Power line problem temporarily leaves campus without power

A mechanical failure in new electrical equipment caused about half the campus to lose power at lunch time last Friday, facilities officials said.

Some buildings on the east side of campus, from the Memorial Union to Mrak Hall, were without electricity for about 50 minutes. Buildings on the west side of campus, including the School of Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rec Pool and student housing at LaRue, took longer to restore; they were powerless for about 90 minutes. Some essential services went onto backup generators.

The problem began as electricians were installing power lines to serve the new expansion of Tercero Student Housing. When they sent power to the new lines for the first time, an explosion occurred in a manhole at the corner of Bioletti Drive and Hutchison Road. The explosion caused a ripple effect through the campus' main power circuits.

There were no reported damages or injuries as a result of the outage. Some classes were forced to adjourn early, and the campus fire department was needed to free people from two stuck elevators.

Wildlife at risk from West Nile, center reports

Some California wildlife, especially rare and endangered birds, could be at serious risk from the West Nile virus, says a report this week from the UC Davis Wildlife Health Center.

The report, prepared at the request of the California Department of Fish and Game, predicts where West Nile virus poses the greatest risk by mapping the abundance of mosquitoes and bird species known to "amplify" the virus.

This information is compared with the distribution and abundance of rare birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles. The analyses are colorfully illustrated in a series of geographic information system (GIS) maps.

"Some level of mortality due to West Nile virus will occur in a substantial number of different bird species in these areas," said Walter Boyce, director of the Wildlife Health Center. Local hotspots of West Nile virus may occur near crow roosts and other areas where large numbers of likely amplifying hosts exist -- jays, magpies and ravens, for instance.

Little is known about the impact of West Nile virus on free-ranging wildlife populations since its introduction to North America in 1999.

The virus has killed individuals in more than 200 species of native and exotic birds and 20 species of mammals. The threat to reptiles and amphibians is not believed to be as great as for birds because the mosquito species that feed on them rarely feed on birds.

"The options for managing West Nile virus in California wildlife are limited," Boyce said.

The UC Davis report, "Potential Effects of West Nile Virus (WNV) on California Wildlife," can be viewed online at http://www.wildlifehealthcenter.org.

'Six Characters' still in search of male actors

Staff, faculty and students who have experience in acting are needed to fill male roles in a UC Davis production of Luigi Pirandello's Six Characters in Search of an Author.

Performances will take place in the Main Theatre Nov. 18-20 and Dec. 3-5. The production will be directed by Granada Artist-in-Residence Irina Brown. Rehearsals started this week, but auditions will continue until all roles are filled. Rehearsals will run 6-11 p.m. weeknights and Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Brush-up rehearsals will take place from Nov. 29-Dec. 2. There will be no rehearsals over the Thanksgiving holiday.

For more information, contact the stage manager, Samantha McBride, at samcbride@ucdavis.edu, or Erie Vitiello at (530) 752-5863.

Talk on cell phones' impacts on driving slated

Laws against driving while using cell phones would have little effect on the number of accidents, according to a new analysis of driver statistics by James Prieger, who will discuss his new study on campus Oct. 13.

The UC Davis economist's talk will be held 12:10 p.m. to 1 p.m. in 360 Shields Library. This Policywatch talk is sponsored by the UC Davis Institute of Governmental Affairs.

In his new study, issued by the American Enterprise Institute-Brookings Joint Center for Regulatory Studies, Prieger found that, while still at increased risk, drivers who use cell phones are less likely to have accidents by as much as 36 percent than previous studies predicted.

The research also found that although women have fewer accidents than men, they are more likely than men to have accidents while using a cell phone.

25th annual fair showcases service options

UC Davis faculty and staff are invited to join thousands of students next week in learning more about local community service opportunities at the 25th annual UC Davis Internship, Career and Community Service Fair.

The event runs 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 14 at the Pavilion (formerly Rec Hall).

More than 150 companies, government agencies and nonprofit organizations will be seeking students interested in internships, career employment and community service.

The event is co-sponsored by Human Corps, the UC Davis Community Service Office, and will include more than 50 local non-profit organizations seeking volunteers.

Staff are encouraged to check out opportunities with a wide range of organizations including The American Diabetes Association, Davis Community Meals, Freedom from Hunger, Habitat for Humanity, The Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Center and Water Education Foundation.

A complete list of organizations attending the fair is available at http://icc.ucdavis.edu.

For additional information, contact the Human Corps at hcorps@ucdavis.edu or (530)752-3813.