
Ava Norgrove
Morning Edition Anchor & ReporterAva is NSPR’s Morning Edition anchor and reporter. They previously worked on NPR’s Weekend Edition and NPR’s Weekend All Things Considered broadcasts and produced weekly national news stories focused on contextualizing national issues for individual communities. They love NorCal and spending time outdoors.
Ava grew up in Paradise before moving to Chico after the 2018 Camp Fire. They have a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Chico State and wrote for The Orion and the Chico Enterprise-Record. They are a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community and are passionate about reporting on issues of intersectionality in the housing crisis, climate change and in health care.
Reach out to Ava with feedback, ideas or just to say hello at ava.norgrove@mynspr.org or 530-898-6884.
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Chico’s council chambers were packed earlier this week as many residents asked the council to adopt a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. They also asked the council to issue a statement supporting Palestinian, Muslim, Israeli and Jewish residents who say they no longer feel safe in Chico. Also, the Redding City Council appointed a new mayor at its meeting but her selection was controversial, and a substitute teacher was arrested after exposing his buttocks to a sixth-grade class at Anderson Middle School.
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Amidst allegations that a member of the Chico City Council violated the Brown Act, an ACLU attorney explains the law and the rights it affords to the public. Also, snow and gusty winds have prompted a winter weather advisory for many mountainous areas of the North State through this afternoon, and Yuba City is looking for a local artist to create a ‘Welcome’ sign for the city that will be placed at key entry points and replace older signs.
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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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After a three-day shut-down due to vandalism Humboldt Avenue Skatepark has reopened. The department that oversees the skatepark says a 72-hour shutdown policy is necessary but some skateboarders find it unfair. Also, Shasta County and the Pit River Tribe are suing California over a controversial wind farm project in the works despite being rejected twice by county leadership, and a million-gallon water storage tank in Orland is nearing completion that’s part of a large program to expand the city’s municipal water system to help well users during drought.
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Safe Space Winter Shelter in Chico will begin sheltering unhoused individuals starting Dec. 17. NSPR spoke with the organization’s program coordinator about finding an intake center location and how the shelter operates.
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An independent investigation defends Chico State’s actions when investigating a former professor who had been tenured, despite sexual relations with a student and threats of gun violence. Also, residents have been left in the dark as to why Oroville Union High School’s District Superintendent was suspended unexpectedly from his position, and the city of Chico has sent letters notifying businesses of their new responsibilities regarding stolen or misplaced shopping carts.
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Safe Space Winter Shelter in Chico will begin sheltering unhoused individuals from the cold starting Dec. 17. The nonprofit recently secured an intake center location for the season. Also, as winter begins, hundreds of Butte County residents whose homes were damaged in last year’s storms are not back in them, and new walk-in clinics are now available in Yuba City that offer assessments to receive mental health or addiction treatment.
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There are around 300 short-term rentals in Chico, which generated more than half a million dollars in taxes last year. Also a recent report found that Chico State did not violate any policies or mishandle the case of a Chico State professor who had a sexual relationship with a student and allegedly threatened gun violence on campus, and the California Energy Commission held an informational meeting in Anderson yesterday to discuss the Fountain Wind Project that would be the site of 48 turbines in eastern Shasta County.
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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.