The latest North State and California news on our airwaves for Tuesday, March, 1.
Man kills his 3 children, their chaperone and himself in Sacramento church shooting
A man shot and killed his three children, all under the age of 15, one other person, and then himself at a Sacramento church in Arden-Arcade Monday evening, authorities said. All five were pronounced dead at the scene.
Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Sgt. Rod Grassmann said in an interview with KRCA that the office received a call at 5:07 p.m. from a worker who heard shots upstairs at the church, known as the Church in Sacramento.
“They heard a shot and then more shots, left the building and then called us,” he said.
Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones said at a press conference the shooting took place during a supervised visit: the children’s mother — currently out of town, now on her way to the scene — had an active restraining order against their father, who was at the church to see his children. According to Jones, the other victim was the person supervising the visit.
“It’s very upsetting,” he said. “I would just encourage any person that’s in a volatile relationship, you can’t fully comprehend what someone is capable of, but if you’re in danger, then get out and get some help, and talk to someone you trust.”
Jones said that while there are no outstanding suspects, it is still “very early in the investigation.” Read the full story.
— CapRadio Staff
Homeless advocates protest closures of Chico City Plaza
Demonstrators gathered downtown at the Chico City Plaza over the weekend to protest its several extended closures over the last year.
Patrick Newman of Chico Friends on the Street – an advocacy group for people experiencing homelessness – says the city uses repeated closures of the plaza to displace homeless citizens.
The plaza and its public restrooms remain fenced off, preventing public access. A city spokesperson told NSPR the plaza remains closed for maintenance and repairs. No date for the fence's removal was given.
“Violent criminals, any class of people you want to talk about, has 24-hour access to a toilet,” Newman said. “The homeless don’t. So, we’ve been fighting for 24-hour toilet access for a long time.”
NSPR’s Andre Byik also spoke with the Chico street minister, Reverend Father Grant Vaughn, who is unhoused. Listen to the interview with Vaughn in today’s Headlines.
— Andre Byik, NSPR
Butte County makes changes to its COVID-19 dashboard
As of Monday, the Butte County COVID-19 Dashboard will now be updated on Mondays and Thursdays by 4 p.m., instead of every weekday and contain fewer data points.
The dashboard will no longer show how many people are in isolation with the virus, differentiate where cases have been reported in the county or report the vaccination status of confirmed cases – including deaths.
In an email Monday, Lisa Almauger, communications manager for the Butte County Public Health Department (BCPH), said the need for the daily updates on the dashboard has diminished for many reasons. She said more is now known about how to control the virus, much of the data is now available elsewhere and some of the data points – such as case numbers – are becoming less accurate as people choose not to test or use home test kits.
“With all of that said, BCPH will always keep the public informed if there are any significant changes, new variants, treatments, etc.,” Almaguer wrote. “This does not change our commitment to keeping the community informed.”
The changes come as COVID cases continue to decline in the county, but even so, health officials say the case rate still remains high.
— Sarah Bohannon, NSPR
California to end mask requirements for schools, unvaccinated people
California is loosening its masking requirements in schools and most indoor public settings. Governor Gavin Newsom said unvaccinated people won’t have to wear face coverings beginning today. Also students and educators can shed their masks after March 11.
For months, mask mandates have caused contention at school board meetings with some parents pushing California to let their kids remove masks in class. But state health secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly says the extra time is necessary.
“If we can cut transmission rates by 25 or even 50% more in the next 11 or so days, that creates an even lower risk of individuals, masked or unmasked, from getting infected in schools, which are really essential places,” Ghaly said.
A recent poll from UC Berkeley shows 61% of parents actually support school mask requirements. Read the full story.
— CapRadio Staff
PG&E creates safer back-up generator program for customers in high-fire threat areas
PG&E has implemented a new program to make it safer and more convenient for its customers to generate their own electricity during Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS).
PG&E spokesman Paul Moreno said connecting a generator to a home while it’s still connected to the grid can create safety issues for both customers and company workers. He says PG&E has engineered new smart meters which are now available to qualifying customers at no cost.
