Campus police reported making three arrests in the last week for attempted bike theft. Meanwhile, some folks on campus are getting their bikes back after a bust in Dixon.

Here's what we know so far about the arrests on campus:

• Dec. 8, around 8:45 a.m. — Police reported seeing a man with bolt cutters in the vicinity of Robbins Hall, west of the Quad. Officers questioned the man and subsequently arrested him for investigation of attempted theft and failure to pay a fine. The suspect lives in Davis but is a not a student.
• Dec. 10, around 9 p.m. — Police said they received a call from a resident of the Russell Park Apartments who reported seeing a man attempting to cut a bike lock. Officers detained the man, identified as Anthony Perez of Sacramento, and arrested him for investigation of attempted theft and probation violation.

The third arrest took place the morning of Dec. 14; details were not yet available as police continued their investigation. See updated story.

On Dec. 5, Dixon police stopped a box truck with 31 bicycles in the back — and authorities have connected more than a half-dozen of those bikes to UC Davis students and Davis residents.

Sgt. Glenn Cooper said police arrested the people riding in the truck, Michael Hand, 39, and Kathryn Mceachern, 30, both of Davis, accusing them of conspiracy, possession of stolen property and drug charges.

Cooper said three bikes have been returned to UC Davis students, and campus police are working to get three more bikes back to their owners, based on data in bike registratrion systems. At least two other bikes are registered to Davis residents.

If you think your bike may be among those confiscated, send an email to Cooper with the bike’s descrption and serial number.

Campus officials remind students, faculty and staff: If your bike is stolen, file an online crime report with campus police. Also, if you’re leaving your bike on campus over winter break, try to store it indoors.

Every bicycle on on campus must have a California bike license, available at Transportation Services. A license costs $10 and is valid until the end of the second year after purchase, so licenses purchased in January will be good until the end of 2018. The renewal fee is $5.

More information on bicycle licenses, part of the Bicycle Program website.

Feminist Research Institute to hold 1st conference

The Feminist Research Insttitute at UC Davis announced its inaugural research conference, to be held Monday, Feb. 8, at the  Conference Center.

The event, “Rethinking the Boundaries of Sex and Gender in Science, Society and Technology,” is free. Preregistration is required and can be arranged online.

The program includes Melissa Gilliam, University of Chicago, speaking on “Inquiry and Innovation in Sexual and Reproductive Health”; Jennifer Reardon, UC Santa Cruz, “The Postgenomic Condition: Rethinking Feminist Epistemology and Justice After the Genome”; and Carole Joffe, UC San Francisco, “Reproductive Health and the War on Science.”

Feminist Research Institute faculty and graduate students and registered conference attendees are eligible to participate in a seed grant competition to generate innovative research projects. Entry deadline is Jan. 10. More information is available online.

Benefits ‘hot line’ now open all day

The Employee Benefits Customer Service telephone line is now open all day long, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Previously, the Benefits Office “hot line” — (530) 752-1774 — was open only in the mornings.

Vice Chancellor-Chief Financial Officer Dave Lawlor, as part of his commitment to employees, recently provided funding to extend the hot line hours to match the regular workday, Monday through Friday (holidays excluded).

Walk-in hours remain the same, 8:30 a.m.-noon and 1-4:30 p.m., at the HR Administration Building on Orchard Road west of La Rue Road. (The HR building is closed from noon to 1 p.m.)

Tree planting at McLaughlin reserve

The McLaughlin Natural Reserve, part of the UC Davis Natural Reserve System,, is seeking volunteers to plant native trees on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 2 and 3. Volunteers are welcome to work on one or both days, and can stay overnight Friday (to get an early start the next day) and Saturday; meals provided.

“We’re putting the native plants back,” restoration specialist Steve Wathen said. “Our native wildlife has evolved to use native plants and so our native wildlife species do better with native plants then with introduced plant species.”

Invasive plants, especially grasses, have largely taken over the reserve, a former mining site, reserve, sapping water supplies and making it hard for native plants like oak and buckeye trees to thrive.

The weekend restoration project will involve planting oaks, buckeyes, pines and other plants on a two-mile stretch of the Eticuera Creek watershed near the 19th century mining town of Knoxville.  “Hopefully over time these oaks will spread,” Wathen said.

The volunteer days provide a rare opportunity to see the reserve, which is open to the public only a couple times each year and is rich in California’s state rock, serpentine.

No special expertise is required, and volunteers only need to bring boots for the muddy grounds, rain gear and layered clothing. Those interested in volunteering should RSVP with Wathen by phone, (707) 995-9005 or email.

IN MEMORIAM: Betty Jean Thiebaud dies at 86

Betty Jean Thiebaud, whom UC Davis honored last spring by naming a new art lecture series after her, died Dec. 13 at her Sacramento home at the age of 86. The series also honors her husband, art professor emeritus Wayne Thiebaud.

“Wayne and Betty Jean stand as eminent advocates of the arts at UC Davis, and this lecture honors their tremendous legacy and service to our university,” Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi said in announcing the Betty Jean and Wayne Thiebaud Endowed Lecture.

Betty Jean Thiebaud was a teacher and filmmaker, and she assisted her husband in his career. She modeled for many of his paintings.

The Office of the Chancellor provided initial funding of $150,000 for the lecture series, and the university plans to raise private funds to add to the endowment. Art professor Gina Werfel, driving force behind creating the series, said: “Betty Jean and Wayne have been very supportive of the visiting art program here and this is a way to honor them. It also gives us an opportunity to bring to campus remarkable artists who have had international success and continue a dialogue between the east and west coasts.”

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