CHICO’S FREE NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY VOLUME 43, ISSUE 19 THURSDAY, JANUARY 2, 2020 WWW.NEWSREVIEW.COM
Whom to
Watch
Predicting the newsmakers of 2020 PAGE
8 TREE TROUBLES
9 CAMP FIRE WINDFALL
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22 THEATER SEASON
thursday, January 9 • 5:00pm Ribbon Cutting with the Chico Chamber of Commerce
Friday, January 10
North VALLey CoMMuNity FouNDAtioN BeNeFit DAy
20% of sales will go to the North Valley Foundation, benefiting the Chico Unifies School district whom strives to offer a diverse curriculum, highly qualified teachers and a dedicated staff placing students at the forefront of the learning process.
saturday, January 11 9:00am
Free BuNDtLetS For A yeAr* for our first 50 guests
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*Saturday, January 11, at 9am PSt, at the Chico Nothing Bundt Cakes. The first fifity (50) guests, ages 18+, will receive one (1) “Free Bundtlets for a Year” punch card. Limit one card per household. While supplies last. Card can be redeemed for one Bundtlet per month for 12 months.
CN&R
INSIDE
Vol. 43, Issue 19 • January 2, 2020 OPINION
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Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Guest Comment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Second & Flume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 This Modern World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Streetalk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
NEWSLINES
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Downstroke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Sifter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
HEALTHLINES
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Weekly Dose. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
GREENWAYS
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Eco Event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
EVERYBODY’S BUSINESS
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15 Minutes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 The Goods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
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COVER STORY
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ARTS & CULTURE
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Music feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 This Week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Fine Arts listings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Scene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Reel World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Nightlife . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Chow. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Arts DEVO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Brezsny’s Astrology . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
REAL ESTATE
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CLASSIFIEDS
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ON THE COVER: DESIGN BY TINA FLYNN
Our Mission: To publish great newspapers that are successful and enduring. To create a quality work environment that encourages employees to grow professionally while respecting personal welfare. To have a positive impact on our communities and make them better places to live. Editor Melissa Daugherty Managing Editor Meredith J. Cooper Arts Editor Jason Cassidy Staff Writers Andre Byik, Ashiah Scharaga Calendar Editor Neesa Sonoquie Contributors Robin Bacior, Alastair Bland, Michelle Camy, Vic Cantu, Josh Cozine, Nate Daly, Charles Finlay, Bob Grimm, Juan-Carlos Selznick, Ken Smith, Robert Speer, Wendy Stewart, Evan Tuchinsky, Carey Wilson Managing Art Director Tina Flynn Creative Services Manager Elisabeth Bayard-Arthur Ad Designers Naisi Thomas, Cathy Arnold Publications Designers Katelynn Mitrano, Nikki Exerjian Director of Sales and Advertising Jamie DeGarmo Advertising Services Coordinator Ruth Alderson Senior Advertising Consultant Brian Corbit Advertising Consultants Adam Lew, Jordon Vernau Office Assistant Jennifer Osa Distribution Director Greg Erwin Distribution Manager Matt Daugherty Distribution Staff Michael Gardner, Andrew Garske, Ken Gates, Bob Meads, Randall Morrison, Larry Smith, Courtney Tilton, Placido Torres, Bill Unger, Richard Utter, Jim Williams, David Wyles
President/CEO Jeff vonKaenel Director of Nuts & Bolts Deborah Redmond Director of People & Culture David Stogner Director of Dollars & Sense Debbie Mantoan Nuts & Bolts Ninja Norma Huerta Payroll/AP Wizard Miranda Hansen Developer John Bisignano System Support Specialist Kalin Jenkins N&R Publications Editor Debbie Arrington N&R Publications Associate Editor Derek McDow N&R Publications Writers Allen Pierleoni, Thea Rood, Anne Stokes N&R Publications Editorial Assistant Nisa Smith Marketing & Publications Lead Consultant Elizabeth Morabito Marketing & Publications Consultants Julia Ballantyne, Greta Beekhuis, Chris Cohen, Joseph Engle, Laura Golino, Sherri Heller, Rod Malloy Art of Information Director Serene Lusano 353 E. Second St., Chico, CA 95928 Phone (530) 894-2300 Fax (530) 892-1111 Website newsreview.com Got a News Tip? (530) 894-2300, ext 2224 or chiconewstips@newsreview.com Calendar Events cnrcalendar@newsreview.com Calendar Questions (530) 894-2300, ext. 2243 Want to Advertise? Fax (530) 892-1111 or cnradinfo@newsreview.com Classifieds (530) 894-2300, press 2 or classifieds@newsreview.com Job Opportunities jobs@newsreview.com Want to Subscribe to CN&R? chisubs@newsreview.com Editorial Policies: Opinions expressed in CN&R are those of the authors and not of Chico Community Publishing, Inc. Contact the editor for permission to reprint articles, cartoons, or other portions of the paper. CN&R is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or review materials. Email letters to cnrletters@newsreview.com. All letters received become the property of the publisher. We reserve the right to print letters in condensed form and to edit them for libel. Advertising Policies: All advertising is subject to the newspaper’s Standards of Acceptance. The advertiser and not the newspaper assumes the responsibility for the truthful content of their advertising message. CN&R is printed at PressWorks Ink on recycled newsprint. Circulation of CN&R is verified by the Circulation Verification Council. CN&R is a member of Chico Chamber of Commerce, Oroville Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Chico Business Association, CNPA, AAN and AWN.
