Border-crossing journalism from the Sacramento Valley
by George Gold
guest commentary posted May 2
The Chico City Council approved the police department budget and use of military weapons earlier in April 2023, weapons that were obtained under the U.S. Department of Defense 1033 program.
Recent California statutes require the police department hold at least one community engagement meeting to discuss the purchase and deployment of these military-style weapons.
by Natalie Hanson
posted April 18
A new study on COVID-19 says that parents under stress or following pandemic misinformation were more cautious about Covid treatments and vaccines for their children -– and may have ignored or directly violated COVID prevention policies, including at schools.
But it is unclear how much those behaviors may have impacted counties with lower vaccination rates and amid significant infection rates, like Butte County.
Editor’s note: Chico resident Eileen Robinson shared a March 13 letter she sent to the Chico City Council regarding the City’s newly-designated campsites at Eaton and Cohasset roads. The city has set up two new sites for unhoused people to comply with a judge’s order.
Honorable Council Members and Mr. Sorenson,
I saw the televised account of Target Team members visiting designated campsite one and issuing citations because some folks didn’t have permission to be there.
by Natalie Hanson
commentary posted March 14
For those of us who have lost a parent to illness, or conspiracy theories, the pain of witnessing a massive campaign to debunk medical science runs deep.
When COVID-19 hit and began devastating millions of lives, misinformation about the virus -– whether to profit, politicize or divide -– also hit. I felt alone, recognizing telltale signs of the same messaging that tore my family apart.
by Leslie Layton & Natalie Hanson
posted March 13
An effort to force Chico Unified School District (CUSD) staff to obtain “informed consent” from parents before “socially transitioning” a youth who identifies as transgender has stalled in federal court.
A federal judge has denied a request made in the Regino v. Staley lawsuit, filed against CUSD over a gender identity case, that the district be immediately stopped from accomodating any student who identifies with a gender different than what appears on school records without first contacting the parents.
by Dave Waddell
posted March 11
Eddie “Gabe” Sanchez, who was shot dead in 2015 by Chico police Sgt. Mark Bass, was called “a piece of shit” by Bass during a confrontation last week at a Paradise restaurant, claims Sanchez’s brother.
The Sanchez family has a wrongful death lawsuit pending in federal court against Bass, the Chico Police Department and City of Chico over the killing.
