News

After five years at the helm and 28 on the force in Chico, Police Chief Michael O’Brien announced plans to retire effective June 5th. 

After 31 years in law enforcement, the vast majority at the department he would eventually lead, O’Brien said ultimately, it was input from his wife that set the wheels in motion.

Despite recent disasters, the North State’s economy is plugging along at a steady pace, and according to Robert Eyler, a professor of economics at Sonoma State University, it will likely continue to do so.

Eyler delivered his annual economic forecast in Redding last week, part of a daylong conference held by Chico State’s Center for Economic Development. Low interest rates and tame inflation should fuel lending and business activity without risk of overexpansion. However, risks do remain. 

The four candidates vying for two seats on the Butte County Board of Supervisors face off at a League of Women Voters sponsored event this evening. 

Tonight’s event might be the only chance to see the hopefuls debate as the victors will likely emerge March 3rd .  

A new effort is being made to reconnect with Camp Fire survivors who may have fallen through the cracks.

The consortium of government, non-profit, religious and charitable organizations called the Camp Fire Long Term Recovery Group, will hold a dozen events through Jan. 24, hoping to quantify holes and gaps in recovery efforts so far.

Since the Oroville Dam Spillway crisis in 2017 and the Camp Fire the following year, there's been a lot of talk about whether or not a siren system could help alert people to an evacuation.

News sirens being tested at the Oroville Dam are not that.

Officials may cut a deal with the Federal Emergency Management Agency that lets Camp Fire survivors buy their dwellings. 

Tuesday, the Butte County Board of Supervisors will look into possibly leveraging federal guidelines that allow FEMA to sell their units to occupants and donate them to other government agencies or certain charitable organizations. However, even if approved, potential buyers will have to come up with more than just money, Casey Hatcher Butte County’s deputy chief administrative officer said. 

It’s again time for our weekly check in with representatives from agencies repairing damage left behind by the camp fire. Joining us: Paradise Spokeswoman Colette Curtis, Paradise Irrigation District Spokeswoman Mickey Rich and Justin Jacobs, a spokesman for the California Governor’s office of Emergency Services.

This week, Colette Curtis starts us off with a word about building permit figures and details some of the programs and experts available to speed home reconstruction in Paradise. 

Those hoping to rebuild and return to Paradise are getting a little help navigating California’s notoriously deep paperwork.

Building a house isn’t easy. Especially, if you’ve never done it before. Acknowledging the complexity, potential pratfalls and frustration, a team of volunteers are now helping Camp Fire survivors plot their return.

Officials in Butte County have revealed some details involving an ongoing murder investigation in Oroville. The victim’s body was found Dec. 21st in the Feather Falls area near the lake. 

Authorities believe the killing may be related to a marijuana growing network, and that the victim, 27-year-old Jacob McArthur, may have been employed by those involved in his death.

Authorities have arrested a 22 year old Yreka man in connection with the body of a man found in April.

Shane Timothy McDonald is being held in the Siskiyou County Jail in lieu of $1 million bond after his arrest Tuesday night, according to a press release from the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office.

McDonald is facing murder charges related to the death of Spencer Hodgson, whose remains were found in a ravine off Yreka-Walker Road April 8th.