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Memorial recognizes Shasta County’s pandemic death toll

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

  • 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

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Sarah has worked at North State Public Radio since 2015 and is currently the station’s Director of Operations. She’s responsible for the sound of the station and works to create the richest public radio experience possible for NSPR listeners.
A graduate of California State University, Chico, Andre Byik is an award-winning journalist who has reported in Northern California since 2012. He joined North State Public Radio in 2020, following roles at the Chico Enterprise-Record and Chico News & Review.
Angel Huracha has been a part of the journalism field since 2006 and has covered a range of topics. He is a graduate of Chico State with a Bachelor's degree in news-editorial and public relations with a minor in English.
Adia White is a broadcast journalist and producer with nearly 10 years of experience. Her work has appeared on WNYC, This American Life, Capital Public Radio and other local and national programs. She started at North State Public Radio as a freelance reporter in 2017 before leaving for a stint at Northern California Public Media in Santa Rosa.