The latest North State and California news on our airwaves for Wednesday, Feb. 23.
Redding memorial commemorates hundreds who died of COVID-19 in Shasta County
A memorial unveiled Tuesday will honor those in Shasta County who died of COVID-19. Five hundred forty-five white flags now stand outside Redding City Hall to commemorate each person in the county lost to the pandemic as of the memorial's opening.
The field of flags is a collaboration between Shasta Interfaith and the city of Redding.
"Our hope is that people will drive by, and even in driving by, they're paying respect and noticing the exhibit," Shasta Interfaith Chair Lynn Fritz said.
The memorial is on the east side of Redding City Hall on Cypress Avenue, and will remain up until March 1.
Elsewhere in the North State’s most populous counties, 361 people have reportedly died of COVID-19 in Butte County. Three hundred twenty-two people have died of the disease in the Yuba-Sutter region.
— Alec Stutson and Andre Byik, NSPR
City of Chico anticipates March opening for homeless shelter
Chico City Manager Mark Orme said he expects the city’s Pallet shelter site in south Chico to be up and running in March.
“We have a lot of legal hoops to jump through still,” Orme told the Butte County Board of Supervisors Tuesday. “And we continue to do that on a regular basis.”
The city was legally required to set up the shelter site, which is located next to the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds and comprises 177 small, climate-controlled shelters. It is one outcome of a settlement agreement finalized in January between the city and a group of unhoused people who challenged the city’s anti-camping laws in federal court.
The city previously announced it picked the Jesus Center, a local nonprofit, to run the site.
Orme said relatedly, the city is conducting final interviews to fill social worker and aide positions for outreach to unhoused people camping in public spaces. That outreach is another requirement of the settlement.
— Andre Byik, NSPR
Bill would require COVID-19 testing plans in California schools
A new bill would require California school districts to create COVID-19 testing plans for students and staff in case of future outbreaks.
Democratic state Sen. Richard Pan authored the bill. He said the state would provide tests or money to pay for them. But the bill does not require districts to follow through on the testing. Pan said enforcement would come from within the community.
“The students, the parents, the staff, the people who live in the school district,” Pan said. “Because they don’t want to see children getting infected and they’d like to know what’s going on in their schools.”
Test distribution has already proven to be a challenge. The state promised millions of tests for schools in December, as the omicron variant began spreading. But many students did not receive their test kits until after returning from winter break.
— CapRadio Staff
Biden, Newsom unveil new renewable energy plans in virtual press conference
President Joe Biden held a virtual press conference with Gov. Gavin Newsom Tuesday about their efforts to establish an American market for lithium.
Lithium is key to power renewable resources, like solar panels and electric vehicles, but most of the lithium used in the U.S. is imported from other countries and there are concerns about environmental impacts from mining.
Biden said that Berkshire Hathaway Energy will break ground on a facility this spring in California’s Imperial County, where they plan to test a new process of mining lithium geared at making the action more sustainable.
Biden also said the U.S. Department of Defense will award $35 million to MP Materials, which is currently the only rare earth mining and processing operation in the U.S.
— CapRadio Staff
Stories from NPR partner stations are edited by NSPR Staff for digital presentation and credited as requested.
In other news
- Redding police to get body cameras, 9 new officers under proposal going before City Council: “The proposal calls for the police force to outfit all its officers with body-worn cameras after July 2023, Capt. Brian Cole said.” — Redding Record Searchlight
- ‘It’s a county issue.’ Yreka’s housing plan brings into open rural areas’ struggles with homelessness: “The development of an affordable housing project in Yreka, which will also serve formerly unhoused residents with mental illness, has become a stand-in for larger community concerns around homelessness, addiction, dependency, the role of government and the placement of housing.” — Siskiyou Daily News
- Supervisors nix commercial cannabis cultivation in Lassen County: “Lassen County’s Board of Supervisors failed to approve the recommendations of its Commercial Cannabis Cultivation Ad Hoc Committee … .” — Lassen County Times
- Plumas COVID cases continue to fall — down to 14 in past 7 days: “For the time being, Public Health will continue to report numbers, though there may come a time when that practice comes to an end.” — Plumas News
- COVID-19 cases declining in Butte County: “According to the Butte County COVID-19 dashboard, there were 67 people being hospitalized for COVID-19 on Tuesday, Feb. 22. On the same day, there were 314 people in isolation. There are 361 COVID-19 related deaths in Butte County as of Friday.” — Chico Enterprise-Record
- Yuba County supes delay arts support: “A small-scale yet persistent vocal opposition to COVID-19 mitigation policies put in place for Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture events helped lead to a delay in action Tuesday by Yuba County supervisors … .” — The Appeal Democrat
- ‘We don’t count’: The Californians who can’t return to normal as COVID fatigue grips state: “About a third of adults in California — close to 10 million people — are at elevated risk of serious complications from COVID-19, according to a 2020 report from the Kaiser Family Foundation.” — CalMatters
- Who might benefit from a 4th shot — and who might not: “At this point, one thing about the pandemic is clear: The COVID-19 vaccines, even when followed by a booster, aren't going to stop the coronavirus — or provide long-term protection from infections.” — NPR
In case you missed it
- Dixie Fire survivors want to return to communities, survey finds — NSPR, Headlines (Feb. 22)
- Lost in translation? California election ballots may be in fewer languages — CalMatters
- Two men running for Plumas Sheriff share their reasons — Plumas News
- COVID-19 in Shasta County: Vaccination rate reaches 60% — Redding Record Searchlight
- Winter Pow Wow blesses Yuba-Sutter — The Appeal Democrat
- Beekeepers turn to anti-theft technology as hive thefts rise — The Associated Press
- What happens when wildfire devastates a ski resort? An industry is watching Sierra-at-Tahoe to find out — The Mercury News
- Sacramento city, county considering ballot proposals outlawing homeless encampments on public property — CapRadio
- The search has begun for an Antarctic pioneer’s lost ship — The New York Times
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