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KPAY News Archives for 2016-03

The Sierra Snowpack Survey Contains Both Good And Bad News

 
The good news is conditions are much better than last year when there almost no snow at all, but the bad news is snowpack readings throughout the Sierras are slighly below historical averages for this time of year. Spokesman Doug Carlson with the Department of Water Resources also says the dry ground will also hurt run off. 
 
 
The upshot is the drought will continue in California, at least until the state gets above average amounts of rainfall. He says Wednesday's measurements are one of several pieces of data that go into how much water is allocated to water districts and farmers around the state. 

Authorities Are Warning Of IRS Scam

 A number of Northstate residents have reported receiving calls from someone claiming to be from the IRS stating that they are delinquent on paying their taxes and need to pay it immediatly.

Officials from the IRS say that they will send a bill in the mail before they would call anyone and will not demand an immediate payment. The IRS will also not have anyone pay with a prepaid debit card or ask for debit or credit card numbers over the phone. They say to report the call to the Federal Trade Commission.   

 

Petition Drive To Recall Paradise Irrigation District Board Members Underway

Divsion 3 Director Larry Duncan and Division 4 Director and board president Sep Carola are on the petition to be brought up for an early election in November. Both board members would not be up for relection until 2018. The petition states that board members Duncan and Carola, along with Ken Hunt do not represent the district's cusomers and that financial mismanagment is bringing the district to the verge of bankruptcy. Ken Hunt is already up for relection in November and is not on the recall petition. Duncan believes the recall attempt is misguided.  

 

Hit And Run Collision Leaves Bike Rider With Broken Bones

The collision happened in the area of Main Street and Crittenden Street in Red Bluff on Tuesday. According to police, a woman was riding a bicycle in the southbound lane when she was reportedly struck from behind by a maroon Chevy sedan. The driver of the Chevy allegedly drove away from the area. The victim was taken to the hospital suffering from several broken bones and a concussion.

On Wednesday Red Bluff Police located the vehicle and the driver, identified as 24-year-old Jesse Alaniz. He was arrested for felony hit and run.  

Fire Destroys A Pick-up Truck In Chico

 Smoke was seen coming from the hood of a ford pickup at an apartment complex on Forest Avenue after 11 am Wednesday. When firefighters arrived the truck was on fire. Firefighters were able to contain the blaze to the pick-up and no one was reported injured. Authorities believe the fire could have been caused by electrical issues with the truck.    

 

Missing Oroville Teen Found Safe

A missing teenager is found safe. 14-year-old Traci Starr was found at Bedrock Park in Oroville last night and reportedly has been reuinited with her family. She was first reported missing Tuesday after she reportedly ran away from home and was without her medication. 
 

 

Two Arrests After Authorities Find Pot Grow In Shasta County

They found almost 11 thousand pot plants on property in the Trinity Alps Preserve. 19-year-old Enrique Nunez of Stockton and 29-year-old Sergio Becerril-Molina of San Jose were arrrested, Authorities also reportedly sezied meth and an insecticide known as Carbofuran in the raid. Carbofuran is a chemical used to treat the plants that has been banned in the U.S. 

 

Preliminary Approval For Minimum Wage Increase

A California Assembly panel has given preliminary approval to raising the statewide minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2022. Members of the Assembly Appropriations Committee voted Wednesday to advance the agreement between Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown and labor unions. The measure now goes to the full Assembly.  Supporters say the raises would benefit more than 2 million Californians earning minimum wage. Business owners and some economists are concerned it would prompt layoffs and cause price increases that would outweigh the benefits.

 

Bruce's Corner: the man who had Romans doing as he did has a new gig in Vermont.

You know him as the Most Interesting Man in the World. The character in the Dos Equis beer ads is really 77-year-old Jonathan Goldsmith. He was dropped by Dos Equis to make way for a younger Most Interesting Man. Goldstein says Dos Equis ended their relationship by sending him on a one way trip to Mars. So the native Vermont resident stayed at home to help the Make A Wish foundation in his area. Make A Wish helps children with terminal and life threatening conditions. Goldsmith says he likes his new gig, adding he really wanted to be a social worker before a circuitous route took him to Broadway. So far he hasn't developed a signature line like his Dos Equis Stay Thirsty My Friends. 

Water Output From Lake Oroville Being Reduced

State water officials say the output from Lake Oroville is being reduced. It was 5 thousand cubic feet per second. It is now 4 thousand cubic feet per second. The Department of Water Resources says that will further go down to 3 thousand cubic feet per second. The department isn't sure if they will keep the flow at 3 thousand cubic feet or continue reducing it. Last week officials decided to release water from the spillway from the lake into the Feather River due to flooding concerns.

 

Butte County Deputies Arrest Two For Alleged Mail Theft

The arrest came early this morning at Entler Avenue and Sega Drive in Chico. Deputies say the pickup stopped there was linked to recent mail thefts in that area. 39-year-old Marilyn Cable of Paradise and 43-year-old James Higgins of Palermo were arrested. The deputy reportedly found a shot gun, drug paraphernalia, and stolen property from a recent burglary as well as the alleged stolen mail. 

