Category: Community

City Council District 7: Voters have a clear choice Incumbent Tandon and challenger Goldstein explain to ChicoSol contrasting views

District 7 extends into Lower Bidwell Park on the northeast, crosses Highway 99, and is severed by District 6 west of the highway.

by Yucheng Tang
posted Oct. 26

This is the fourth story in our City Council election series.

District 7 voters have a choice. Candidates Bryce Goldstein and Deepika Tandon both want better streets and more housing projects, but differ on other crucial issues, including homelessness, climate change and wildfire planning.

Goldstein, a transportation planner, has served as a City of Chico commissioner for the past five years, formerly on the Planning Commission and now as a Climate Action commissioner. She says on her website that she wants a community where “everybody can afford to live … where everybody can access fresh groceries without having to own a car, and where our trees, parks, and creeks are protected.” read more

Sikh community pursues change in narrative Los sijs buscan que sus historias sean escuchadas

photo by Yucheng Tang
Jasbir Singh Kang, co-founder of the Punjabi American Heritage Society, speaks during the Listening Session.

by Yucheng Tang
posted Oct. 24

Lea aqui en español

YUBA CITY — Sikh communities want more visibility and want their stories heard.

Not only should the religious stories be told, but also the stories about how Sikh farmers grow peaches and walnuts, how Sikh community members import food from Mexico or export into Canada, and how they contribute to California’s economy. That’s the view of Jasbir Singh Kang, co-founder of the Punjabi American Heritage Society in Sutter County.

The “Sikh Listening Session” held in Yuba City on Oct. 23 was organized by the California Racial Equity Commission and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs (CAPIAA), and gave community members the opportunity to share their stories. read more

Big money plays big role in effort to seat conservative Council candidates Grassroots campaigning helps build Goldstein's campaign fund

photo by Yucheng Tang
Mike O’Brien speaks at a candidates’ forum.

by Natalie Hanson
posted Oct. 21

Chico’s City Council races have become clearly divided between grassroots campaigns that rely on small donors and campaigns funded by wealthy outside interests.

Liberal-leaning candidates rely heavily on door-to-door canvassing and fundraising events. But meanwhile, the hefty financial advantage enjoyed by conservative-leaning candidates has helped drive a strong presence for them throughout the city, from campaign signs to advertising. Conservative-leaning and Republican candidates have long held access to some of the bigger wallets in the region, including in the last City Council race which brought about a 6-1 conservative majority. read more

City Council District 5: What does a diverse neighborhood need?

by Yucheng Tang
posted Oct. 18

This is the third in ChicoSol’s City Council election series. Read our District 3 story here and our District 1 story here.

Renter rights. Pedestrian safety. The unhoused. These are the issues people living in District 5 care most about.

Kaylee Hudson, 29, a Chico State MBA student, worries most about pedestrian safety in the district. She came to Chico only five months ago, but has already been hit by a car while crossing the street downtown during the daytime. Hudson said the driver didn’t stop after hitting her. read more

District 3: The incumbent and the challenger Councilmember Bennett ducks interview opportunity with ChicoSol

Northeast Chico’s District 3 stretches from a piece of Lower Bidwell Park to the northern border of the City and westward to Cohasset Road.

by Yucheng Tang
posted Oct. 11

The District 3 City Council race feels like deja vu to many Chico voters.

Two years ago, Monica McDaniel and Dale Bennett both ran for the District 3 council seat, with McDaniel narrowly losing by about 200 votes. This year, the two are once again competing for the same position.

McDaniel remembers feeling incredibly nervous while waiting for the results and frustrated upon learning she had lost. McDaniel believes this year there could be a different outcome.

ChicoSol interviewed and photographed McDaniel on Oct. 3. Bennett did not respond to requests for an interview that were delivered in emails and phone calls. read more

Media literacy expert: Identify fake news by looking at sources Podcasts and other new media lack "gatekeepers" but broaden discourse

photo courtesy of Janet Rechtman
Author and media literacy expert Nolan Higdon

by Yucheng Tang
posted Sept. 15

Disinformation. Misinformation. Lies. Bunk. Hoaxes.

All those terms fall under the umbrella of fake news, according to a media literacy expert, who spoke Sept. 14 to the League of Women Voters in Chico.

“We generally only cherry-pick the fake news producers that we dislike,” said Nolan Higdon, the author of “The Anatomy of Fake News.” “We don’t like to admit there are some people we do like who also produce fake news.”

Hidgon, a history and media studies lecturer at the University of California, Santa Cruz, was invited by the local League to discuss media literacy and recommend tips that can be used to fight fake news. The most important thing he wanted to encourage people to do is to verify that information they’re consuming meets journalistic standards. read more