Category: Politics

Chico Unified faces staffing and fatigue issues

Inflation will raise District costs, but state funding may reach a high
by Natalie Hanson | Posted August 2, 2022

This CUSD general fund graph compares projected cash flow for the coming academic year (red-dotted line) with the two previous years.

Chico Unified School District is struggling to solve the staffing and fatigue problems plaguing schools across the nation — even with its coffers well-funded for the coming academic year.

Chico Unified Teachers Association President Kevin Moretti said teachers have been aided by smaller class sizes, block schedules at the high schools and more aides “when we can find them.”

However, new funding may not necessarily solve all staffing problems. Like many school districts across the country, Chico Unified has seen an increase in retirements and resignations during the pandemic. The district has raised the wages for lower-paid positions that are at a premium, like classroom aides and bus drivers. 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.

“We wanted to access records related to four tragic shootings, and that’s what we achieved,” said attorney Aaron Field, who represented Waddell. “Hopefully this was a learning experience for all involved and will not be recurring.” 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.

Social media played a crucial part in informing the public, but communication and health experts think it also may have contributed to the crisis. As of this month, only 54% of the county’s residents have had two COVID-19 vaccine doses and nearly 41% are unvaccinated, while statewide 76% are vaccinated and 17% are unvaccinated. read more

June 24, 2022: Roe v. Wade overturned

What Does One Generation Owe Another?
by Ellen Walker | Posted June 29, 2022

photo courtesy of Ellen Walker
Margaret Sanger with Lena Levine, founders of what would become Planned Parenthood.

On this dark day for women’s rights to reproductive health, choice, and privacy, I cry for American women of reproductive age, but I also weep more private tears for my mother, Lena Levine, who joined Margaret Sanger as a young medical intern and worked with her in the early days of what would become The Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

She devoted most of her life to giving women control over their bodies, from decriminalizing contraception to educating women about their sexual and reproductive rights. My tears for her are guilty ones: I, and my generation, were unable to hold fast to those principles of equality and justice for women which her generation fought so hard to establish and secure. read more

A plea for real gun control

The question is whether leaders "have the guts to act"
by George Gold | Posted June 14, 2022

photo by Karen Laslo
At the July 2 Chico Certified Farmers’ Market, someone hung T-shirts and printed on each shirt the name of a child killed in the May 24 school massacre in Uvalde, Tex.

There’s an epidemic in America that came, not from a laboratory test tube and not from some animal-to-human transmission, but that was created here, by us.

Guns are everywhere and they’re being used to kill people. They’re killing us in schools, supermarkets, even cemeteries. So is this the best we can do? The level of anger that seemingly is coming from so many parts of our society is frightening. But we have to start somewhere.

In an era of disinformation, any lie can find traction in the circles of the very people who are already angry about the unfairness of life. They then take their frustrations out on the rest of us with their guns. Life isn’t fair, but perhaps we can work to make it … umm … more fair. read more

Stakes high in costly Butte supervisor race

Campaign contributions reflect statewide law enforcement effort, water worries
by Leslie Layton and Natalie Hanson | Posted May 30, 2022

The Butte Forward Opposing Debra Lucero political action committee emerged two months ago.

At a time when Butte County faces pressing problems -– from homelessness to drought -– a record amount of money is pouring into the race for the District 2 seat on the Board of Supervisors.

In the final weeks leading up to the June 7 primary election, last-minute contributions flowed into the race and a new political action committee (PAC) emerged, Butte Forward, that formed at the end of March to oust incumbent Debra Lucero.

Lucero faces two challengers, Chico police Sgt. Peter Durfee and environmental health and safety manager Carl Jeffries, as well as opposition from Butte Forward that had collected $40,840 by the end of the May reporting period. Contributions to the PAC, which calls itself “Butte Forward PAC, Opposing Debra Lucero for Supervisor 2022” on its Facebook page, came from many of the same families that founded or supported formation of the Tuscan Water District. read more