For Which it Stands

photo by Tania Flores
Graffiti in Oakland, Calif.

by Danielle Alexich
guest contribution posted Nov. 6

I would give myself an A plus.
Nobody has done what I’ve been able to do.
–Donald Trump

Grade school mornings
we faced the flag,
hands over hearts,
pride of a nation pulsing inside us.
We compared report cards,
took cuts in line at recess,
played dodgeball in the thin Oakland fog.
Across town and on TV,
dark people got dragged away in handcuffs.
If we saw a drunk collapsed on the street,
we were told not to stare.
People dreamed of getting rich. read more

Taser pain minimized at Rushing trial Testimony from ‘cottage industry of exoneration’ aided Chico police

by Dave Waddell
news analysis posted Oct. 29

The pain of the taser was “searing … like a baseball bat swung hard and squarely into the small of your back. That sensation, which is actually two sharp steel barbs piercing your skin and shooting electricity into your central nervous system, is followed by the harshest, most violent spasm you can imagine coursing through your entire body.” – Journalist Matt Stroud in his book “Thin Blue Lie.”

SACRAMENTO — Three years ago, the New York Times published a deeply reported story on how paid experts help exonerate police in killing cases. This month, that “cottage industry of exoneration,” including one expert who has made a fortune minimizing the dangers of tasers, operated at full gear on the 15th floor of the Robert T. Matsui Federal Courthouse. read more

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

The PAC behind the negative mailers "A Better Chico" launches attacks on two liberal candidates

photo by Karen Laslo
Candidate Bryce Goldstein is attacked in a recent PAC mailer that exploits the problem of homelessness.

by Leslie Layton
posted Oct. 22

It cost the political action committee (PAC) A Better Chico some $14,000 to taint election season with a bitter mood by sending out four mailers that attack two City Council candidates who are running for the District 3 and 7 seats.

The two women, candidates Monica McDaniel and Bryce Goldstein, were each targeted with two mailers that make misleading and false statements that exploit the issue of homelessness by showing pictures of tent encampments, piles of litter and needles. 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