway 113 in the vicinity of UC Davis. The work is scheduled from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. various nights through November, and could result in partial or full closures of the freeway and ramps. Motorists may be directed to detours. More information is available on the Caltrans website.

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