The People's Vanguard of Davis

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[WWW]The People's Vanguard of Davis

This political blog was launched in July 2006. Committed to commenting on Davis Politics and happenings, among other areas of interest, the mission of the blog is to provide interactive access to information not always completely reported in or even mentioned by the mainstream press. Ergo, readers can expect insights into the "Dark Underbelly" of the city in which everything is touted in local establishment circles as being always "Right And Relevant." The People's Vanguard is updated daily with news, opinions, and commentary focusing on politics in Davis and environs, with occasional forays onto the state and national stages. The blog is written by David Greenwald, who identifies himself online by means of the pen name Doug Paul Davis, or DPD, a play on initials. Originally, Greenwald launched the blog to publish reports and comments on the activities of the Davis Police Department, or DPD. Greenwald was solely known by his pen name for several months after his blog's launch. Then, in a January 2007 Sacramento Bee article, Greenwald (no relation to current Davis Mayor Sue Greenwald) took credit for writing, editing and researching the blog, as well as for inviting guest commentators. The People's Vanguard Comment section is always a lively forum for diverse opinions, in which local establishment figures sometimes are tweaked. Greenwald [WWW]has written that he is explicitly biased on the site and it gives more freedom than something where there is expectation of unbiased writing.

On March 2, 2009, the Vanguard after being on the blogger server for two-and-a-half years has moved to its own server and new web address [WWW]http://davisvanguard.org. It includes new features such as the "Community Blogs" that allows members of the public to post their own comments.

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Also see us on Facebook: [WWW]Vanguard Facebook Group

[WWW]Vanguard Radio Show on KDRT 95.7 FM—listen to [WWW]archives

About the People's Vanguard of Davis:

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I started this blog in the July of 2006. I had been tossing around the idea for awhile after the City Council disbanded the Human Relations Commission and Debbie Davis and Bob Dunning ran roughshod over the rights of Halema Buzayan. Finally in late July I decided to take the plunge. We need a new source where people in Davis can get news that is not being reported in the Davis Enterprise. My vision is to provide an alternative news source for the progressive left in Davis to receive information that is happening in their city, by their elected government, by their unelected government. I'm pleased to say the response has been more than I ever really imagined. This site is now getting thousands of hits of a week and we have been breaking stories well ahead of the mainstream press. Thanks to those of you who have been around from the start and welcome to those of you just logging in.

What People are Saying About The People's Vanguard of Davis

"He's producing an alternative reading of everything that's happened in Davis' recent history. In a community with a liberal-conservative division, there's a need to give expression to a range of views." — John Lofland,a retired UC Davis professor and sociologist

"Few communities have such a vibrant local politics scene," he says. "New controversies are generated weekly in Davis; all biennial elections are meaningful, and often a referendum will fill in for the empty spaces in the electoral cycle. Timely and provocative reporting by The Enterprise's longtime staff (Bob Dunning and Elisabeth Sherwin, for example) and recently by the blogosphere's Davis Vanguard site make it easy to become caught up in the spectator sport of local decision-making."—Dennis Dingemans, Retired Geography Professor UC Davis

" One of the best (if not the best) blogs in the region is the People's Vanguard of Davis. David Greenwald spends a great deal of time and energy on this each day. It is a great communication tool and a great source of news..."—Yolo County Supervisor Matt Rexroad

"The growing interest in the site attests to the quality of research and analysis... I believe many people in the community turn to this and other blogs as viable sources of community news and political analysis."—Davis City Councilmember Lamar Heystek

"A PENNY FOR YOUR BLOG … there are several local blogs devoted to various topics, with most participants unwilling to sign their real names because they don't have the courage of their convictions … one in particular, however, has turned downright venomous … I forget the name, but I think it's something like "Davis Guard Dog" or "On Guard" or maybe "Right Guard." … yeah, that's probably it, "Right Guard," named after a deodorant to cover the stench …"—Davis Enterprise Columnist Bob Dunning, January 12, 2007

