Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: How a tragic landfill accident near Davis turned deadly Wednesday morning

And check out Vocal Art Ensemble presents Skies on the Davis Patch calendar

Friday December 12th Patch AM
Friday December 12th Patch AM (Patch graphic)

Good morning Davis! We're back again in your inbox, keeping you updated with what's happening in and around town. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • How a tragic landfill accident near Davis turned deadly Wednesday morning
  • Why a key UC Davis solar project was abruptly shut down
  • How did UC Davis beat UConn in global sustainability rankings?

Also on today's calendar: Vocal Art Ensemble presents Skies and 8 more events.

Find out what's happening in Davisfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Today's riddle: I once read a book about anti-gravity. 🤔 (Answer below!)


Weather forecast:

Find out what's happening in Davisfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

  • Friday: Low clouds breaking; chilly, with a high of 50 and low of 38 degrees.
  • Saturday: Fog in the a.m.; partly sunny, temps: high: 49, low: 40.
  • Sunday: Partly sunny and cool, with a high of 51 and low of 38 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. One person dead after an incident at the Yolo County Central Landfill (dailydemocrat.com) — A worker was killed Wednesday morning when an industrial accident involving two Northern Recycling dump trucks at the Yolo County Central Landfill near Davis buried a truck cab in compost material. Davis Fire Department crews and other first responders tried to save the driver but could not. County officials say multiple agencies, including Davis Police TAGS, are supporting employees and investigating what went wrong.
   

2. Federal Budget Cut Halts Solar Heat Technology Project (dailydemocrat.com) — UC Davis has lost federal funding for a major solar-heat technology project, putting its STEEL solar-thermal facility and several researchers’ work in jeopardy. The Department of Energy ended the nearly $4.6 million effort just before its final testing phase, part of a broader wave of threatened or terminated federal grants affecting multiple UC Davis research areas.
   

3. UConn Ranked 8th Most Sustainable University in the World (uconn.edu) — UC Davis is highlighted as one of only two U.S. universities in the global top ten for sustainability, edging UConn to place seventh worldwide in the 2025 UI GreenMetric rankings. The piece mainly celebrates UConn’s eighth-place finish, but it also notes Davis’ strong performance in renewable energy and climate efforts, underscoring the campus’s growing international reputation for environmental leadership.
   

4. California Schools Are Feeling the Heat (eos.org) — UC Davis researchers are warning that shrinking tree cover on California schoolyards is driving up playground temperatures, sometimes pushing the heat index to dangerous levels. Their early findings show a single tree can cool surfaces dramatically, especially in hot Central Valley cities like Sacramento. The team hopes their data will guide schools on where and how to replant shade trees for kids’ health.
   

5. California dairy grant returns as part of new federal initiative (dairyprocessing.com) — A major federal climate-smart dairy grant program is relaunching under a new USDA initiative, and it’s being coordinated from Davis through the California Dairy Research Foundation. The move is expected to steer roughly $58 million more into sustainability projects on California dairy farms, expanding earlier funding that backed 14 projects statewide.
   


📸 Around Davis

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Missing Family Dog — Please Help Us Find Him (Elk Grove)
    Our hearts are breaking. My best friend’s childhood dog was surrendered without her knowing while she was away at college, and we are desperately… (Nextdoor Woodbridge)
  • This has already been posted to the Domes page, but this sweet girl was found at the roundabout next to the Domes without a collar.
    She is EXTREMELY friendly and has no microchip (verified by West Davis Vet Med). She is currently staying with me in North Davis, but we are… (Nextdoor Sycamore)
  • University of California Davis posted a job opening for Academic Coordinator II - Water Training Coordinator in Davis. Apply here.
  • PeakMade Real Estate posted a job opening for Full Time Leasing Consultant in Davis. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Davis here.

Ok Davis! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I couldn’t put it down.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!


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