JANUARY 2, 2020
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OPINION
Send guest comments, 340 words maximum, to gc@newsreview.com or to 353 E. Second St., Chico, Ca 95928. Please include photo & short bio.
EDITORIAL
Prioritize Chico’s fire department The city of Chico is in the position of having taken in
more revenues than it spent during the past fiscal year. Between budgeting conservatively and a big bump in taxable sales and transient occupancy taxes (TOT) in the wake of the Camp Fire, the coffers are flush heading into 2020. The increase makes sense. For the better part of 2019, Chico served as home base for personnel employed at various disaster recovery agencies and organizations. It also became a temporary home to tens of thousands of people displaced by the blaze, 15,000-20,000 of whom are estimated to have settled here permanently. All of those stays at hotels/motels and Airbnbs/VRBOs generated an above-predicted amount of TOT money for the city as well. Their retail purchases were another stream of revenue. As reported this week (see page 9), the city’s budget discussions begin publicly in March. However, as has been the case in previous years, plans likely are in the works behind the scenes. Our question: Will city management once again focus mainly on the police department? After over a year of seeing our Ridge neighbors grapple firsthand with the aftermath of a natural disaster,
including the exodus of the majority of its population, we believe that our fire department has not been adequately prioritized. The city’s fire chief has done what he can within the budget constraints for the department, including using some savings toward staffing, but his creative bookkeeping simply isn’t enough for the department to meet the recommendations of the Standards of Response Coverage Plan, an independent report that calls for minimum daily staffing of 17 firefighters. Thing is, that report predates the Camp Fire. Given that Chico’s population has grown by more than 20 percent since Nov. 8, 2018, there’s no doubt this critical public safety division is understaffed. Ensuring adequate funding for the fire department is especially important with all of the development happening in Chico, particularly on the north and east sides of town, including the area adjacent to the wildland-urban interface. The Camp Fire torched at least one home in Stilson Canyon. It came scarily close to neighborhoods within city limits. What stopped it? Backfires by firefighting crews. Let’s remember that and resolve to support this critical arm of public safety. Ω
GUEST COMMENT
resolving to do better on homelessness Tissues experiencing homelessness first, addressing other they are dealing with becomes significantly
he evidence is staggering: When you house someone
more effective and less costly. That’s why communities nationwide are responding to the crisis of homelessness by investing in housing solutions and services. Locally, our Continuum of Care and service organizations are shifting their approach to firmly align with “housing first” principles. Service providers have the skills and expertise to inform strategies for ending homelessness. They deal with the realities of living on by the streets on a daily basis. They Alex Brown understand the myriad causes and The author is vice effects of being unsheltered. Yet mayor of Chico. She repeatedly, evidence-based soluholds a master’s tions they propose are thwarted. degree in social work Despite obstructionism, advocates from Chico State. continue to work collaboratively to shelter and build trusting relationships with people on our streets. Local and national data remind us of another fact: A public safety response to homelessness is neither
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effective nor fiscally responsible. Despite overwhelming evidence, the city of Chico has ordinances on the books that prioritize public safety interventions over evidence-based strategies. Two such laws are sit/lie and the Offenses Against Public Property ordinances. Until we create more local low-barrier beds, provide temporary shelter, increase transitional housing stock, and fund necessary outreach services, our approach must align with reality. Ordinances that disproportionately impact people with nowhere else to be, when they are otherwise committing no crime, shouldn’t exist. Period. Have these ordinances positively impacted the state of homelessness in our city? No. They have been effective only in pushing people experiencing homelessness deeper into neighborhoods and city parks, where they’re less accessible to outreach and more prone to becoming victims of crime. As we engage in discussions about housing first and emergency alternatives, there is a blemish on our city that requires immediate correction. None of us wants to stare abject poverty in the face. Everyone wants solutions. It’s time to take that motivation and focus on data-driven and humane decisionmaking. It is the best and most strategic thing we can do. It is the right thing to do. This year, let’s resolve to do better. Ω
