ChicoSol

Justice for Desmond group marks second anniversary of killing Families again gather to demand reform

photo by Karen Laslo

David Phillips, father of Desmond Phillips.

Community members gathered Sunday to mark the second anniversary of the killing of 25-year-old Desmond Phillips, shot multiple times by Chico police officers in his father’s living room. Other parents frustrated with Butte County’s criminal justice system again joined the Phillips family for a march, potluck dinner and a program that included speakers and performances.

Scott Rushing, father of Tyler Rushing who was killed in a shooting that involved Chico police and an armed security guard in July 2017, traveled from Ventura to attend the Sunday gathering. read more

Chicoans take part in a national action against U.S. intervention in Venezuela At the Saturday Chico Peace Vigil, protesters demand a halt to U.S. meddling

About 30 people showed up this morning in downtown Chico to demand a halt to U.S. intervention in Venezuela and in solidarity with the #HandsoffVenezuela March in Washington, D.C. The United States has imposed tough sanctions on Venezuela and recognized Juan Guaido, who represents a right-wing political party, as president. The Trump Administration has also indicated it would like to see U.S. oil companies actively engaged in Venezuela’s oil production.

“Instead of starving the Venezuelans into submission, we should be engaging with them,” writes the Rev. Jesse Jackson in a letter distributed by A.N.S.W.E.R., the organization that sponsored today’s Capitol march. “Instead of seeking to control their oil, we should recognize their national sovereignty. Instead of fanning coup attempts, we should be leading international negotiations to seek a diplomatic settlement that might lead to new elections.” read more

Butte County slow to ID recent deputy shooters ChicoSol request results in the naming of nine officers

by Dave Waddell

At a time when California has made certain law enforcement officers’ records more available for public inspection, Butte County officials have been slow to even identify the sheriff’s deputies involved in two recent shootings.

In fact, the names of the officers who shot wanted parolee GD Hendrix of Berry Creek on Nov. 15 are still not known to the public – several months after District Attorney Mike Ramsey quickly issued “preliminary findings” justifying the killing.

Conversely, after receiving a written request from ChicoSol, Butte County this week did release the names of the nine Sheriff’s Department deputies who fired their guns in a later killing – that of armed suspect Richard Moulton on Jan. 28. read more

28 Valley oaks removed from Bidwell Park Fire suppression may have gone awry

photo by Karen Laslo

Tree removal created a muddy mess last week.

photo story by Karen Laslo

Last week, if you were anywhere near the Chico Creek Nature Center in Bidwell Park, you probably heard the whine and scream of chainsaws and the roar of a big backhoe.

A CDF prison crew was hard at work cutting down several non-native and invasive Catalpa trees to reduce the risk of fire in the coming months.

But, unfortunately, it appears that 28 healthy, native, valley oak trees were also mistakenly cut down, according to local tree advocates. And because the ground was sopping wet from several recent storms, the heavy equipment made deep ruts in the soil. It’s still not clear who authorized the project and who was in charge of overseeing it. read more

Camp Fire survivor reflects on “levels of loss” "We are all refugees from this fire"

by Jessica Lewis

At about 8:30 a.m. Nov. 8, former Paradise resident Paula Edgar received a call from a friend on the other side of town, warning her that a fire had broken out.

“We didn’t even think we were in danger at first, but we thought we would start packing — just in case,” Edgar said.

When Edgar took her first load of items to her vehicle, she saw the flames making their way up the street toward her house. She realized then that this was something unlike anything the town had gone through before. read more

Real collaboration preferred over ‘Together we WASC’ Chico State's accreditation push ignores woes, distant administration

by Tony Waters

“Together we WASC” has been the tagline coming from the Chico State administration in recent months. It is even featured at the bottom of some emails.

This refers to the accreditation process of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, a private organization from Oakland, which is given the right to accredit all schools and colleges in the western United States by the U.S. Department of Education. Everything from Stanford University to universities in the South Pacific to secondary schools in Myanmar are reviewed. read more

Officers shoot Chico man

A Chico man was hospitalized after being pursued and shot by local law enforcement officers early April 15.
A Chico Police Department press release says that an officer and a Butte County Sheriff’s deputy
shot “an armed subject in the area of Hegan Lane and Huss Drive.”
None of the parties involved have yet been identified. Chico PD says the 41-year-old man was “wanted in connection with a Domestic Violence incident” and was entering an “unlocked police vehicle” when the officers fired.

Four confirmed deaths of unhoused residents this year

ChicoSol has confirmed the following deaths, all taking place on streets or in encampments in 2024:

River Chase Bernreuter, 25. His body was found Feb. 2 on Business Lane.

Kenneth James Corbitt, 44, whose body was found Feb. 5 on Fair Street.

Francisco Franco, 61, of Chico. His body was found Feb. 15 on Business Lane.

Julie Bergstrom, 41, of Oroville. Bergstrom was found dead Feb. 29 at the Alternate Site encampment approved by the City for unhoused individuals.

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City attorney: “Public take over” was an emergency

In a Jan. 17 email to ChicoSol, City Attorney John Lam said the City was not in violation of the Brown Act when it held a Jan. 6 emergency meeting.

Lam said the use of City property near The Hands sculpture in back of the Municipal Center by the nonprofit Safe Space the previous day had amounted to a “public take over.”

Safe Space, which operates an emergency winter sheltering program, ran intake in the space from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Jan. 5, an operation that it says proceeded smoothly. The group’s leadership said it believed that it was using public property as defined in the City code, and wasn’t required to get special permission.