ChicoSol

ChicoSol alleges Brown Act violation

Journalists wrongfully barred from closed Council meeting

by Dave Waddell | Posted September 13, 2018

ChicoSol Editor Leslie Layton sent a letter Tuesday demanding that Chico city officials “cease and desist” from barring ChicoSol journalists from covering City Council meetings and all other city government business.

Layton alleges in the letter, dated Sept. 11, that city officials violated the Brown Act, California’s open-meeting law, when Chico police officers barred ChicoSol News Director Dave Waddell from entering the Sept. 4 City Council meeting to which all other news media had been admitted. In addition, City Clerk Debbie Presson asked Karen Laslo, a freelance photographer on assignment for ChicoSol, to leave the council chamber, which Laslo did. read more

Butte County represented at SF march

Chicoans join call for action on climate change

by Guillermo Mash | Posted September 8, 2018

“Sustainability is not stealing from our children’s future” — Ali Meders-Knight

Before heading home from the Peoples Climate March in San Francisco, about 40 Chico-area residents gathered at their mural for a group photo in blue T-shirts designed by the Chico 350 organization. The T-shirts featured an outline of the state of California on fire, overlaid with the caption, “California is burning – vote out climate deniers.”

(video by Guillermo Mash)

“It was an amazing experience — a once in a lifetime experience,” said Chico organizer Dave Garcia of the march. “People united here in solidarity hoping that our leaders and political officials would take note and really start doing something about climate change. It’s happening right now and it’s only going to get worse.” read more

Protesters oppose policy that hurts children

People line the Skyway to call for migrant family unification

by Leslie Layton | Posted September 7, 2018

Almost 50 people showed up for a protest Thursday in Paradise to oppose the Trump administration’s policy of separating children from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border. Many of the people passing by on the Skyway honked in support of the protesters.

“I never thought I would be a person outside with a sign,” said one of the organizers, John Tackitt (pictured above behind the banner.) “But even if it’s just doing a little something, it’s something.”

Almost 500 children remain in government-run shelters, and it was reported today that the Trump administration wants to eliminate restrictions on the length of time minors can be held in detention centers. Under new regulations, children will be held indefinitely while their parents’ cases are pending in immigration court. read more

Chico resurrects Sit and Lie Ordinance

Sidewalk rules divide the City Council at a tense meeting

by Dave Waddell and Leslie Layton | Posted September 6, 2018

photo by Karen Laslo

Audience members begin series of chants.

The Chico City Council, after closing the council chamber to the public and ChicoSol, voted 4-3 in a tense and emotional meeting Tuesday to resurrect the expired Sit and Lie Ordinance.

The conservative council majority voted — after an audience disruption prompted the chamber closure — to bring back an ordinance aimed at people who they say are obstructing sidewalks and business entrances. City Attorney Vince Ewing said that under a California statute, the council could close the chamber to a disruptive audience — but not to members of the press.

Even so, Chico police officers barred ChicoSol News Director Dave Waddell from entering the meeting. Freelance photographer Karen Laslo explained to City Clerk Debbie Presson that she was on assignment for ChicoSol, but Presson nonetheless instructed Laslo to leave. read more

City Council majority backs ordinance in closed meeting

Council votes 4-3 on 'sit-and-lie' after barring ChicoSol from chamber

by Dave Waddell and Leslie Layton | Posted September 5, 2018

After Mayor Sean Morgan cleared the raucous Chico City Council chambers Tuesday night, Chico police officers barred ChicoSol News Director Dave Waddell from re-entering the meeting – the only member of the local news media who was barred.

Officer Jeff Durkin told Waddell he lacked the proper press credentials to regain entrance to the chamber – despite Waddell showing him his driver’s license and his ChicoSol business card. Durkin stood with another officer, Drew Cooper, outside the frosted glass doors to the council chambers. On multiple occasions a television reporter opened the door and communicated amicably with Durkin, before it closed again — with ChicoSol journalists still on the outside. read more

Chico PRIDE explores concepts of gender

Four days of activities include plaza performances

by Jessica Lewis | Posted August 31, 2018

A crowd sporting an array of rainbow-colored flags gathered ‘round the stage in Chico’s City Plaza, amid a cluster of various organizations Saturday.

A woman, applauding from the gallery, encouraged a girl to give a dollar to a performer on stage – an obviously appreciated reward for Nikita Diamondz, making her drag debut performance. Each performer got their chance to lead the crowd in an exploration and celebration of gender, by proudly showcasing their own concepts of gender during this year’s “Seeds of Change” PRIDE event.

“There was PRIDE and LGBT in Chico before, but the size and scope of how big Chico PRIDE has become is a big deal,” PRIDE event coordinator Alyssa Larson said. read more