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FRIENDLY FIRE … like just about everyone else in town, I suppose, I received an e-mail from the “Friends of Sydney Vergis” containing a copy of an e-mail Sydney Vergis herself had sent to her “friends.” … at this point, I'm not sure who it's from, but it does note that Sydney “will be announcing” her candidacy for City Council on Friday, Jan. 15 … in other words, she's announcing that she's announcing, which is the way it works these days …

Sydney, as you may remember, burst on the scene two years ago, and while local political experts (see photo above) didn't give her a lick of a chance in an incumbent-heavy field, she nearly pulled off the impossible … predictably, the three incumbents — Don Saylor, Stephen Souza and Sue Greenwald — were returned to their high-backed seats for four more years, but Vergis' 5,698 vote total was just 900 votes shy of Greenwald's count …

Whether Vergis will have to butt heads with any incumbents this time around remains an open question … with only two seats up for grabs, incumbent Lamar Heystek has already announced he won't run, and Mayor Ruth Asmundson is still riding the fence, keeping us all in suspense … (here's betting she runs) …

Vergis may have been a long shot two years ago, but her fellow candidates will ignore her at their own peril this time around … especially since her e-mail announcement claims she's in favor of efficiency, innovation, vision, environmental protection and economic vitality, all while saving taxpayer dollars … if she can guarantee a perfect season for the Aggie football team, she's a shoo-in …

SPEAKING OF OPEN COUNCIL SEATS … even though Don Saylor was the top vote-getter in June of 2008, he's already decided he'd rather conduct governmental business in Woodland as a member of the Yolo County Board of Supervisors … and who knew driving to Woodland every day could be such a draw? … so, does this mean Saylor's still-warm council seat will be up for grabs in June as well? … absolutely not …

If Saylor wins his bid for supe, he won't be sworn in until January of 2011, which will give him plenty of time to grab Mayor Asmundson's gavel in July and preside over our annual fireworks display … if he loses, he will remain on the council as mayor for two full years and complete his four-year council term … if he heads off to Woodland in January, his council colleagues can either call a special election to fill his seat or appoint a friend or crony to finish his term …

A GREAT EVENT … tickets are still available for Thursday's annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Fund Award Dinner … in addition to several student honorees from local high schools, the evening will feature awards to Superintendent of Schools James Hammond and CAIR Executive Director Basim Elkarra … the dinner begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Odd Fellows Hall on Second Street and tickets will be available at the door … (more information at 753-6148) …

CRAZY ELEVENS … this town, where intellectual prowess knows no bounds, continues to pump out authors trying to claim top prize in the now world-famous Eleven-Word Short Story Contest … for instance, Lee at pacbell.net offers “Budget priorities must take precedent. Need for poet laureate not evident.” … Lee, you see, poetry's a great thing for you and me …

INSPIRING ELEVENS … Dr. Denise, at hotmail.com, takes a shot with “The lone pine growing from a rock crevice gave me strength.” … I like it a lot, Denise … always amazing how trees and the smallest of flowers can break through the biggest rock in the quest for life … thanks for the inspiration …

- Reach Bob Dunning at bdunning@davisenterprise.net. Comment on this column at www.davisenterprise.com.