Today is the last day to vote in Shasta County District 2 recall election

By Sarah Bohannon,

Published February 1, 2022 at 8:21 AM PST

The latest North State and California news on our airwaves for Tuesday, Feb. 1.

District 2 voters to decide whether to recall Supervisor Leonard Moty

Voters in Shasta County’s District 2 will decide today whether or not to recall Supervisor Leonard Moty. Early voting opened on Jan. 3, but today is the final day to vote.

Shasta County Registrar of Voters Cathy Darling Allen said on Saturday that the county had already received ballots from about a quarter of the nearly 22,000 eligible voters in this election. She added that the number is on track to meet average voter turnout for previous elections in Shasta County.

Drop boxes and polling locations close at 8 p.m. tonight.

— Adia White and Kelly Frost, NSPR

Yuba City set to establish new election system for City Council members

The Yuba City City Council this evening will consider final approval of an ordinance that would create a district-based election system for city councilors.

Yuba City joins a wave of California cities that have moved away from at-large elections, in which voters cast votes for each member of a council. In some cases, the transitions to district elections are happening following threats of legal action under the California Voting Rights Act.

Yuba City officials previously reported that they received a letter from an attorney claiming the city’s at-large election system dilutes the ability of Latinos and other minorities to elect candidates of their choice.

The attorney threatened to sue if the city didn’t voluntarily switch to a district-based system. If the ordinance is adopted, Yuba City would move to district elections starting in November.

— Andre Byik, NSPR

Gas station reopens in Greenville following Dixie Fire

This weekend, residents in Greenville celebrated a small, but important milestone in the recovery of their community since the Dixie Fire — the reopening of the gas station Nellz Towne Pump.

Sharon Mckay, a library aide at the Plumas County Library, said last week that the reopening will help Greenville residents who’ve had to make long commutes, often in winter weather conditions.

“Right now everybody has to drive to Quincy to get gas to be able to drive to Quincy to work,” she said. “By mileage it’s only 22 miles about, but with the construction, and the fire and all that, it can take sometimes an hour or more.”

A ribbon cutting took place this Saturday. Plumas News reports 40 people gathered in below-freezing weather at the gas station, which was decorated with black and orange balloons — the colors of Greenville High School.

— Sarah Bohannon, NSPR

Bill to move single-payer health care system forward dies in Assembly

A bill to create a single-payer health care system in California failed to meet a critical deadline Monday and won’t go any further this year. The bill’s author, Assembly Member Ash Kalra, pulled the bill minutes before it was slated to come up for a vote. In a statement, Kalra said it didn’t have the support to pass, especially with four Democratic vacancies in the Assembly.

The bill’s lead sponsor, the California Nurses Association, said it was outraged at Kalra for not bringing it up for a vote. The union said even if it failed, a vote would have put Assembly members on the record for their support or opposition to a single-payer system.

Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon also said he was disappointed that Kalra didn’t bring the bill forward, though the speaker has final say over which bills do and don’t get heard on the floor. Read the full story.

— CapRadio Staff

In other news

Proposed Tuscan Water District before LAFCO: “But whether it’s the landowner-based voting structure, the many out-of-town mailing addresses, or the fact that that they’re trying to secure supplies of what many are now calling the ‘new gold,’ TWD has rankled many Butte County residents.” — ChicoSol

Sierra Nevada snowpack falls below average after dry January: “Like the 49ers fourth-quarter lead in Sunday’s NFC Championship game, California’s once-impressive Sierra Nevada snowpack is steadily shrinking.” — The Mercury News

ICE halts new intakes at Yuba County Jail: “The Appeal was able to confirm that ICE has suspended intakes of detainees at Yuba County Jail. ICE alerted jail officials that ‘effective Tuesday, January 25, 2022, due to a COVID-19 outbreak at YCJ, new intakes will be temporarily suspended until further notice.’” — The Appeal Democrat

Number of COVID-19 cases in Lassen County falls slightly: “At 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 28 Lassen Cares reported 422 active cases down from the 500 cases last reported. There is no change in the numbers reported by the local correctional institutions.” — Lassen County Times

PG&E adds Clark Road to construction list in Paradise line work: “The town of Paradise is continuing to undergo some heavy maintenance at all corners with Clark Road being the latest of PG&E-led construction with the goal of putting powerlines underground.” — Chico Enterprise-Record

Agreement between county, Trinity PUD to be pursued: “Community Choice Aggregation may be coming to Trinity County, and with it an avenue for current PG&E customers to plug into Trinity Public Utilities District power services.” — The Trinity Journal

CSU panel recommends eliminating the use of SAT and ACT exams for admission: “The nation’s largest public university system has signaled plans to eliminate the use of standardized tests like the SAT and ACT for admission to its 23 campuses … and replace it with a so-called multifactor admission score that allows colleges to consider 21 factors.” — EdSource