SECOND & FLUME by Melissa Daugherty m e l i s s a d @ n e w s r e v i e w. c o m
Starting anew Happy New Year, dear readers. That’s a qualified happy, probably due to my line of work. I mean, as a newspaper editor, one of my main jobs is to highlight the things that aren’t going right. As we all know, living in a federal disaster zone comes with no shortage of news on that front. Life just hasn’t been the same here since Nov. 8, 2018. Interestingly, though, I just read in an email pitch that California has the third-lowest rate of depression in the nation. Based on stats tracked by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention over a five-year period, the Golden State clocks in with an average of 14.48 percent of the populace reporting experiencing depression. My question: Who are these well-adjusted folks making up the other 85.52 percent? I don’t know any of them! In all seriousness, it’s nice to hear that we live in a region with a relatively low rate of depression. For comparison, 25.20 percent of our northern neighbors, Oregonians, and nearly as many West Virginians (24.62 percent) live with depression. Most of the states with the highest rates are either in the South or on the East Coast. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Hawaii ranks best (11.76 percent), because, you know, it’s Hawaii. On a personal note, I’m going to make a concerted effort this year to be mindful of my own mental health. I didn’t do a very good job of that during 2019. For one, I spent way too much time being a hermit. I didn’t do enough of the things that make me happy and keep me energized—riding horses, gardening, reading novels, spending lots of time with my best friends, eating Dungeness crab, going to rock shows, visiting San Francisco. But the new year gives me an opportunity for a fresh start, so I’m going to cut myself a break on these and other failures. One of my resolutions—yes, there are multiple—is to begin 2020 with a positive outlook. Indeed, I’m going to count my blessings more often. There are a lot of things I’m grateful for, including my loving family and dedicated co-workers. Another thing I’m thankful for is that this newspaper’s readers care about the community. I know this for many reasons, including your letters to the editor, but right now I’m thinking about the CN&R’s annual holiday donation drive. Because of the Camp Fire-driven food insecurity issues the county is experiencing, we asked for donations of nonperishable foods. We have a nice collection stacking up in our downtown office, and we’ll soon head up to the Ridge to deliver it all. So, I wanted to plug the effort one last time in this space. We’ll take those goods through next Friday, Jan. 10. For those unfamiliar, we’re located downtown at Second and Flume streets, hence the name of this column. To those who’ve already been in to drop off donations, thank you. You are much appreciated.
Melissa Daugherty is editor of the CN&R
LETTERS
Send email to cnrletters@newsreview.com
Wildflower grows Re “Charter school expanding” (Downstroke, Dec. 19): I am writing as a six-month member of the board of directors and a nine-year volunteer at Wildflower Open Classroom charter school. I want to express my appreciation to the Chico City Council, which has approved a new traffic circulation plan and the school’s request to increase enrollment from 174 to 260 students. In my experience, the school’s director, Tom Hicks, and the staff have been extraordinarily thoughtful in managing the school’s space off Cohasset Road near East Avenue. They have made major efforts to accommodate the concerns of neighbors while developing a structure to maximize student learning. I encourage people to visit Wildflower to see the facility and observe excellent teaching. Give the school a call at 892-1676 and we’ll be delighted
to show you around. Or go online to wildflowerschool.com to learn more about the school’s innovative programs. Stephen Tchudi Yankee Hill
Dictatorial? “Views of homelessness” (Letters, by Gordon Reimer, Dec. 26): To the gentleman who suggested legal camping sites and public bathrooms should be taken care of by nonprofit organizations, the manner in which golf and horse riding are managed: Like golf and horse riding, shelter for people with little or no income is very much dependent on the sympathy of the rich. In an interesting twist, we live in a society where you can ride a horse around a golf course on public land in Bidwell Park. So if, Mr. Reimer, it seems to you “dictatorial” to demand public resources for shelter, it may be
this is your moralistic ideology insisting that people without money must suffer. Addison Winslow Chico
What are the positives? Re “Shelter discussion” (Letters, by Patrick Newman) and “Protest success” (Newslines, by Ashiah Scharaga, Dec. 19): In the CN&R’s Dec. 19 issue, a number of complaints and demands were made by the homeless community and their advocates, such as “shelters are a form of incarceration,” “engineered deprivation,” “there needs to be a 24-hour centrally located shelter or at the very least, a place designated for legal camping,” and “centers need to be open more often and provide beds and a meal.” The chronic homeless community LETTERS c o n t i n u e d