Chico State Faculty Prepare For Possible Strike

The California Faculty Association announced Monday that their members will strike at the 23 CSU campuses, which includes Chico State, if the Chancellor's Office of the State University system does not offer a 5 percent pay raise. The CSU is offering a 2 percent raise for this school year and the 2016 and 2017 school year, however they said they will discuss other offers at their meeting April 4th. The strikes are set to take place from April 13 to 15 and from April 18 and 19.   

The Sacramento River Near Redding Closing To Fishing

No fishing will be allowed in a section of the river from Keswick dam to the Highway 44 bridge from April 1st to August 1st. Officials say, this is the main area for spawning of the endangered winter run Chinook Salmon. 2015 was the first year this section of river was closed to fishing for much of the spring and summer season.     

Butte County Gets Closer To Becoming More Energy Self Sufficient

Efforts continue to make Butte County more energy self sufficient. The county is getting closer to buying its own power rather than using large utilities, like PG&E. Jennifer McCarthy with the County Administrative Office says there are big benefits to what's known as a Community Choice Aggregation.

 

 

Recently the city of Davis and Yolo County became the latest communities to find the savings outweighed any energy fees imposed and embraced the movement. Others include Marin and Sonoma County. She says any change is completely voluntary--people can choose to stay entirely with PG&E if they so choose. 

Bruce's Corner: The Apple-FBI iPhone Case Just Got More Curious

A court hearing set for last Tuesday was suddenly cancelled when the FBI said it might need Apple after all to help get into the iphone of a San Bernadino shooter. Reports indicate the Israeli company Cellebrite will help the government, something tech critics say the Government could've done all along, especially with a three year old iPhone. But if an outside company can crack the iPhone, are other phones really secure? That's just one of many questions raised around this issue. Forget the PR battle of big brother or those who wouldn't help get terrorists. Some argue maybe it's time Congress write some laws about exactly what the government can and cannot ask tech companies to do to help with terror investigations. Cynics say with Congress's track record, good luck with that. 

Man Sent To Hospital After Weekend Assault

An argument between two Redding men, 42-year-old Levi Mayhan and 30-year-old Kenneth Clark lead to the assault at the Shasta Dam around 5 am Saturday. Clark allegedly stabbed Mayhan multiple times to the side of his body and his head. Mayhan was taken to a local hospital for treatment of his wounds. According to the Shasta County Sheriff's Office, this was just one of a string of undisclosed crimes Clark allegedly committed in the in the City of Shasta Lake that morning. Clark was arrested and charged with attempted murder

Reckless Driver Leads CPD On Chase

 Officers spotted the driver of a Nissan truck allegedly speeding recklessly through the parking lot of the AM/PM on the Esplanade before 10 Thursday night. The driver then left the parking lot and reportedly failed to stop for police. Officers chased the suspect down highway 99 at speeds around 85 miles per hour. Officers called off the chase when the suspect exited at East 8th Street. The suspect slowed down and officer resumed their pursuit. The suspect identified as 22-year-old Brandon Bothum finally pulled over and was arrested.     

Suspected Burglar Arrested At Redding Healthcare Business

 

Officers spotted 33-year-old John Franklin allegedly burglarizing Owens Pharmacy on Church Creek Road around 10:30 Sunday morning. After Franklin was arrested he reportedly told officers that he had swallowed 30 pills. Franklin was taken to the hospital to be medically cleared. He was charged with commercial burglary and violation of probation. Franklin was allegedly arrested 20 times in 2015 for multiple theft and narcotics charges.     

Chico Police Arrest Two Suspects For Two Burglaries In One Morning

Ethan Corley awoke to find two men inside his residence on West 5th Street just after midnight Thursday. The men had allegedly grabbed some property and put the items in a backpack. When Corley confronted the two suspects they dropped the backpack and reportedly took off in a white Jeep. About 10 minutes later Michael Quinn, a resident of an apartment on Ivy Street, found two suspects allegedly coming through the window. The suspects saw him and took off. Officers found the suspects identified as 34-year-old Long Nguyen and 22-year-old Jerrell Blasher in a white jeep and they were arrested.     

A Domestic Stabbing Incident Leads To An Arrest

Chico Police arrived at a residence on Yosemite Drive and found 35-year-old William Oiler with a non life threatening stab wound to the left side of his rib cage before 8:30 Saturday night. Oiler told police that his girlfriend indentified as 48-year-old Daun Slagle had allegedly stabbed him and took off in a Nissan Altima. Officers found and attempted to stop the vehicle at the intersection of Bruce Road and Picholine Drive, but the driver continued on to East 20th Street. Slagle stopped at the Winco parking lot and was arreste

 

Reportedly Daun Slagle was the only known survivor of serial killer Keith Hunter Jesperson, known as the Happy Face Killer. Slagle and her child encountered Jesperson in a parking lot in Mt. Shasta in 1990, but were able to escape.  

Update On Highway 3 Clean-up

 

Work continues in Trinity County along highway three after a mudslide occurred near Weaverville. Caltrans says it could take up to two months to restore the section of the highway that was damaged. They hope to have the road open by Memorial Day. The main focus according to crews on scene is to get Slate Creek flowing again after sixty-thousand yards of soil fell blocking the creek. A detour has been set up for two and four wheel vehicles beginning at Trinity Mountain Road in French Gulch. 