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Comments:

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Excellent, that was a good article, and I'm sure it will enlighten a few mature davisites as to what the wiki is. I've been pondering ways to get Davisites aware of the wiki, this does a great job albeit unintentionally. —StevenDaubert

2007-09-13 11:49:18   I'm unimpressed about your truancy series. I fail to find an issue that is noteworthy inside of them. If kids chose to cut class enough, the police will always get involved. Having known Pam Mari for the vast majority of my life, both personally and when she was an administrator at Holmes / DHS. Thru this knowledge of her, I can safely say she has the kids well being at heart, ahead of covering her ass or the districts.

long rant short: Whats the problem? I can tell you first hand how easy it was to walk off DHS campus as a student, at any time, despite the fact it's an open campus only at lunch. —StevenDaubert

2007-09-13 13:18:45   Start with the issue that she implemented this policy without authority from the school board and as a result the policy has been terminated. Start with the issue that no one in the community who had any sort of direct accountability to the voters had any knowledge of what was going on. Do you really fail to understand the importance of this? Even Officer Pytel acknowledged that this was a problem. Policy decisions need to be made primarily by office holders who are elected not unelected administrators. As I suggest in today's article, the community was uninformed and did not weigh in on this, as a result this has been a huge mess with mass confusion. —DavidGreenwald

2007-09-14 13:10:15   Whats so wrong with Pam Mari making calls like this? She lived in Davis for a long time, and had plenty of time not only being an administrator but teaching classes as well... Kids choose to be truant, no one forces them to cut class. Sure they are putting themselves behind in work, but at the time you don't notice the consequences of truancy. Kids need to to at least make it thru high school... Whats so atrocious about the policy in the first place? —StevenDaubert

2007-09-14 13:34:20   hehehehe, being a relatively new high school alum, it's interesting noticing how my attitude shifts. When I was going to DHS having a friend with a car that you pile into and is one of the most awesome things. Now when I go around DHS at lunch time I notice the general tomfollery, the lack of seatbelts, etc that gets people concerned. I have quite a bit to say about the student interviews, but I don't have the time. When I started reading I thought what I would have done in each situation. I would have avoided all the tickets. —StevenDaubert

Here is what you say to the officer if he hasn't Flashed red and blue lights, or given you a direct lawful order: "Officer, this consensual encounter is over".

tada, officer has to issue a citation, Officer can't issue driving for under a year citation as the primary issue on the citation.

I knew this when I went to DHS a couple hears ago... Having to dodge the Traffic cops on the BMW's, etc.

For the female student to not say the above opens herself up legally for the citation, and thats all our friend Jeff Resig cares about, the citation will fly in court due to said students actions, and thats all the system cares about, the end.

However, If she though she was a victim of profiling, and had just realized it was foolish to admit to committing a crime to a officer, she could have gotten his badge number, and demanded to speak to a watch commander. This is a request the officer has to take seriously, and the watch commander is the one responsible for the interpretation of the law. Female student explains to watch commander that she felt it violated the law that the officer was engaging her solely to figure out if she was driving under a year, which is a violation, but it's supposed to be only a secondary check, and it isn't reason to pull a car over in the first place.

For Soren the same thing applies, I've had an officer pull up behind me while I've been parked on the street near South D Safeway, I made the mistake of trying to deal with it hesitantly, and wound up searched and the whole nine, despite the fact that I never explicitly gave permission.

Know what you can and can't do in police encounters, cause quick wits will save you tons of hassle.

Did Drew and Mohamed have a note from the teacher, and the appropriate note to be off campus? If so tell the officer to sod off via asking for a watch commander and explaining your situation. Officers are just the "foot soldiers" who "blindly" enforce policy, whenever a conflict arises they will ask the watch commander how to act, if it's okay to kick in this door cause I know there is an occupant who is ignoring me? or is this a bad stop? etc. However if they lacked the appropriate set of passes and notes, and the officer detained them and took them back to DHS, and then threw them a curve ball to see how they take it, thats to be expected. It's just another day in the life for said officer, and thats the routine. Don't expect cops to be nice to you when they suspect you of doing something.

