Adia White

Butte County Department of Behavioral Health will keep using a state grant to search for a place to house those incompetent to stand trial. Also, North State Assemblymember James Gallagher introduced a new bill prioritizing funding for communities recovering from disasters, and the Community Action Agency of Butte County is holding a drive-thru food pantry this Friday in Chico.

Experts say current conditions suggest the threat of large wildfires in the North State this winter is low, although there is always some risk. Also, the 2025 state budget is largely balanced, with a moderate surplus and funds in reserve, and new regulations from California's Department of Insurance aim to ensure more Californians in wildfire prone areas will have access to commercial home insurance plans.

Butte County is sending personnel and resources to help fight the wildfires burning in Southern California. Also, Habitat for Humanity Butte County remembered former President Jimmy Carter yesterday, and Northbound Highway 70 in Marysville will reopen today, Jan. 10, after a seven-month closure.

The Aaron Rodgers NorCal Fire Recovery Fund has a new grant that’s prioritizing projects that will support youth. Applications for the grant opened this week and will close at the end of February. Also, Butte County is holding four in-person meetings and two virtual meetings regarding the Mental Health Services Act, and Plumas County will soon make updates to its hazard mitigation plans.

Wesley Cornett and his brother, Andruw, went missing while duck hunting in the Thermalito Afterbay in mid-December.

Officials have released the name of the identity of the deceased as Andruw Cornett, 19, who went missing while duck hunting earlier this month.

The holiday season brought many shoppers to downtown Chico. But business owners said they’d like to see changes to make the area more appealing. Also, a recent report shows traffic cameras have reduced violations in Redding. This comes as the Chico City Council is exploring options for purchasing cameras for Chico. Plus, Shasta County business owners will have an opportunity to learn about exporting their products or services at a seminar next month.

An expert explains what ghost guns are and what is being done to stop them. Also, PG&E will increase rates by around $3 a month in January and again in March, and California has an ambitious goal to make the state carbon-neutral by 2045.

Water advocates are speaking out against the controversial Tuscan Water District. Also, the True North Housing Alliance started a program to provide training and counseling to unhoused Chico residents at the beginning of the year, and Redding plans to cut one of their Crisis Intervention Response Teams, which handle calls involving people suffering from acute mental health crises.

Representatives from California State Parks said the cause of fire that destroyed Bidwell Mansion last week is arson. They’re still searching for a suspect and are asking members of the public to share any information. Also, local and Republican state officials are criticizing Newsom’s visit to Redding. Plus, if you’re concerned about a young person’s mental health in Butte County, there’s a team that can help. More about the county’s Community, Assessment, Response and Education (CARE) Team.