Sleepy Driver Sentenced In Butte County For Fatal Collision

 

38-year-old Angelo Vincent of Marysville who was charged with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter and driving without a proper license was sentenced Thursday to ninety days in Butte County jail and three years probation.

The incident happened May 2014 when Vincent who was driving a truck hauling a heavy trailer served into the northbound lane of Highway 99 north of Rio Bonito Road. His truck collided head-on with a Honda Civic driven by 53-year-old Jane Rodgers. She was declared dead at the scene. Vincent told authorities that he was getting sleepy before the collision. According to the DA's Office, Vincent did not have a commercial trucker's license to haul a heavy trailer.    

Two Young Boys Have Gone Missing From Modoc County

Modoc County deputies are looking for Justin Runge and Bo Galle, who were last seen at 7pm Thursday on the XL Indian Reservation. Justin is 5 feet tall, weighs 90 pounds, was wearing a black sweatshirt and black sweatpants and was seen riding a black bike. Bo is also 5ft tall and weighs 127 pounds, was wearing a green sweater and blue jeans and was last seen riding a blue scooter. Police are seeking a vehicle they may be connected with the case - a blue 4 door Dodge Ram with a California license plate. Anyone with information should contact the Modoc County Sheriff’s Office. 

Butte County Deputies Arrest Alleged Car Burglar

A deputy spotted a suspicious male riding a bicycle in the area of Holland Avenue and Campbell Street in Durham before 3:30 this morning. The man was identified as 31-year-old Jason Edwards. Deputies reportedly found bank cards on Edwards that were reported stolen during recent vehicle burglaries. During the investigation investigators saw surveillance video from a business reportedly showing Edwards using one of the alleged stolen cards. Edwards was arrested for possessing of stolen property, identity theft, and two felony warrants.  

Repairs Being Made To The Esplanade Over Lindo Channel

 

A wall that retains soil at the section of the Esplanade that goes over the Lindo Channel recently collapsed. Officials say that the wall does not affect the bridge. The wall was built in the 1950s and didn't have steel reinforcements. Officials say the new wall will be reinforced. There will be one northbound lane open while crews work on the wall. The work is expected to be finished by April 1st. 

Chico Police Arrest Pair Of Bicycle Thieves

 Officers were alerted to the alleged theft of the GPS enabled "bait bike" after 3 pm Wednesday. The bike had been locked up in front of a business on Nord Avenue. Officers tracked the bicycle to the Chico Cemetery where they saw a pickup parked nearby. Officers then saw one of the suspects identified as 38-year-old Ronald Tanner of Paradise reportedly run from the truck and hop the fence. Police allegedly found Tanner hiding under a tarp on the cemetery grounds. He and 21-year-old Emily Hammond of Paradise were arrested.    

Water Flows To Feather River Will Increase

 

There will be more water flowing into the Feather River starting Thursday. The Department of Water Resources made the announcement Wednesday that flow will be increased to cut down on the risk of flooding at the Oroville dam. Officials want people who use the river to be aware that the water will become deeper and swifter. Some parts of the river could rise to about 2 to 4 feet. Officials say that those levels should last up to 6 days after the flow is increased.    

Fire Scare Leads To Evacuation At Chico State

Butte Hall was evacuated after 1:30 Wednesday afternoon when smoke was detected in the building. Chico Fire came out to check the seven story building and to make sure that everyone got out safely. Fire investigators determined that a return air fan had failed producing some smoke. Classes reportedly resumed about an hour later.     

Butte County Ranks High In Smoking, Obesity and Drinking Health Issues

 

Butte County ranks higher than the statewide average in smoking, obesity, and drinking related deaths.

 

Butte County is ranked 38 out of 57 counties on the list. Adult smoking was at 15% compared to the overall state ranking of 12%. Alcohol-impaired driving deaths for Butte County was at 36% where as the overall state rate was at 30%. Adult obesity rates for Butte County were 2% above the state's overall figures.

 

You can find this and much more information at countyhealthrankings.org.    

Suspicious Device Found At Red Bluff CHP Station

 

Maintenance crews reportedly found an object that looked like gas canister with duct tape covering the bottom in the bushes near the building early Tuesday afternoon. Main Street was closed from Walton Avenue to Highway 36 for over three hours while the investigation took place. Authorities say the device reportedly had electrical wiring inside, but they are still looking into what exactly the device was. The bomb squad arrived and safely detonated the device. 

Chico Swimming Pool Closing

The Chico Area Recreation and Park District board voted unanimously to close the Shapiro Pool next to Chico Junior High School. The Chico Unified School District leases the pool to CARD for free, but the school district doesn't want to maintain the pool. The Shapiro pool was built in the 1950s and has an outdated filtering system that is reportedly difficult to maintain. 

 

Swim programs that were held at the Shapiro pool will now take place at the Pleasant Valley pool next to Bidwell Junior High School.    

