The latest North State and California news on our airwaves for Monday, Feb. 21.
Gold Nugget Museum gets failed utility equipment that caused Camp Fire
An inexpensive iron hook once helped suspend a high voltage power line running through the Feather River Canyon. After being overlooked for years by Pacific Gas and Electric Co., that hook deteriorated and snapped in November 2018, helping provide the spark that touched off the Camp Fire that killed 85 people.
The hook was a central piece of evidence in Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey's case against PG&E and will now be displayed at the Gold Nugget Museum in Paradise, along with other items in the investigation.
The museum burned down in the 2018 Camp Fire but plans to show the items in an upcoming exhibit at itsnew location. The hope is that the exhibit will help deepen the understanding of how the catastrophe happened.
— Dan Brekke (KQED), The California Report
Cold front expected in the Sierra, freezing temps in valley
A cold front is expected to bring scattered rain, wind, light snow and cooler temperatures to the Sierra Nevada.
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a winter weather advisory for the west slopes of the northern Sierra Nevada above 2,000 feet starting at 7 p.m. today through 10 a.m. Tuesday. Conditions include high winds, freezing temperatures and snow, with areas above 4,000 feet receiving 6-12 inches.
In addition, freezing overnight temperatures are expected in the valley and surrounding foothills this week, with the coldest temperatures forecast for Thursday morning. People and pets should be sheltered from the cold. The NWS reports there could be some damage to crops.
— Adia White, NSPR
California voters are increasingly turning to recalls
California voters are increasingly using the state’s recall system in an effort to oust politicians.
Thad Kousser, chair of the political science department at the University of California San Diego, said interest in recalls often comes in cycles, but they don’t always follow the same playbook.
“Every recall is driven by its own dynamics,” he said. “What are the political issues that motivate it? Do they actually resonate with voters? Do those voters turnout? And so we’re not seeing a consistent partisan pattern.”
Last fall, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom fended off an attempted recall. Earlier this month, voters in Shasta County successfully recalled a Republican supervisor, in part, for his support of some COVID-19 mandates. An effort to recall the mayor of Chico is underway. And last week, voters in San Francisco ousted three progressive school board members.
Kousser said state leaders are considering changes to the state’s recall laws. In the meantime, he expects voters will see more recall attempts in the months ahead.
— CapRadio Staff
California legislators aim to crack down on gun sales
Gov. Gavin Newsom is giving an early endorsement to a handful of bills that would crack down on gun sales. Among them, a bill that would let citizens sue assault weapon manufacturers and sellers.
Newsom said it’s inspired by a new law in Texas, which allows those who provide or get an abortion to be sued.
“If Texas can use a law to ban a woman’s right to choose and to put her health at risk, we will use that same law to save lives and improve the health and safety of the people of the state of California,” he said.
Other bills proposed this year would allow gun manufacturers to be held liable if their weapons are used in violent crimes. Another would ban certain weapons from being marketed toward children.
— CapRadio Staff
Stories from NPR partner stations are edited by NSPR Staff for digital presentation and credited as requested.
In other news
- California tribe confronts crisis of missing, murdered women: “The crisis has spurred the Yurok Tribe to issue an emergency declaration and brought increased urgency to efforts to build California’s first database of such cases and regain sovereignty over key services.” — The Associated Press
- Out of the COVID crisis, but California is still in a state of emergency: “A poll released this week by the Los Angeles Times and the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies found that, by a margin of two to one, California voters believe the coronavirus situation is improving.” — CalMatters
- Butte County Supervisors to mull urgency ordinance for Camp Fire recovery: “Should the urgency ordinance be passed, it would extend the deadline for rebuilding to Dec. 31, 2022, as opposed to the original due date of two years after the adoption of Chapter 53, the code that established the time limit and requirements.” — Chico Enterprise-Record
- Tehama County Health Service[s] Agency removes COVID surge measures: “As omicron cases and hospitalizations decline, the temporary surge measures implemented by the state in early winter are expiring and Tehama County is following suit.” — Red Bluff Daily News
- 8 Shasta County women die of COVID-19: “Their deaths bring the total number of Shasta County residents who died of COVID to 545 people, according to Public Health data.” — Redding Record Searchlight
- Shasta County’s disease detectives and the fight against COVID-19: “While epidemiology is vital to public health work, it’s often not well understood. Here’s what epidemiologists do, and why it matters.” — Shasta Scout
- City residents will decide sales tax increase question in June 7 election: “The Susanville City Council unanimously approved Resolution 22-5969 and Resolution 22-5970 Wednesday, Feb. 16 asking the residents of Susanville to approve or reject a 1-percent sales tax increase.” — Lassen County Times
- Attorney fees due: County to pay TAA $337,000: “Trinity County has been ordered to pay $337,000 in attorney’s fees to Trinity Action Association.” — The Trinity Journal
- NASA astronaut Garrett Reisman to visit Dunsmuir High School in March: “Former NASA and Space X astronaut Garrett Reisman will visit the school for a private assembly on March 3.” — The Siskiyou Daily News
- Stanislaus County will pilot plan to put solar panels over irrigation canals: “Called Project Nexus, the plan is a concept developed by UC Merced and funded with $20 million by the California Department of Water Resources.” — CapRadio
In case you missed it
- ‘We’re leaning into the future:’ State lays out plan for living with COVID-19 — NSPR, Headlines (Feb. 18)
- Effort to recall Sean Morgan dropped — Chico Enterprise-Record
- Shasta doctors objecting to vaccine mandates get mixed reaction — Redding Record Searchlight
- Lassen Fire Safe Council closes in on Janesville fuel break pile burning — Lassen County Times
- CPUD hires new law firm; seeks interim general manager — Plumas News
- What if California’s women on boards law is overturned? — CalMatters
- World’s first-ever 3-D printed church to be built in Tehama County — Red Bluff Daily News
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