It doesn't default to the officers to make sure the students understand when they can and can't speak. I have zero sympathy for any of the students mentioned, simply for the fact that all you have to do is sign up for the citizens police academy, happens twice a year, and DPD tells you how they work on a day to day basis. That's more than enough information to be armed with, and what makes it best is that it comes STRAIGHT FROM THE HORSES MOUTH.

If you make it understood your watching whats going on, and are going to "kick and scream" in all the right ways, most officers simply don't want to deal with the hassle... I'm sorry if this seems discombobulated, or fragmented, I just banged this out freewrite style >_< I'm sure it's all just one big run on sentence.

2008-02-08 18:41:48   Response to a deleted comment about why some names were just last names and others full names. When I started the blog there were no labels, that feature was added later on. The first few labels I did, I just put people's last names. Then after I wrote about Sue Greenwald, I obviously could not just call her Greenwald, so then I put everyone's label as first and last name as added. But I never went back and changed the old ones and it would take too long to do it now. So that's it is the way it is. —DavidGreenwald

2008-11-17 13:01:07   Feher has (from what I've personally observed) had a fair and steady hand behind the the uniform of DPD, and I for one think that he has done a bit to help the much maligned public imagine of DPD. It's a shame to see off duty activities potentially jeopardize a budding career. One should consider the implications of their actions, but when your inebriated... —StevenDaubert

2008-11-18 08:48:38   Re Officer Feher's arrest in Sacramento: I'm all for giving people second chances, but what jumps out at me here is that he misrepresented himself and lied to the arresting officers. First, by trying to get away with saying he worked for YONET (that's a special task force, btw) and then for saying he worked for BNE. And he didn't come clean. It was later that Sac PD discovered that Davis PD was his employer.

Seems to me that reinstatement should be contingent upon some sort of alcohol treatment program. There are signs of addiction here.

And btw: He hasn't learned anything working as a police officer? When you are under arrest, keep your mouth shut! After giving hundreds and hundreds of Miranda warnings, he doesn't know this yet??!!
Jebus. —CurlyGirl26

2008-11-18 10:18:40   Is it true that the Davis Enterprise didn't cover this story (Officer Feher's arrest)? If so, doesn't this seem "odd' to anyone? The Enterprise reports all sorts mundane little stories all the time. Why not this? And don't tell me it's because they weren't aware of it. Because we all know that is bogus. —CurlyGirl26

2008-11-18 17:28:11   I was led to believe that the Enterprise knew about this story before I did and declined to run it. If that is inaccurate, i apologize. —DavidGreenwald

2009-06-04 07:51:05   Major new story today: Covell Village campaign failed to report hundreds of thousands in campaign contributions during their 2005 campaign according to paperwork filed in 2008 [WWW]Failure To Disclose . This may sound like old news, but Covell is launching a new campaign and these changes were not filed until April 2008, two and a half years AFTER the campaign and following FPPC complaints about underreporting of campaign expenditures—DavidGreenwald

2009-11-21 11:55:07   Really appreciating the coverage of UCD students protesting the tuition increases. Keep up the good work! —ZachStednick

2009-12-09 00:27:47   I can't help but notice the website's down as of this moment. Any reason why? —ARWENNHOLD

2010-02-14 17:45:26   It's interesting reading about the history of this "People's" blogsite; in reality, this blogsite is for "selected" people of Davis, namely, those who don't blog about David's pal and wife's political crony Bill Ritter.