Esplanade House Loses Thousands In Federal Grants

 

The Esplanade House provides transitional housing for homeless families. The shelter was denied a 10 thousand dollar federal grant, this on the heels of losing a 150 thousand dollar grant this past October. The shelter requires 30 days of sobriety before a family can become part of the program. The Federal Government reportedly is looking to fund programs that are less restrictive. Administrators of the 25 year old shelter are now awaiting the approval two other federal grants to help fill in the gaps. 

Medical Marijuana Code Enforcement Gains New Staff

 

Butte County Supervisors approve of using additional staff for medical marijuana code enforcement. Butte County Supervisors voted unanimously for the addition of four staff members at Tuesday morning's meeting. The department has been using temporary help, but now they will have two more code enforcement officers and two support staff on a full-time basis.   

Chico PD Announce New App For Lost Or Stolen Cell Phones

 

The app is good for Apple and Android phones, and allows the user to photograph, record the serial number and describe the details of their property. This information is stored in the phone, and in the event it's lost or stolen, it can then be e-mailed to Chico Police for a police report. Authorities say without such information getting property back to the owner is nearly impossible. Chico Police also say the mobile app can be found in the iTunes and Google Play stores by searching Chico Police Department. 

Bruce's Corner: Marijuana is a political debate, not a legal one--for now.

The U.S. Supreme Court announced Monday it will NOT consider lawsuits challenging Colorado's marijuana law. Attorneys from the nearby states of Nebraska and Oklahoma argued Colorado's pot law had put the criminal justice system in their states under stress and become a destabilizing force. But the Justices non ruling--they're only 8 of them now--means any argument about pot before the High Court will have to wait for a new president. One of the High Court's primary functions is handling disputes between states. But no such handling will take place in the immediate future, nor will the Court resolve disputes between state and federal law. 

Firefighter Injured Contain Fire In Palermo

Reports indicate the fire started around 7am Tuesday at a trailer on the 300 block of Central House Road, and the whole trailer became fully engulfed very quickly. Cal Fire was able to get the fire contained to just the one double wide trailer - but one firefighter broke his ankle during the confinement efforts. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment. Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire. 

Victim Of Fatal Highway 273 Accident ID'd

 

Shasta County authorities announced Monday that 32-year-old Jennifer Pruitt of Redding was the woman who was killed after being struck by a car on Highway 273 Saturday night.

It happened about 11 pm when Pruitt reportedly was crossing outside of the crosswalk area on Highway 273 north of Bonnyview Road. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities say the driver was unable to avoid Pruitt and will NOT be charged with her death. According to police, there were reportedly two alcoholic beverages, a hypodermic needle, and a glass pipe found next to Pruitt's body. Pruitt's toxicology report will be released in a few weeks.   

Zir Weems Found Guilty In Court On Friday

The man who the jury says killed his wife Angelica a year and a half ago now faces a maximum 25 years to life sentence in prison. It didn't take long for the jury to return the verdict, having begun deliberations late Thursday. 29-year-old Weems was accused of killing his wife on September 13th, 2014. Her body was found along the Sacramento River several days later. The case pitted prosecutors who portrayed Angelica as a courageous woman who tried to get away from her abusive husband to a defense that said the prosecution case was vague and full of holes. 

Fatal Hit And Run On Highway 273

The driver who hit and killed a woman in Redding Saturday Night will NOT be charged with her death. Authorities say the driver was unable to avoid the woman. It happened about 11 Saturday night when a woman was reportedly crossing Highway 273  north of Bonnyview Road outside of the crosswalk area before when she was hit by a car. The unidentified woman was pronounced dead at the scene. According to police, there were reportedly two alcoholic beverages, a hypodermic needle, and a glass pipe found next to the woman's body.     

Chico PD Say There Were Minimal Problems On St. Patrick's Day

Authorities say with CSU Chico, Butte College, and the Chico Unified School District out last week for spring break there was reduced reports of crime and public safety issues. Most of the calls took place downtown. There were drunk in public calls and complaints about parties. Police say that the call volume wasn't out of the ordinary for a Thursday night and that crowds at the bars were also manageable. 

Chico Fire investigators Looking Into Fire At Local School

Fire crews came out to Pleasant Valley High School after a report of smoke coming out of the windows of the snack shack at Asgard Yard football field after 10:30 pm Sunday. Firefighters quickly put out the flames and there was minor damage to the stand. Fire investigators believe the fire could have been intentionally set. The fire is currently under investigation.    

Butte County Couple Charged With Murder Appear In Court

A couple charged with the fatal stabbing of an Oroville woman make an appearance in court. 46-year-old William Smith Jr. and 54-year-old Julie Moss had a date set Thursday for a probable cause hearing. Smith and Moss are accused of the murder of 40-year-old Angela Murray. Her body was found in a rural area south of Oroville back in November of last year. Smith and Moss were found and arrested in Wisconsin. They were brought back to Butte County to stand trial. Both Smith and Moss have pleaded not guilty to the killing. The two will be back in court on April 7th.

Jury Deliberations Begun In Butte County Murder Case

Jury deliberations have begun in the murder case of 29 year old Zir Weems. He's accused of first degree murder of wife, 23 year old Angelica whose body was found along the Sacramento River in the fall of 2014. The jury went into deliberations late Thursday Afternoon. The Jury will resume deliberations today. 

