The latest North State and California news on our airwaves for Thursday, June 2.
Jury to consider mental fitness of Oroville bus shooting suspect
A jury in Butte County will decide whether the Sacramento man accused of shooting multiple people on a Greyhound bus earlier this year in Oroville is mentally fit to stand trial.
A judge Wednesday set an August trial for suspect Asaahdi Coleman at the request of Coleman’s defense attorney. It’s only meant to address Coleman’s competency to stand trial, not whether he is guilty or not guilty.
Coleman is charged with a single count of murder and four counts of attempted murder in connection with the Feb. 2 shooting, which left one person dead and four injured.
However, criminal proceedings against Coleman have been suspended since March, when his attorney, Robert Marshall, questioned Coleman’s ability to assist in his own defense and understand the proceedings.
Coleman has undergone a court-ordered doctor’s evaluation, which prosecutors have said found he is “competent.” The burden will be on Coleman’s attorney to prove otherwise.
— Andre Byik, NSPR
Legislation aims to improve federal wildfire response
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has traditionally played a key part in mitigating natural disasters like hurricanes and tornadoes.
Now, federal legislators are asking FEMA to adapt its policies to better address California’s ongoing wildfire crisis.
California U.S. Senator Alex Padilla introduced several bills this year aimed at making this change.
“We have a bill in Congress that would update FEMA's policies and procedures to anticipate wildfires and better prepare for them,” Padilla said.
He added that FEMA’s response to wildfires needs to address both deploying resources beforehand and providing relief afterward.
— CapRadio Staff
State reparations task force report details harm, inequities
California’s reparations task force has released its first of two reports, detailing the harm that African Americans descended from slaves have experienced at the hands of the state and federal government.
The newly released report is the first in the nation in over 50 years to chronicle the harms and inequities faced by African Americans descended from slaves.
Kamilah Moore, chairperson of the reparations task force, said this represents a big step forward in making the case for repayment.
“It’s my personal hope that people in California and across the United States utilize this report as an educational and organizing tool,” Moore said.
A second report from the commission will be released next year, laying out what exactly it will be asking California for in reparations.
— CapRadio Staff
Biden win was topic in California’s 3rd District congressional debate
A debate took place Tuesday in Sacramento for California’s newly redrawn 3rd Congressional District, which stretches from the edge of Lassen Volcanic National Park to Death Valley. It also includes Roseville, Rocklin, Folsom and all of Lake Tahoe.
The candidates for the seat are Democrat Kermit Jones, a Roseville Navy veteran and physician, Republican Scott Jones, Sacramento County sheriff, and Assemblymember Kevin Kiley, a Republican who represents parts of El Dorado, Placer and Sacramento counties.
CapRadio politics reporter Nicole Nixon was a debate moderator and described one notable moment.
“Sheriff Scott Jones and Assemblymember Kevin Kiley would not say without reservation that President Joe Biden won the presidential election in 2020,” Nixon said. “For the record, there is no evidence to support that there was mass voter fraud or anything like that in that election. Kermit Jones says he believes the election was fair.”
The two candidates who garner the most votes in the June 7 primary will advance to the general election in November. Read the full story.
— CapRadio Staff
In other news
- North State counties get millions for fire prevention: “The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection is providing Shasta County agencies $5.7 million in grants for projects to reduce the fire threat in local communities.” — Redding Record Searchlight
- Chico students build tiny homes for North Complex fire survivor: “On Wednesday, members of Valley Contractors Exchange, construction industry experts, students and community members came out to Chico High School to see the dedication of a tiny home, which was built by Chico High students and was donated to a very fortunate survivor of the North Complex fires, Margarita Saldivar.” — Chico Enterprise-Record
- Highway 99 between Chico, Red Bluff to close for seven weeks: “Starting the evening of June 1, traffic between Chico and Red Bluff using Highway 99 will have to detour to Interstate 5 and South Avenue.” — Chico Enterprise-Record
- CDFW reports two recent wolf kills in Lassen County: “On its website, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife reports two recent wolf kills in Lassen County. CDFW has investigated nine cattle deaths this year — two unknown causes, four confirmed wolf kills, two confirmed coyote kills and one non-depredation.” — Plumas News
- Pair of stabbings leaves 1 dead, 1 hospitalized: “One man was killed and another hospitalized in stable condition following separate stabbing incidents Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning.” — Red Bluff Daily News
- Eighty years later, Manzanar and what it stands for still resonates deeply: “In February, 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 that led to the forced removal of some 120,000 Japanese Americans from their homes.” — CapRadio
- California child abuse database lacks half of county reports, ‘puts children at risk’: “More than half of substantiated California child abuse reports in recent years were not in the state’s database, which could result in child abusers being allowed to care for children, state auditors said Tuesday.” — The Associated Press
- Journal wins nine awards in annual state competition: “The Trinity Journal garnered nine California Journalism Awards on a Journal record 15 nominations, according to 2021 contest results formally announced Friday, May 27, by the California News Publishers Association.” — The Trinity Journal
In case you missed it
- Chico Unified to meet with Rosedale Elementary parents following the suspension of the school’s equity leader — NSPR (Headlines, June 1)
- Anthony Rendon to remain speaker of the California Assembly — CapRadio (Headlines, June 1)
- Pledge of Allegiance hijacking, callouts and chaos: Awkward moments at Shasta candidate forums — Redding Record Searchlight
- 20 percent of Plumas ballots cast as of May 31 — Plumas News
- State issues emergency water conservation regulation — Lassen County Times
- No bail set for Chico State employee suspected of making online threats — Chico Enterprise-Record
- Locals round up wins at Corning Junior Rodeo — Red Bluff Daily News
- Teacher staffing, COVID-19 learning loss hot topics in Siskiyou County schools superintendent race — The Siskiyou Daily News
- Local drought emergency continued in Colusa County — Colusa Sun Herald
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