Category: Politics

City Council forms ad hoc committee on homelessness Lemner: "There isn’t a carpet big enough to sweep all these people under"

photo by Yucheng Tang
Margo Lemner was one of 18 people who asked City Council for action.

by Yucheng Tang
posted March 5

The City Council unanimously passed Mayor Kasey Reynolds’ motion to create an ad hoc committee to address homelessness at the March 4 meeting.

Reynolds noted that “the scope of the committee would be on the three items originally agendized,” including ordinances, code changes and programs distinct from anti-camping ordinance enforcement.

“The committee would have a time-sensitive due date of coming back in one of our June meetings,” Reynolds said, in making the motion for the ad hoc group. “We would bring a report back to Council with recommendations for the full Council to consider at that time.” read more

John Nishio works to prevent history from repeating Changemaker: Former Chico State University Prof Nishio organizes pilgrimage

photo by Yucheng Tang
John Nishio

by Yucheng Tang
posted March 1

Editor: This is the second story in our monthly Changemaker series.

Former Chico State professor John Nishio has ample reason to organize a pilgrimage honoring Japanese American prisoners of war.

His father and grandparents were among those held captive during World War II, and as a biologist, he believes he’s found a link between his field of science and his family history.

Epigenetic markers are the environmental factors that impact gene expressions, he said. Some of these markers, or chemicals, he explained, can attach to the DNA and be transferred to successive generations. read more

Chico PD leaves unresolved questions Chasing truth in turbulent times

photo by Karen Laslo
Colleen Evans leaves the protest on a stretcher.

by Leslie Layton
posted March 1

When Colleen Evans stopped by the Feb. 17 “Not my Presidents Day” protest at City Plaza, she hoped to voice her opposition to the Trump Administration and find camaraderie with like-minded people.

Instead, the Chico woman, who was wearing a knee brace to protect a broken kneecap, ended up at the Enloe Medical Center emergency room with new injuries. She arrived at Enloe bloodied, sore and dazed after a disastrous fall off the sidewalk on the east side of the plaza. read more

Redistricting issue may come back to Chico City Council City attorney rethinks his position

photo by Karen Laslo
Councilmember Addison Winslow

by Yucheng Tang
posted Feb. 24

Councilmember Addison Winslow complained at the Feb. 18 City Council meeting that there were “cockamamie” procedural objections that blocked his effort earlier this year to ensure there will be future discussion on redistricting and how it’s done.

“I wanna believe that this is the last time that we have an issue like that,” Winslow said from the dais during the public comments section of the meeting. “I think the least that we can do is maintain a legitimate public decision-making process.” read more

Chico protesters decry Trump-Musk “power grab” Administration's actions fit definition of a coup, or "autogolpe"

photo by Leslie Layton
Crowds gathered at a corner of City Plaza to protest Trump Administration policies and actions.

by Leslie Layton
posted Feb. 17

Several hundred people showed up today at City Plaza to protest the Trump presidency and the consolidation of power that is now being termed a coup by reputable political commentators.

Turnout was surprising given that the event was announced only days ago on social media by local groups that wanted to support the “We The People” nationwide protest.

Toward the end of the 12 p.m. protest, tempers flared when a Chico man, Danny Peters, planted himself about a hundred yards down the sidewalk on the east side of the plaza and waved a flag that said, “Trump won” and “Get over it.” A woman was interviewed by police and taken off by paramedics after onlookers said she was pushed off a curb and onto the pavement face down. read more

Tuscan Water District to levy fee that will finance operations Large landowners who favored fee had more voting clout

photo courtesy of Tuscan Water District
Approved TWD map

by Leslie Layton
posted Feb. 13

The recently-formed Tuscan Water District (TWD) is now in the budget planning stage after winning the right to levy a special assessment fee on landowners within district boundaries.

In an election held last month, TWD won the support it sought for a fee of up to $6.46/acre to be paid by landowners whose votes were weighted based on the number of acres owned. That was in accordance with California law that allows weighted voting in special districts, said TWD General Manager Tovey Giezentanner. read more