To participate Moreno said you must live in a high-fire threat area and either need to rely on well water, be a medical baseline customer or be a critical business.
— Ken Devol, NSPR
Bill would require community colleges and CSU to help students get CalFresh assistance
Last week, a datapoint uncovered by the non-partisan California Policy Lab showed a minority of college students take advantage of the food benefits program CalFresh. One reason could be low student awareness.
Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula has introduced a bill in the California Assembly that would require the CSU and community college systems to inform students they're eligible and offer help enrolling. Arambula said ensuring knowledge of CalFresh benefits and providing assistance in signing up for the program is just one part of what the state owes students.
"Make sure that we're recognizing and acknowledging the hard work that students have in achieving a higher education,” Arambula said. “And our ability to meet their basic needs will go a long way toward empowering the future generations to do a better job."
There's a similar bill being introduced in the state Senate.
— CapRadio Staff
Stories from NPR partner stations are edited by NSPR Staff for digital presentation and credited as requested.
In other news
- Draft map released in Glenn County water project: “The large-scale water project in Orland planned by the California Department of Water Resources, with help from Glenn County and the North Valley Community Foundation, is underway with a new draft map in place.” — Chico Enterprise-Record
- Coronavirus updates: 13 die of COVID-19 in Shasta County: “Their deaths pushed the total number of COVID-19 deaths Public Health reported in February to 32. Since March 2020, 558 Shasta County residents died of the virus.” — Redding Record Searchlight
- Colusa County sees major dip in COVID-19 cases: “As of Monday, Colusa County health officials reported 89 active COVID-19 cases, a decrease of 618 cases from the week prior.” — The Appeal Democrat
- Prescribed fire training planned for March and April: “Organizers are offering an opportunity to learn about and utilize prescribed fire as a means of mitigating wild fire. The event, known as Cal-TREX, short for “prescribed fire TRaining EXchange,” will be held March 25-27, and April 9-10 in Plumas County at the Feather River College in Quincy.” — Plumas News
- [Susanville City Council] directs staff to move forward with commercial cannabis plan: “... the Feb. 24 meeting was a step in the implementation of the commercial cannabis plan. A public hearing on the matter is scheduled for April 20 and the council could adopt an ordinance as early as May 4.” — Lassen County Times
- As California expands Medi-Cal, hundreds of thousands of immigrants will still be left behind: “Many working undocumented immigrants won’t qualify for state health insurance even if they don’t earn a living wage. That leaves them with few viable options for coverage.” — CalMatters
- California snow levels plummet in February, ensuring third year of drought: “Officials with the California Department of Water Resources, who are scheduled to conduct their monthly snow survey on Tuesday, will find snowpack in the state’s mountains measuring less than 65% of average for the date. The reading bodes poorly for the scores of reservoirs that fill with melted snow — the source of almost a third of California’s water.” — San Francisco Chronicle
The challenges Biden faces in his State of the Union address: “As President Biden is set to make his first formal State of the Union address Tuesday night, he and the country are facing pressing issues, from Russia's invasion of Ukraine to inflation and the continuing pandemic.” — NPR
Biden’s State of the Union address will air on NSPR at 6 p.m.
In case you missed it
- California senator proposes $500B for affordable housing — CapRadio (Headlines, Feb. 28)
- Newsom ends some COVID-19 executive orders, maintains emergency powers — CapRadio (Headlines, Feb. 28)
- Dunsmuir announces plans for wildfire refuges for firefighters, residents — Siskiyou Daily News
- Local businesses received millions in county CARES Act funds. Here’s what we know — Shasta Scout
- Chico City Council to return to redistricting discussions — Chico Enterprise-Record
- Chico residents protest fence surrounding City Plaza — Chico Enterprise-Record
- Former Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians leaders sentenced for embezzlement scheme — Red Bluff Daily News
- Chico strategy session — Chico News & Review
- Water worries continue — The Trinity Journal
- FRC reports no positive COVID cases this week — Plumas News
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