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With a final sale this month, PG&E’s Fire Victim Trust has now sold all of the company’s stock it set aside to compensate wildfire survivors, but it still doesn’t have enough money. Also, Shasta County supervisors voted last week to significantly increase the severance package for its recently hired public health officer, and California’s Medicaid program is undergoing major changes in the new year aimed at improving health care access and delivery for people enrolled in the safety net program. But state regulators will need to rigorously enforce the improvements.
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Shasta County convened a multi-jurisdictional ad hoc committee on homelessness in June. The committee presented a two-year action plan last week to strengthen Shasta County’s response. Also, Chico’s City Council voted 7 to 0 to send a resolution deciding the amount of penalty costs for businesses whose shopping carts are found off-property. A new bike park will be underway on Humboldt Road, and the California Water Resources Control Board yesterday approved new rules for turning water from toilets and other uses into drinking water.
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PG&E is being investigated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission after allegations that it may not be complying with the terms of its license to operate the DeSabla-Centerville hydroelectric project. Also, the Shasta County Board of Supervisors voted this week to offer the role of county legal advisor to an unknown applicant. They’ve shared little information about the new candidate, beyond their concerns about how difficult it’s been keeping someone in the role, and California has replaced Bank of America with a new contractor to distribute unemployment, disability and paid leave funds following frequent scams involving debit cards used to pay recipients.
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The City of Chico is preparing to clear another series of homeless encampments. NSPR spoke with some campers who have been forced to move around ten times. Also, Chico City Council member Addison Winslow was issued a cease and desist letter by the city attorney last week requesting the councilmember halt disclosing information from closed sessions. and approval of a grant application to the county for funds to be used for outreach and emergency sheltering of unhoused people is to be discussed by the Chico City Council today.
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This month the Sites Reservoir Project Authority approved the reservoir plan. Located just west of Maxwell in Colusa County, the reservoir will be part of an ongoing effort to increase California’s resiliency in the face of climate change. Also, Starbucks employees in Yuba City have voted to unionize, citing issues with understaffing and reduced hours during busy seasons, and there are just two more Saturdays left before the Redding Farmers Market closes for the season on Dec. 9th.
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There are payment plans for electricity, phone and healthcare bills, but not for rebuilding permits if you’re a wildfire survivor. Butte County is looking into changing that, maybe by the start of the year. Also, some landowners in Butte County are currently voting on the formation of the controversial Tuscan Water District, and the Chico City Council meets tonight to discuss whether sewer assessments for new connections should be collected on the tax roll and the effects of a new bill that increases the limits for city councilors’ compensation.
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The town of Paradise is working to mitigate future flooding as climate change makes storm events more common and there’s less vegetation after the 2018 Camp Fire which makes flash floods more likely. Also, Redding, Oroville and Weaverville were recently found by the Environmental Protection Agency to have harmful chemicals in their water distribution systems, and nearly 50 maternity wards in California have shut down in the last decade including in Plumas and Shasta counties.
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With a special election less than a week away it’s still unclear how Shasta County will count its votes.
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Last month, the California Interagency Council on Homelessness announced a new round of funding to communities across the state. NSPR's Alec Stutson has more on the funds, and how they're being put to use in the North State.
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The Chico City Council this week unanimously approved the newest plan to advance the city’s housing and living conditions over the next several years. Also, the city of Redding has stepped in as administrator of the NorCal Continuum of Care after Shasta County officials announced they would be terminating their responsibilities to the organization, and a celebration and mural dedication will take place in Chico tomorrow in honor of Deaf Awareness Month.