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LETTERS c o n t i n u e d f r o m pa g e 5
brings with it shoplifting, shopping cart theft, vandalism, illegal trespassing, camping and campfires. Let’s not forget littering, waterway pollution, theft of recyclables from recyclable containers, drug and alcohol addiction, littering of used needles and other trash, personal property theft (bicycles for example), and increased demand on policing and medical services all at the expense of local taxpayers. For a group that has a lot of complaints and demands, they are noticeably silent on anything positive that they may bring to our community. I guess the big question is, do they want to be part of our community or are they only willing to use and abuse our community for their own personal gain? Gordon Reimer Chico
Primary nightmares
CN&R Is LookINg FoR • AdveRtIsINg CoNsuLtANt • dIstRIbutIoN dRIveR do you love Chico? do you want to help local businesses succeed? so do we! The Chico News & Review is a family owned business that has been part of the Chico community since 1977. Our mission is to publish great newspapers which are successful and enduring, create a quality work environment that encourages employees to grow while respecting personal welfare, and to have a positive impact on our communities and make them better places to live. 6
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January 2, 2020
for more information, visit www.newsreview.com/chico/jobs
I had a dream that an independent socialist who lost in the 2016 Democratic primary is running again. I had a dream that a white woman who claimed Native American heritage to identify as a minority is in the race. I had a dream that a man who, like Trump, would defy a subpoena letter only to renege the next day, was in the race. I had a dream that millionaire Andrew Yang and billionaires Michael Bloomberg and Tom Steyer were in the race, all spending millions on TV ads that would be better spent for aid to the homeless. I recently received a scornful, derisive and mocking letter of retort for calling the array of Democratic candidates in the 2020 primary election “nightmarish.” But quite to the contrary, the nightmare lives on and escalates. Brace yourselves for four more years of Trump chaos on steroids. Ray Estes
Write a letter
equal OppORTuNiTy emplOyeR
tell us what you think in a letter to the editor. Send submissions of 200 or fewer words to cnrletters@ newsreview.com. deadline for publication is noon on the tuesday prior to publication.
STREETALK
What’s your hope for the new year? Asked at Chikoko’s Bizarre Bazaar
Gayle Kimball author
That we recognize the seriousness of climate disaster. That [depends on] Trump not being re-elected.
Let’s
ceLebrate! ebrate! Invite party organizers to your door with the Chico News & Review’s party guide, which covers a full range of parties and what our readers need to make them happen. This year we will be focusing on all things weddings!
By 4th grade students are transitioning from learning-to-read to readingto-learn. Over 60% of 4th graders in our community (and nation wide) do not read at grade level1. Statistically, 2/3rd’s of students who are not proficient readers by 4th grade wind up in jail or on welfare2. Thanks to Reading Pals volunteers, students enrolled in our program QUADRUPLE their literacy learning rate, gaining 1 full year of literacy skills in just 4 months in the program.
Look for Let’s CeLebrate! on stands february 13. Christine Connerly
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Tim Kemper loan officer
Health and safety for my friends and family.
Michelle Ott artist
To create leisure time and get some rest and sleep this year. It’s been an uphill [climb], so I hope to find a plateau and sink in a little.
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My hope for the new year is that we will have as positive an election season as possible, and have a new president who cares about people’s welfare.
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NEWSLINES DOWNSTROKE STREET DEATHS UPDATE
Two women found dead on local city streets were recently identified. Two days after Christmas, a citizen flagged down a Glenn County Sheriff’s vehicle to report having found a deceased woman behind the old Denny’s on Humboldt Avenue in Willows. She was identified as 58-year-old Patricia Thornton. Her cause of death has yet to be determined, according to a press release, but no foul play is suspected. A Facebook post by one of Thornton’s family members describes her as having been a loving mother and grandmother. About a month ago, the afternoon after Thanksgiving, the body of a homeless woman was found in Lindo Channel near Chico Nut Co. on The Esplanade. On Tuesday (Dec. 31), the Butte County Sheriff’s Office told the CN&R she was 60-year-old Rene Harris, of Chico. Police reported no signs of foul play, and her cause of death was not available by press time.