Case in point, as of yesterday, I was officially "banned" from blogging on the Vanguard. Unlike many others, I blogged with my real name and real e-mail address, because I believe in being honest about my views regarding political issues in our great town. I co-managed (on a volunteer basis) the No on P campaign last fall against the proposed Wildhorse Ranch development, which we won with an astounding 75% of the vote. David's pal, Bill Ritter, was the paid campaign manager by Parlin Development, and he did as a remarkable favor by running a horrible campaign (any of you remember all those goofy Yes on P mailers, if not, they are documented on this site.)

Any ways, yesterday David posted a story on the Vanguard about the CHA (Choices for Healthy Aging) group and their efforts behind supporting a seniors-only development at the old Covell Village site. I had blogged in response to a previous blogger that this sounded a lot like a "Really Grey" campaign, similar to Bill Ritter's "Really Green" campaign for Measure P, and to watch out for all the mailers coming our way with pictures of happy healthy seniors having picnics, lawn bowling, going on hay rides, etc, and perhaps the developers should hire Ritter. I NEVER used any profanity or any derogatory terms against Bill Ritter. David edited this (and all of my subsequent blogs), and sent me an e-mail basically admonishing me of "no more personal attacks" against Bill Ritter, or I would be banned, to which I told him basically to shove it, and I still believe in the First Amendment when it comes to political opinion sites. I have now been "banned"; if I chose to use my real name and real e-mail, which so few of his bloggers do, I am not able to post comments on the Vanguard. Are there any other "banned bloggers" out there? or do I have the honor of being the first.

This is what the "People's Vanguard" is all about, it is a selective site, which appears to filter the opinions, no different than the "fair and balanced" FOX News! —GregSokolov

2010-02-14 19:48:32   Hi Nick, thanks for your insightful reply and historical reference to prior Vanguard opinion about "fair and balanced" (very interesting to say the least!) My main point regarding "free speech" and the "People's Vanguard" is simply to highlight the utter hypocrisy of David Greenwald (and his lack of credibility) when it comes to peripheral growth issues. In the Wildhorse Ranch election, he was clearly on the side of more development, and now with Covell Village Senior City, he is incensed at the whole "really grey" campaign being waged by developer-backed CHA group; and why the radical divergence in his views (literally only three months post Wildhorse Ranch)? Bill Ritter. I blog about it, using my full real name and e-mail, and use no profanity, derogatory language and I get axed it. Why? Because perhaps I struck a sensitive nerve in his political body and he deems it "personal attack"; eerily similar to the way O'Reilly gets all defensive and cuts people off (watch his latest interview with Jon Stewart as a great example). David apparently has no backbone when it comes to hardcore analysis of his ever shifting views on growth issues, and has resorted to "banning" folks. Since I assume my views are safe at Davis Wiki, I will continue to bring up these issues to the Davis citizenry. —GregSokolov

2010-02-14 21:29:19   I strongly disagree about the public nature of the Enterprise editorial page. I think the Enterprise and most papers are biased, although the Enterprise tries to hide it more than the Winters Express for example. I think that the Express has a more interesting editorial page because of its bias. —NickSchmalenberger

2010-02-14 22:55:21   To CovertProfessor:

I blogged essentially that if Covell Village II was to be defeated (as both I and David Greenwald agree upon it should), perhaps Bill Ritter should be hired to run their campaign, and do as awful a job as he did for Yes on P. I then followed that comment with additional comment asking David to explain his differences only three months later in opposing Covell Village Senior City, in the face of his recent support for Wildhorse Ranch. THAT'S IT!!! That is what he construed as "personal attacks"; I guess when he called Bob Dunning "vile and depraved" for his humorous comments on paid college students during the Measure P, that was not "personal"; it's only when it is directed towards his political crony Bill Ritter, that it becomes personal, By the way, I have heard rumors that David and Cecilia Greenwald still owe Bill Ritter about $30,000 from her failed City Council bid in 2008; makes one wonder if David is "paying" him back by erasing all negative comments about him on his blog site...some free speech! It's all bought and paid for, like any other "news" site! —GregSokolov

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