Officers Respond To Fight Over Gun

 

Deputies with the help of CHP officers arrived at the Motel 6 in Red Bluff on a report of a physical disturbance between three men around 6:30 am Tuesday. Officers found a man who told them that two men had allegedly taken a firearm from his pick up. When the victim confronted the men they reportedly got into a fight. Officers found one of the men identified as 21-year-old Dianjelo Carvajales allegedly with the stolen firearm. He and 27-year-old Louis Buelna Jr. were arrested for robbery.   

Suspected Driver Of Mystery Machine Van Has Turned Herself In

 Sharon Turman was arrested after turning herself into Redding police around 9:30 pm Wednesday. Turman had reportedly led officers on a high speed chase from Redding to Cottonwood where she got out and fled on foot. She was allegedly driving a van painted to look like the Mystery Machine from Scooby Doo. According to police, Turman turned herself in to authorities in hopes of getting her van back. Instead, she was booked into the Shasta County Jail for violating probation, driving recklessly, and other related charges.  

Four Arrests In Drug Raid at Redding Motel

Room 107 at the Redding Motel 6 on Hilltop Drive had been under surveillance for some time for suspected drug activity. Two residents were taken into custody and their three children were taken by Child and Family Services. Two other people who were said to be visiting were also arrested when drugs were found in their possession. Redding authorities add they're to meet with corporate heads of Motel 6 about drug trends and safe business practices for their employees, especially in Redding. 

Patrick Feaster Enters Plea

The former Paradise police officer charged with involuntary manslaughter says he's not guilty. That's the plea given Wednesday by 31-year-old Patrick Feaster. Feaster faces the charge in connection with the fatal shooting of 26-year-old Andrew Thomas last Thanksgiving morning. Dash Cam video shows he shot Thomas in the neck, as Thomas got out of his wrecked SUV. Thomas died about three weeks later.

 

Feaster will be back in court on this charge next month and faces up to five years in jail if convicted. Feaster will also be heading to court for a separate incident. He and his brother Timothy Feaster were arrested around 3:30 am Sunday in Chico for drunken and disorderly conduct.

Bruce's corner: A curious indictment at a marijuana dispensary.

Three Santa Ana police officers face petty theft charges for eating non pot laced candy bars and cookies during a raid of a medical marijuana dispensary. One of them also faces a charge of vandalism for smashing a camera lens. Video has already surfaced of the three eating the treats at a pot shop and acting high, with one saying he felt "light headed". Yet Orange County Prosecutors are charging the three NOT for eating pot laced treats but eating NON pot laced treats after a quote "thorough investigation". Prosecutors say there is insufficient evidence that they actually ate marijuana laced treats. If convicted on all counts, the trio face between six months and one year in jail, 

Patrick Feaster Arrested Again

The former Paradise Policeman accused of a fatal shooting is back in the news after being arrested. 31-year-old Patrick Feaster was reportedly arrested along with his younger brother Timothy on Sunday at his home in north Chico for being drunk and disorderly. Feaster already faces felony charges of involuntary manslaughter in the Thanksgiving Day shooting of Andrew Thomas.  

Redding Man Arrested For Running Honey Oil Lab

22-year-old Codie Parnell was taken into custody at a residence on Montcrest Drive on Tuesday. While at the home agents found 13 canisters of butane and over 50 pounds of marijuana. A young child was also found at the residence and was taken to the Shasta County Child and Family Services.      

Shasta County DA Weighs In On Officer Involved Shooting

The Shasta County DA's Office announced Tuesday that the nine officers involved in a fatal shooting at the Boulder Creek Apartments in Redding acted in self-defense and the defense of others. The incident happened January 5th when a number of people reported a man identified as Stephen Bukwich allegedly shooting a gun on Boulder Creek Drive. Officers arrived and surrounded Bukwich's apartment. Bukwich came out at one point and reportedly aimed a semi-automatic pistol at police and neighbors. According to the DA's Office, Bukwich's actions made it necessary for officers to use their firearms on him.   

Gas Line In Middle Of Chico Dam Is Leaking

The dam in the lake at California Park on Bruce Road was built over the gas line. The leak was reportedly discovered a year ago but has since gotten worse. Repairing the line could damage the dam so the gas will be rerouted and the pipe in the dam will no longer be used. PG&E says that service to customers will not be affected while the gas is rerouted. 

Road Closures In Trinity County

Highway 3 and Highway 36 are both closed today after separate rock slides occurred Monday night in Trinity County. CalTrans said there is no estimate on when the roads will be reopened. The highway 3 closure is about ten minutes north of Weaverville and the Highway 36 closure about 2 miles east of Forest Glen. Drivers are advised to use alternative routes.

Bruce's Corner: Farmers in the Eastern U.S. have a new cash crop.

