Politics Archives - Page 2 of 24

City to regulate barbecues, ban warming fires

Winslow says the ordinance targets the unhoused community

by Yucheng Tang | Posted May 22, 2025

The Chico City Council on May 20 finalized the adoption of ordinance amendments to further regulate outdoor warming appliances and barbecues.

Fire Chief Steve Standridge said the new ordinance will regulate to “mitigate significant fire risks before the start of the fire season” and to “better protect our community.”

Councilmember Addison Winslow cast the sole vote in opposition to the ordinance. He says it’s one of the many ordinances targeting the unhoused population.

Under the newly-amended ordinance, the use of outdoor warming appliances and barbecues is limited to private property or in some areas designated parks, and the barbecues on public property or in public right of way will be prohibited without a permit. read more

How will Chico handle homelessness 20 months from now?

It's not too soon to plan, councilmember says

by Yucheng Tang | Posted May 18, 2025

photo by Karen Laslo

An officer tells a homeless woman at Humboldt and Forest that she must move from the encampment.

Councilmember Addison Winslow, at the next City Council meeting, says he will push for a study of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s ordinance designed to guide cities that are struggling to manage homeless encampments.

Last week, Gov. Newsom released what he called a “model ordinance” that can be used to “address unhealthy and dangerous encampments.” The ordinance provides a framework local jurisdictions can use to remove encampments from public spaces, and permits speedier enforcement than the framework the City uses now under the Warren v. Chico Settlement Agreement.

For example, the so-called model ordinance requires that officials or officers post a notice 48 hours before taking enforcement actions, “except in exigent circumstances involving an imminent threat to life, safety, health, or infrastructure.” In contrast, the Settlement Agreement mandates 7-day notice to Legal Services of Northern California prior to enforcement planning, 7-day notice to homeless persons who are camping on public property, and finally, a 72-hour notice prior to enforcement. read more

Appellate court revives gender identity lawsuit

Chico parent Aurora Regino makes progress on appeal

by Natalie Hanson | Posted May 12, 2025

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has given new life to a lawsuit against Chico Unified School District that was filed in response to its policy that shaped the handling of a gender identity case.

The higher court in April said that U.S. Eastern District Court Judge John Mendez erred in dismissing a lawsuit filed by Chico parent Aurora Regino. Mendez said Regino didn’t have the legal foundation to pursue a claim opposing the district’s anti-discrimination and student privacy policy.

That policy prohibits the school from notifying parents about a student’s gender identity concerns or decisions without the student’s consent. read more

Guerrilla activists strike on Chico State campus

University administration has dozens of unauthorized flyers removed

by Leslie Layton | Posted May 6, 2025

The flyer that appeared on classroom doors last week

This story was updated at 4 p.m. today to include the university’s response.

Three hundred flyers suddenly appeared on campus doors at Chico State University last week, warning that law enforcement officers – a reference to immigration agents — would only be allowed in classrooms and other “private spaces” if they possessed judicial warrants.

“CAUTION CAUTION CAUTION” warns a flyer banner highlighted in yelllow. The flyer then notes that a classroom is a “private space” with entry restricted to faculty, staff and enrolled students. “Law enforcement may only enter with a valid judicial warrant … Everyone in the United States, regardless of immigration status, has the right to remain silent,” it continues. read more

New Council sub-committee discusses the “shelter-resistant”

Community members who spoke hold out hope for people who seem challenging to help

by Yucheng Tang | Posted May 3, 2025

photo by Yucheng Tang

Behavioral Health Director Scott Kennelly speaks at the first meeting of the City’s ad hoc committee on homelessness.

At the first meeting of the City’s ad hoc committee on homelessness, the discussion touched on the overlap between homelessness, substance abuse and mental health. It also raised two related questions: how to address the problem of shelter-resistant homeless individuals, and whether compelled treatment is sometimes necessary.

Scott Kennelly, the director of Butte County Behavioral Health, said homeless outreach teams have worked to convince unhoused people to take advantage of services and have tried to connect them with services, but there are always people who say, “Leave me the hell alone.” read more