Chico Pallet shelters to open | Firearm safety at schools | Gen Z anxious about climate

By Sarah Bohannon,

Published April 25, 2022 at 8:27 AM PDT

The latest North State and California news on our airwaves for Monday, April 25.

Chico Pallet shelter site for the unhoused to open, officials say

The city of Chico is opening its emergency shelter site for unhoused residents today, according to city officials.

The city's so-called "soft opening" makes the shelter site available to unhoused residents who receive referral letters from shelter and city staff and the Chico police Target Team.

The city is partnering with the Jesus Center to staff the site. It’s located on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and contains 177 Pallet shelter units.

Interim City Manager Paul Hahn said there is still work to be done before the site is completely operational.

“While we recognize that there's still some issues that we have to deal with with a judge on some of the rulings and rules of operation … we just thought we're ready to open, and so it's time to open," Hahn said.

The shelter site is one outcome of a settlement between the city of Chico and a group of unhoused residents who sued the city in April of last year over its policies of sweeping homeless encampments.

According to the Chico Enterprise-Record, plaintiffs filed briefs Wednesday in preparation for a dispute in the resolution. The plaintiffs disputed specific policies at the shelter site, including a curfew, a limit on the storage space residents will receive for personal belongings and whether local police can check for outstanding warrants for individuals looking to stay at the site.

Hahn said there will be another hearing with a judge on Thursday. Once a judge rules on the dispute, Hahn said, the city will begin to enforce its anti-camping ordinances.

— Alec Stutson, NSPR

Bill would require schools to provide information on firearm safety

A California bill would require schools to warn parents about the dangers of firearms.

The legislation is a revised version of a bill that originally required parents to tell school officials if they keep guns in the house. Lawmakers rejected that version as an invasion of privacy. The author of the bill, Democratic Sen. Anthony Portantino, has reworked it.

"The bill will no longer require parents to disclose whether any firearms are located in their home,” Portantino said. “I would note that the Department of Justice has about 80% of that information already, and so that is available to school districts. So, that piece has come out of the bill.”

Instead, his revised bill requires schools to include information on the safe storage of firearms in annual notifications they send home to parents of students in middle and high schools. Portantino said more than two-thirds of school shootings involve weapons taken from students' homes, or those of friends or relatives. The bill cleared the Senate Education Committee last week and goes next to the Public Safety Committee.

— CapRadio Staff

Poll: Most California Gen Z young adults share climate concerns

A new poll finds that 80% of Gen Z youth in California have experienced anxiety, stress or feelings of being overwhelmed as a result of learning about climate change.

Young adult Californians worry more than older generations about climate change, according to the poll from insurance company Blue Shield. But many youth are also engaged in climate activism and conversations about these issues.

Hannah Estrada is an organizer with the climate justice organization Youth Vs. Apocalypse.

“When we get on Zoom calls and there’s young people organizing from different parts of the Bay Area or the country, there’s hope in there,” Estrada said. “There’s a lot of hope and optimism when you come together with community.”

Estrada said although she worries about climate change, it helps to put her energy into organizing.

— Anaïs-Ophelia Lino (KQED), The California Report

COVID-19 testing company accused of fabricating results

A Southern California COVID-19 testing company has reached a more than $20 million settlement with the city of Los Angeles, after it was accused of falsifying test results.

LA City Attorney Mike Feuer said Sameday Health falsely advertised that COVID test results would come back in 24 hours.

“We’ve alleged here is when they were unable to satisfy that requirement that they falsified results to give people something in 24 hours, even if it wasn’t the accurate reflection of whether they were positive or negative,” Feuer said.

As part of the settlement, Sameday Health will pay more than $5 million in refunds to consumers. In a statement, the company said it failed to meet the standards of its customers and has corrected the problems.

— Alex Hall and KQED Staff, The California Report

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

In other news

Lassen woman endures 6 days trapped in woods during snowstorm: “A Lassen County woman survived six days trapped in the snow earlier this month, living on only a six-pack of yogurt, eating snow and hunkering down during the storm in a broken down vehicle.” — Redding Record Searchlight

Gold Nugget Day parade comes to Paradise: “The 2022 Gold Nugget Day parade showcased 36 organizations as they trickled down the road, closing Skyway for miles as a crowd of hundreds outlined the street to view the tens of groups.” — Chico Enterprise-Record

Supervisors could terminate local disaster proclamation from COVID-19: “After more than two years, the Butte County Board of Supervisors could end its Local Disaster Proclamation Resolution that was put in place as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.” — Chico Enterprise-Record

TRAX to offer transit connections to Shasta County: “The distance between Tehama and Shasta counties can be insurmountable for some, so Tehama Rural Area Express, or TRAX, is attempting to bridge the gap with transit routes.” — Red Bluff Daily News

PG&E pays property taxes for homeowners: “The Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) paid more than $28 million in property taxes for residents in 12 counties throughout Northern California, the company said.” — The Appeal-Democrat

Interview: A UCSF doctor calculates the risk of not masking up in public transit: “Airlines, airports and many public transit systems have announced they’ll no longer require passengers to mask up. UC San Francisco professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine, Dr. Robert Wachter discusses the risk.” — CapRadio

Yet another setback for PG&E wildfire victims: “A key advocate left the PG&E wildfire victims fund after he was embroiled in a sexual harassment scandal at Sonoma State University.” — CalMatters