The crop is tea--tea for the high priced specialty market. Now this is not your common Lipton Tea, which can be grown much cheaper than the high wages demanded by North American Farmers. This is the tea for the higher priced special market such as Michigan Based Organic Tea for 256 dollars a pound or Big Island Tea in Hawaii for 40 dollars an ounce. The Tea Association of the USA says the specialty market is growing 8 to 10 percent a year, mainly because millennial like the product. The practice has attracted farmers from Mississippi to British Columbia. Grower Jason McDonald in Mississippi began to farm tea after Hurricane Katrina wiped out his timber. He worked with University People to find a tea that would thrive in Mississippi. He says growing tea is not for everyone. You've got to love it he adds. 

Man Found Dead In Burning Car On Friday Has Been ID'd

Authorities identified him as 59-year-old Dale Aikin on Monday, two days after firefighters put out a blaze in the parking lot of a Truck Stop on South Avenue in Corning. While extinguishing the fire, fire crews found a body inside a vehicle. They describe Aikin as a transient who was living in his car. The fire is being investigated but foul play is not suspected. 

Rock Slide Closes Busy Railway

About five thousand cubic yards of rock fell on the Union Pacific Railroad tracks that pass through the Feather River Canyon near Pulga around 8:30 pm Saturday. According to officials, the slide took out about 100 feet of track. Crews are working hard to clear the rock slide and to repair the damage. Officials say the track could reopen Wednesday.   

Arrests Made After High Speed Chase In Redding

Officers spotted a Honda that was reported stolen in the area of Churn Creek and Debbie Lane Monday night. The officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver took off leading them on a chase. The driver stopped the car at Victor Avenue and allegedly got out and attempted to flee on foot, but officers were able to catch the suspect. Both the driver and the passenger were both reportedly taken into custody.   

Fire Causes Damage To House In Butte County.

The fire started in a room on the second story of a house on La Castana Drive in Forest Ranch around 10:30 Sunday night. Firefighters were able to contain the blaze to the room where it started. No one was reported hurt in the fire. Cal Fire estimates the fire damage at around 30 thousand dollars.   

Felony Suspects Arrested In Shasta County

Deputies conducted a probation search at a home on Oak Street in Burney around 4 pm Monday. Deputies found four electronic tablets that had allegedly been stolen from the Pit River Tribal office. They also found a loaded handgun and rifle. 44-year-old Isidro Gali admitted to authorities to have stolen the tablets and he was arrested. 37-year-old Jennifer Martin who was also at the house could be charged for possession of a firearm.   

Northern California Reservoir Levels On The Rise

(AP) — Four straight days of rain have replenished several key reservoirs in Northern California, delighting a state in its fifth year of drought and raising hopes that water-use restrictions might be eased.
 
Lake Shasta, the state's largest reservoir, was at 79 percent capacity and at 103 percent of its historical average for this time of year.
 
The 21-mile long reservoir north of Redding now holds 3.6 million acre-feet of water, enough to supply 3 million to 6 million households for a year.
 
The state's second-largest reservoir, Lake Oroville, was at 70 percent of capacity and hit its historical average Monday. 
 
Officials have reported that lakes Shasta and Oroville haven't been this full since 2013.

CHP Officer Has died After Being Struck On I-80 in Nevada County

Officer Nathan Taylor was standing outside of his car on the highway near the Donner Lake interchange west of Trukee when an  Nisaan Pathfinder reportedly changed lanes and hit him around 2:30 pm Saturday. Taylor was taken to a Reno hospital with two broken legs and internal injuries, and died of his wounds late Sunday night. He was 35, and had been with CHP for nearly 6 years. The driver of the SUV was allegedly travelling at unsafe speeds for weather conditions, but officials do not suspect drugs or alcohol were involved in the crash and she was unhurt.        
 

Investigation Continues Into Suspicious Device Found In Palermo

A man found the object at his residence on Palermo Road after 4 pm Saturday. Deputies responded and found the item had a cylindrical shape and the characteristics of a possible improvised explosive device. The bomb squad arrived and moved the suspicous object to a safe location in order to conduct render safe procedures. 

Chico City Council Meeting Cancelled This Week

Tuesday night's meeting is canceled due to fact that there wasn't much on the agenda and staff members are busy working on the city budget. The city budget will be presented to the council in April.

Flood And Wind Warnings Being Issued For The North State

The National Weather Service is issuing flood warnings due to rising streams and creeks as well as saturated soil. Officials are warning about the rising Sacramento River water levels. The Tehama Bridge is expected to go a foot over the monitor stage. Low lying areas are especially at risk for flooding.

 

A flood watch for Butte, Glenn, and Tehama Counties is expected to continue through Sunday. There is expected to be between 4 to 5 inches of rain to fall in the north valley by the early part of next week.

 

Meanwhile, the National Weather Service is heavy winds are expected this weekend with gusts up to 35 miles per hour or higher in North State. Snow levels are expected to 5 thousand feet Today and could get as low as 3 thousand feet at the beginning of next week. Butte County could get up to a foot of snow.

Series Of California Cyber Security Hearings Kicks Off

State Lawmakers recently got together in hopes of getting a handle on cyber security issues. The Assembly Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection held hearings on an issue that is not abstract anymore. Assemblywoman and Chair of the Hearings Jacqui Irwin says government has failed in its efforts and cyber related costs are becoming part of doing business.