Looming deadline
COUNCIL STICKS WITH FIRM
Last month, the Chico City Council chose to continue contracting with the City of Industry-based firm Alvarez-Glasman & Colvin for its city attorney services. Andrew Jared was promoted from his assistant role to that of city attorney. The closed session vote fell 4-3, with Councilwoman Ann Schwab and Councilmen Karl Ory and Scott Huber against. Jared is filling a position that he’s essentially held for more than a year—former City Attorney Vince Ewing last appeared in the council chambers on Dec. 4, 2018 (see “M.I.A.,” Second & Flume, March 21). Mayor Randall Stone said the city still has “received no response” from the firm regarding Ewing’s disappearance.
CHICO STATE STUDENT SENTENCED
A Chico State student was granted probation in a case in which he was convicted of entering an apartment and sexually assaulting a sleeping woman. On Dec. 19, Butte County Superior Court Judge Michael Deems placed 23-year-old Martin Morales on four years’ probation and ordered him to register as a sex offender, according to court documents. The sentence followed Morales’ no contest plea to felony burglary and guilty plea to misdemeanor sexual battery. According to the documents, the woman reported waking to a man fondling her in the early morning hours of Aug. 16 on Columbus Avenue. Morales (pictured) was chased off but arrested a few hours later. Morales told probation officials he drank half a bottle of vodka and has no recollection of the incident. 8
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Officials scramble to sign up Camp Fire survivors for private property tree removal program
Jthe Camp Boyd, whose Paradise home burned in Fire, took a chainsaw to one of his im Boyd didn’t think it’d come to this.
favorite trees on his property: a fire-scorched conifer he had planted about 25 years ago. story and “I thought it was photo by going to get as big as Andre Byik some of these pines that and re b @ are out here,” he told n ew srev i ew. c o m the CN&R between felling the tree and lopTree removal ping off its limbs. “It’s program: just kind of sad. It kind Get more information of just puts another at buttecounty nail in the coffin, so to recovers.org or call speak.” 552-3030. Boyd and his wife, Rhoda, relocated to Gridley after the fire, buying a house there and finding the community welcoming and closely knit. Boyd said he’s unsure whether he will rebuild on his Neal Road property near the Skyway, but he recently began removing dead trees on the land that could pose a danger to nearby roads. They will be used for firewood.
His work precedes a broader government-sponsored effort set to begin this month to remove dead or dying trees standing on private property in the burn scar that could threaten public rights-ofway. Boyd said he’s going to participate in the government tree removal program, too. There are some hazardous trees on his property—such as a dead redwood, pines and oaks—that are too big to fell himself. He’s filled out and submitted a right-ofentry form to allow workers on his property to complete the task, which will come at no out-of-pocket cost, akin to the massive debris removal program completed in the fall. But county officials say people like Boyd are in the minority. Out of the roughly 13,200 parcels in the town of Paradise and unincorporated areas of Butte County that are required to enter the private property tree-removal program, forms had been submitted for only about 3,400 as of last Thursday (Dec. 26), said Casey Hatcher, the county’s deputy chief administrative officer. The lag in sign-ups has caused officials to find new ways to reach fire survivors who may no longer live in
the area or have emotionally tuned firerelated happenings out of their lives. Officials have sent mailers and mass emails, and are making direct phone calls, Hatcher said. Starting this week, property owners may receive a robocall or text message informing them about the tree removal program. Staffers also are urging those in the know to tell their friends and neighbors. The biggest question, Hatcher told the CN&R, is, “literally, Where are they?” The work comes as a Jan. 17 deadline—recently pushed back from Dec. 20—looms. It’s possible—though not desirable—that liens could be placed against properties with owners who don’t enter the government tree removal program or remove hazardous trees themselves, Hatcher said. Officials would attempt to gain legal access to properties from a court and pass the cost of removing trees to the owner. There were fewer than 50 properties where such abatement action was taken during debris removal efforts. “We don’t want that,” Hatcher said. “We want people to meet their requirement by identifying and removing [trees] on their
Jim Boyd began felling Camp Fire-scorched trees on his Paradise property ahead of a broad government-sponsored effort to remove private trees that threaten public roads. PHOTO BY ANDRE BYIK
