Dixie Fire survivors want to return to communities, survey finds

By Sarah Bohannon,

Published February 22, 2022 at 9:00 AM PST

The latest North State and California news on our airwaves for Tuesday, Feb. 22.

Recovery group polls Plumas County residents, businesses affected by Dixie Fire

Most Plumas County residents displaced by last year’s Dixie Fire want to return to the communities of Greenville, Canyon Dam and Indian Falls.

That’s according to an updated survey of households presented at a community meeting Saturday in Greenville.

About 74% of households surveyed indicated they either want to return to their communities or are on the fence, said Kest Porter, a county liaison associated with Dixie Fire Collaborative. About 20% of households said they don’t want to return.

Porter said those numbers come from a recently completed survey of about 300 households.

“I’m really enthused about — and encouraged by — the numbers and the attitudes of our residents and our business owners,” he said.

Porter reported 69% of businesses surveyed said they want to return. Twenty-two percent said maybe. And 9% said they were a no.

— Andre Byik, NSPR

Bill would mandate two public pension funds divest from fossil fuels

State Sens. Scott Wiener and Lena Gonzalez introduced a bill last week that would direct two of the country’s largest pension funds, the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS), to divest billions from fossil fuels.

Miriam Eide is the coordinating director of Fossil Free California.

“These pension funds are attempting to leverage their massive influence by engaging with the fossil industry,” Eide said. “But by doing so, they’re giving tacit support to these companies and enabling them to do what they do best, destroy our communities and delay a transition for clean energy for all.”

A spokesperson with CalSTRS says its board has committed to an investment portfolio with net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Both pension funds have previously argued that investing in carbon producers allows them to have influence over those companies as shareholders.

— Holly J. McDede (KQED), The California Report

Undocumented women paid less for similar work, report shows

Undocumented women in Califonia earn just 49 cents to every dollar made by white men, according to a report from the Gender Equity Policy Institute published earlier this month. The report, which used data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey between 2015 and 2019, found that the poverty rate among undocumented women in the state was nearly 21%. It also found they were paid less for similar work than all other California workers.

Nancy Cohen, president of the Gender Equity Policy Institute, said about two-thirds of undocumented women are in the labor force.

“That's a pretty high labor force participation rate,” Cohen said. “But because of their lower earnings, they're really struggling to make ends meet in California, which we all know is a very expensive state.”

Cohen noted that the data comes from before the pandemic, which raised inflation rates and decimated the job market. The situation today, Cohen said, may be even more dire.

— Michelle Wiley (KQED), The California Report

Black History Month block party planned in Oroville this weekend

The African American Family & Cultural Center (AAFCC) in Oroville is hosting a block party Saturday to celebrate Black History Month. The event, called “3R’s Block Party: Black History in the Making,” will be the first block party hosted by the center for Black History Month. The three Rs stand for reclaim, restore and revitalize. The event is free and will include catered food, music and family activities. COVID-19 vaccines and health check-ups will also be offered. Tiffany McCarter, AAFCC executive director, said she hopes the party will help bring the community together.

"I just want to start building trust with the entities that are supposed to all take care of the community,” she said. “I want to be a place where the community knows that they can be taken care of too."

The block party will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the African American Family & Cultural Center in Oroville.

— Alec Stutson, NSPR

Correction: In a previous version of this story, Tiffany McCarter’s name was incorrect.

Cold front to continue through the week

After weeks of mild temperatures, cold weather has returned to the North State. Very cold and dry weather is forecast through the end of the week.

Light snow is possible in foothill communities and a freeze watch is in effect late tonight through Friday morning. Temperatures will dip into the 20s in the valley and foothills with the coldest temperatures likely Wednesday overnight into Thursday morning. This will be particularly hard on trees and plants that are already flowering. People and pets should have shelter from the cold.

An additional concern will be cold north winds in parts of the North State, with 45 mph or higher gusts in the Jarbo gap and Feather River Canyon region.

— Dave Schlom, NSPR

Stories from NPR partner stations are edited by NSPR Staff for digital presentation and credited as requested.

In other news

Lost in translation? California election ballots may be in fewer languages: “About 40 percent of Californians speak a language other than English at home — more than 200 languages and dialects — and one in five have limited English knowledge.” — CalMatters

Two men running for Plumas Sheriff share their reasons: “The two men who have announced their intention to run for Plumas County Sheriff – incumbent Todd Johns and retired sergeant Dwight Cline — are not strangers.” — Plumas News

COVID-19 in Shasta County: Vaccination rate reaches 60%: “Shasta County's vaccination rate still lags well behind the state's overall rate: 85% of Californians had one or more doses and 75.6% are fully vaccinated.” — Redding Record Searchlight

Winter Pow Wow blesses Yuba-Sutter: “The Yuba-Sutter Winter Pow Wow is a celebration of Native American culture featuring a variety of dances known well to many different tribes across the country.” — The Appeal Democrat

Beekeepers turn to anti-theft technology as hive thefts rise: “For a few frenzied weeks, beekeepers from around the United States truck billions of honeybees to California to rent them to almond growers who need the insects to pollinate the state’s most valuable crop.” — The Associated Press

What happens when wildfire devastates a ski resort? An industry is watching Sierra-at-Tahoe to find out: “Nearly six months after the Caldor Fire tore through Sierra-at-Tahoe, damaging about 80% of the vegetation on its ski slopes, the resort is battling supply chain issues, fickle weather and the nearing advent of spring as its operators try to salvage what’s left of the ski season.” — The Mercury News

Sacramento city, county considering ballot proposals outlawing homeless encampments on public property: “Paperwork was filed earlier this month for what proponents call the ‘Emergency Temporary Shelter and Enforcement Act of 2022.’ The proposed measure would require the city of Sacramento to dramatically increase homeless shelter space, while also barring people from living in parks, on sidewalks or other public property once a designated shelter space is offered to them.” — CapRadio

The search has begun for an Antarctic pioneer’s lost ship: “Underwater drones equipped with cameras, sonar and lasers have been scanning 100 square miles of seafloor looking for the remains of the 144-foot wooden ship, which sank in 1915 after being crushed in ice.” — The New York Times