 

 

She says sensitive information is held by more than 150 departments in California and efforts must be made to ensure its safety. She indicated the hearings will eventually result in legislation. The committee meets again in August.

Redding Police Investigating Late Night Stabbing

The incident happened in the area of Olive Avenue and Eureka Way when two men allegedly got into a fight around 11:30 pm Wednesday. One of the unidentified men pulled a knife and started to stab the other man repeatedly before taking off on foot. The victim as taken to Mercy Medical Center for non-life threatening injuries. Police say the suspect is a white male in his 30s.   

Chico Man In Custody On Burglary Charges

A Chico man is in custody on charges of burglary and unlawfully causing a fire for an incident Tuesday evening. Just before 6 PM, 33 year old James Harlan is believed to have broken into a garage on the 18 hundred block of Oleander and used a lighter to be able to see in the dark but ended up setting the place on fire. The garage was adjacent to a small apartment complex. One tenant told Chico Police they didn't know Harlan and he had no lawful business inside the garage or on the property. Most of the contents inside the garage were destroyed.

Two Groups Of Teachers In Butte County Reportedly Unhappy With School Districts

The California Teachers Association reportedly say teachers in Oroville and Durham have grievances. The CTA says the Oroville Elementary Teachers Association has filed an unfair labor charge against the district and is at impasse in its bargaining. They allege that district members have entered teacher's classrooms and coerced and intimidated members about bargaining. It also says teachers in Durham want a "fair contract". They're reportedly asking for a 9 percent salary increase while the district is offering 2 and a half percent.

Changing Of The Guard At Chico State

Gayle Hutchinson will replace Paul Zingg as the next President. Hutchinson is currently provost and vice president of academic affairs at California State University at Channel Islands in Oxnard. She replaces Zingg in May. Zingg had been president at Chico State since 2004 and announced he was retiring last fall. Hutchinson is not a stranger to Chico State--she worked there for some 20 years when she held various positions. She is the first female president in the campus's history.

Fire Crews Battle Blaze At Chico Electronics Store

The fire started in the warehouse section of the Best Buy on Forest Avenue around 4 pm Wednesday. When firefighters arrived they saw smoke coming from the back of the store. According to Chico Fire, the blaze damaged part of the warehouse and a tractor trailer in the loading dock that was carrying electronics. There was also some smoke damage reported in the store. There were no injuries reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Bruce's Corner: Starbucks will soon come to the land of coffee.

The giant coffee chain is taking its boldest step yet---opening a franchise in Italy. There the company faces three major challenges: Italy is first and foremost the country of coffee; the expresso machine was invented in Italy; and despite all that Italy is only the seventh largest consumer of the beverage in Europe. The latest statistics show that Finland was actually the biggest consumer of coffee in Europe, followed by Austria and Sweeden. Hope are to have the first Starbcks open in Milan early next year. The chain that has 22 thousand outlets in 67 countries plans to honor the Italian people and their coffee culture. 

Tehama County Authorities Nab Suspected Burglar

24-year-old John Sime was taken into custody about 4 Tuesday afternoon along with the .22 caliber pistol he reportedly stole during the burglary.

 

Reports indicate a lady interrupted the burglary in progress at her home on Noblewood Drive about 11 Tuesday morning. She reported seeing a fair skinned adult with red hair in her house but the suspect got away. He was reportedly hiding in a Culvert when he was apprehended.

 

Sime was booked into Tehama County jail on charges related to the burglary and fleeing the scene.

Colorado Man Arrested For Attempted Murder In Redding

A Colorado man has been arrested in Redding for attempted murder after a knife fight early Tuesday morning. Authorities say 34 year old Bryan Blankenship was staying at the home of Corey Beatty when both men fought over a knife and stabbed each other several times. Blankenship took control of the knife and reportedly began stabbing Beatty. Beatty's wife Bethany Riedel awoke and heard screaming and shot Blankenship once in the leg. She was taken in for questioning but Blankenship was arrested for attempted murder. The case is now before the District Attorney for review.

Butte County Voters Can Decide Medical Marijuana Issues June 7th

That's when Supervisors Tuesday decided to put the measure on the ballot. Supervisors had three basic choices before them after two petitions were validated late last week. Voters will only be deciding some recent changes made by the Supervisors. They include changes to the county's medical pot cultivation ordinance and the right to farm rule which said marijuana is NOT an agricultural crop. All the restrictions contained in Measure A will remain in effect and will not be part of the upcoming vote.

Opposition To California's High Speed Rail Project Continues Despite Judge's Ruling

A Sacramento Judge ruled Tuesday that the project does NOT violate promises made to voters when they approved project financing. But the judge's ruling said nothing about whether the rail project will be financially viable or if it can meet the travel times voters were promised. Opponents like State Senator Andy Vidak went ahead and introduced a bill that allows people to buy back their property that's no longer in the right of High Speed Rail. He says property owners shouldn't have to rely on estimates.
 
 
Vidak's SB 940 would give property owners the right of first refusal to buy back their property or require the state to sell or exchange the property he claims the state purchased or took from them. 

Bruce's Corner: That thud you hear is the Marco Rubio Campaign.

