Month: July 2022

The tracks of our tears

Attending 'Memorial for the Fallen' for victims of police killings
by George Gold | Posted July 24, 2022

photo by Karen Laslo
At left, Gabriel Sanchez is now 17 and was only 10 when his father, Eddie Gabriel ‘Gabe’ Sanchez, was killed by Chico police. At right is Gabe Sanchez’s stepmother, Sheryl Sanchez.

While this great Smokey Robinson song isn’t directly related to the event held yesterday honoring some of the precious lives lost at the hands of the Chico Police Department, there were tears in the room as we listened to the parents, uncles, brothers and sisters tell stories of people who should be alive today.

If we could just get our police to grow some humanity and some skills in how to de-escalate difficult interactions between police and our neighbors, we might see some progress.

Police and de-escalation? So far, over the last 10 years, our police have not practiced and applied de-escalation techniques. Our police have not changed their tactics, they have not reduced their lethal weapons cache nor their apparent desire to use them. The last several Chico police chiefs claim that all Chico police officers have taken de-escalation training, but from the overwhelming evidence it is clear they have not learned how to apply their classroom training to their conduct in the field. read more

Saturday event recalls people killed by police

Memorial brings 7 families together on fifth anniversary of Tyler Rushing’s death
by Dave Waddell | Posted July 21, 2022

Paula Rushing with her late son Tyler

The year was 1976 and Paula Staben from Santa Paula was a senior child development major at Chico State. She lived off campus at Gordon Hall, an “all-girls dormitory.” As that year’s activities director for Alpha Chi, Paula frequented the sorority’s distinctive yellow house at the corner of Fourth and Orient streets. There, she coordinated events such as theme dinners and movie nights.

Paula completed her bachelor’s degree, returned to Ventura County, and married Scott Rushing, a real estate broker and property manager. She became mom to Tyler and, a couple of years later, to Hillary. She directed a preschool. She launched a 17-year public school teaching career after her children went off to school. read more

City of Chico settles journalist’s lawsuit

Violations of public records act cost taxpayers tens of thousands
by Leslie Layton | Posted July 15, 2022

A Butte County judge has signed an order based on a settlement agreement in the lawsuit filed by journalist Dave Waddell against the City of Chico.

The City of Chico has settled a lawsuit filed by a local journalist over violations of the California Public Records Act, providing the documents requested and agreeing to pay the costs of the journalist’s attorney.

The taxpayers’ price tag for the City’s non-compliance is $43,637 – which is the cost of the San Francisco attorney hired by ChicoSol contributor Dave Waddell. The City has also provided all requested records – in some cases 19 months after the requests were first made.

Waddell had requested public records related to four killings by or involving officers at the Chico Police Department; the first requests that were addressed by his lawsuit were made in November 2020. read more

Disinformation dampens enthusiasm for Covid vaccinations

In Butte County, misinformation appears to affect case rates
by Natalie Hanson | Posted July 7, 2022

This graph from Butte County Public Health’s Covid page shows the comparatively low vaccination rate as cases surged nationwide in recent months.

As California assesses the lasting impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, public health experts say they are concerned about managing future health emergencies after battling a disinformation crisis.

For the last two years, county public health departments have been tasked to respond to a pandemic unlike anything seen in decades. As guidance from the California Public Health Department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for managing local crises shifted weekly, local departments like Butte County’s faced an enormous task of keeping the public informed using rapidly changing methods, including Facebook and YouTube – with mixed results. read more

Public health experts: the vaccine is safe for babies and young children

Covid vaccine rumors scare parents, leaving children at risk
by Natalie Hanson | Posted July 7, 2022

This graph from the Public Health Covid dashboard shows the number of confirmed and probable cases of Covid by age in the county since March 14, 2020, including more than 5,000 confirmed cases among children

California children are lagging behind adults in vaccination rates, and misinformation about vaccine safety may increase risks for families, health experts say.

The battle over scientific data versus politicized debate erupted in Butte County, where parents and political leaders at times pushed false information about the virus to argue against shutdowns and removal of masking requirements.

While vaccines for those younger than 5 were approved in June, vaccines for children older than 5 have been available for months. But the state’s Health Equity dashboard shows that statewide, in the 5-11 age bracket only 36% are fully vaccinated and in the 12-17 bracket 67% fully vaccinated. The average vaccination rates for adults in California range from 78% to 85%. read more