 

Even supporters are saying it's all but over for the Marco Rubio for President Campaign. The freshman Senator has won just 2 of 20 contests and has utterly failed to make a case against Donald Trump. Insiders say Rubio has no real campaign infrastructure in key states and if he appears more and more desperate lately--well, he is. His attacks on Trump may make him seem more feisty but also far less dignified. And the one overriding thing is this is a year of popular unrest and he's never shown a way to stand out in that environment. And observers of history say Florida may be a must win state for Rubio--but it also was that for Rudy Guiliani in 2008--He put all his efforts into that state, got one delegate, and was never a viable candidate again.

Redding Couple Arrested For Drug Sales

45-year-old Randall Markwith was reportedly on probation for various drug offenses. Authorities also arrested his alleged girlfriend Teresa Scates. A transient arrested for drug possession told police that he reportedly purchased the drugs from a dealer who lived on C Street. Officers went to that location, late last week, and allegedly found methamphetamine and cash. Both were charged for possession of drugs and illegal drug sales.  

Weekend Storm Has Caused Closure Of Local School All Week

Cedarwood Elementary on Columbine Street in Magalia had to cancel classes Monday morning after heavy winds reportedly caused a Douglas Fir tree to lean over, threatening to fall onto a building. Officials closed the school in order to examine the extent of the damage to the tree but now that closure will be for all week. Crews reportedly will have to remove several other trees. The school will reportedly reopen Monday of next week.

Traffic Stop Leads To Arrest Of Two Suspected Gang Members

Authorities say the two men are 35-year-old Derek Keyva and 22-year-old Paul Milliman, both suspected gang members. Officers stopped a vehicle that reportedly had expired registration in the area of Feather River Boulevard and Montgomery Street in Oroville before 12:30 am Saturday. Officers searched the vehicle and reportedly found methamphetamine, a digital scale, and a handgun. 
 

Bruce's Corner: Shacking up is one step closer to being legal in Florida.

Senators in Florida last week voted unanimously to wipe an old law off the books against shacking up. The 148 year old law is from 1868 and says an unmarried man and woman living together could be fined 500 dollars and locked up for 60 days. The law has never been enforced but lawmakers worried it'd make Florida look bad and well, ridiculous because almost a half million of Florida's 7 point 3 million households have unmarried men and women. Florida isn't alone, however..Michigan and Mississippi have laws on the books making cohabitation illegal. One person who sponsored the bill said this is government intrusion at its worst--it's government intrusion on steroids. The measure now goes to the Florida house. 

Woman In A Minivan Leads Shasta County Authorities On A Chase

51-year-old Sharon Turman, wanted for violating probation, was reportedly spotted in the area of California and Shasta streets in Redding just before 1 pm Sunday. She was reportedly driving a Chrysler Town and Country minivan painted like the Mystery Machine from Scooby Doo. She allegedly took off and led officers on a high speed pursuit down Highway 273 with speeds over 100 miles per hour. Authorities called off the chase near Bownman Road in Tehama County. Turman allegedly ditched the van on Highway 36. According to authorities, she is still at large.

Woman Drowns In Flooded Yuba County Roadway

55-year-old Neng Yang was reportedly driving a Toyota sedan on Highway 70 south of McGowan Parkway in Olivehurst after 7 pm Saturday night when he allegedly entered closed off south lanes of the highway. Those lanes were closed due to flooding. He reportedly submerged the car. Yang escaped the vehicle, but 51-year-old Xiong Chia was not able to escape. Authorities said she died at the scene. Yang was arrested for DUI and Gross Vehicular Manslaughter.     

Saturday Storms Cause Trees And Power Lines To Fall

Strong winds from Saturday's storm downed trees and power lines in Butte County. A tree reportedly fell on a home in the community of Cohasset and another one crashed into a home in Paradise. No one was reported hurt at those residences. Two trees reportedly fell onto Wyandotte Avenue in Oroville. According to Chico Police a tree and power lines were downed in the area of East First and Arbutus avenues in Chico.   

 

According to PG&E, there were about 3,500 residents of Chico reportedly without power. PG&E also reported 8,700 people without power in Oroville and 4,200 customers without power in Paradise on Saturday. PG&E Crews had reportedly restored power to most of the customers in the affected areas by Sunday evening.      

Butte County's Unemployment Rate Inched Up Last Month

The Employment Development Department says the county rate was 7 point 3 percent, up from a revised 6 point 9 percent in December. But well below last year's 8 point 5 percent. January showed 75 hundred people were out of work in Butte County. 

Bruce's Corner: Canada may soon have an immigration problem.

No sooner had voters cast ballots on Super Tuesday than they started googling "move to Canada". The Google search rose big time--like almost 15 hundred percent and it caused Canada's immigration website to crash. No one quite knows if it's because Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump might become the next President--one person said maybe they're nervous about both. Of course there were plenty of jokes--one person in Edmonton said they had a couch and a closet--someone could stay there--Others joked about maybe Canada would build a wall to keep Americans out and while one said Americans are welcome another said Americans can't assume if they ruin their country they can just go to Canada. Another said Canada would have a big problem because it actually enforces its immigration laws. 

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