own or entering the government program.” Either way, they will need to submit either a right-of-entry form to participate in the government program or an inspection access form if they choose to remove the trees themselves. The government program is largely funded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and run by the state. CalRecycle last month announced its intent to award a $68 million contract to Pasadena-based firm Tetra Tech Inc., which managed a portion of the debris removal, to also oversee the tree removal program. The town and county, in coordination with the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), have been working since the fire to push FEMA for funding to remove all hazard trees in the burn scar, Hatcher said. FEMA approved funding for the removal of trees on private property that threaten public rightsof-way, denied it for trees on private properties that only threaten those properties, and talks are ongoing regarding trees on private property that threaten private roads. Hatcher said she hopes an answer to the latter will come in the next several weeks. The Paradise branch of the Butte County Library serves as one of three right-of-entry form collection centers in the county. That center’s manager, George Morris, and a staff of about six walk property owners through the treeremoval program checklist. Some people come in prepared, having found guidance online. Others come in cold, needing a bit more help. The center sees about 30 people per day, but on busy days—typically when a deadline is approaching—it’s not uncommon to see more than 100 property owners. Morris said he understands the irritability the program can cause fire survivors. To some, it’s “just one more thing” the government is forcing them to do. But he and his staff try to drive home the point that it’s about keeping folks safe. Before the Camp Fire, he said, it wasn’t uncommon for wind storms to knock down trees in Paradise and the surrounding communities. Now, with tens of thousands of burned, weakened trees, that danger persists, if not more so. Ω
Tax windfall Chico’s revenue spikes post-Camp Fire; city reports $8 million budget surplus
By now, it’s a well-known fact that the city of
Chico’s population spiked more than 20 percent after the Camp Fire. That put extra stress on local roads and other infrastructure, but it also contributed to another increase for the city: surplus revenue. City Manager Mark Orme told the CN&R the city received $8 million more than was anticipated in the 2018-19 fiscal year, which ended in June. It’s attributed to three things: city department savings and an increase in sales and transient occupancy tax (TOT) revenues in the wake of the Camp Fire. That surplus ultimately could end up being higher, Mayor Randall Stone added, due to property tax revenue, which hasn’t yet been calculated. In upcoming 2020-21 budget talks, the City Council will decide how that infusion gets allocated. One of the caveats may be city staff’s prediction that the increase is temporary. “Obviously the recovery is taking a different form now,” Orme said by phone. That initial wave of “everybody that could possibly be here was here”—such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services workers—is over. However, he anticipates being able to direct money to some aspects of the city that have taken a hit since the fire. For example, he plans to recommend funds be directed toward city street improvements. He’ll make his formal recommendations after the city kicks off its series of budget meetings in March.
SIFT ER The cost of being educated The California Student Aid Commission recently released its 2018–19 Student Expenses and Resources Survey, examining the financial obstacles college students face. More than 15,000 students were surveyed across 110 campuses. Here are the highlights. Go to csac.ca.gov/sears for the full report. • Approximately 35 percent experienced housing insecurity in the past 30 days, including inability to pay rent or utilities or having to move frequently. These rates were highest in the Central Valley (42 percent) and greater Sacramento area (41 percent).
The city also had an outstanding fund bal- Chico City Manager Mark Orme says he’ll recommend a portion of an $8 million budget surplus post-Camp Fire be ance of $12 million after the 2018-19 fiscal directed to city roads. year—but that money is largely spoken for, PHOTO BY ASHIAH SCHARAGA Orme said, and will be directed toward city reserves and other pre-approved capital projects. When combined with the $8 million sur- in sales tax and TOT funding: This unexpectplus, that accounts for the city’s total general ed revenue bump is nowhere near what the city needs to address the long-term impacts fund balance of $20 million. of the Camp Fire. He estimated Chico needed $290 million for city infrastructure alone (that This isn’t the only cash infusion the city has seen post-Camp Fire. It also received $3 mil- also takes into account deferred maintenance). Oroville, which also grew by more than lion in disaster relief funds from the state in September. The following month, the council 20 percent post-Camp Fire, received a similar windfall from the state—to the tune of voted to direct most of it to public safety, $2 million—and unanticipated surplus revincluding a $1.5 million communication infrastructure upgrade. About $825,000 was enue of $3.4 million. Of that, $1.4 million was from a 1 cent sales tax implemented last directed toward road repairs (see “Bearing April. Chico will have a similar measure on the cost,” Newslines, Oct. 3). What Orme said about that one-time allo- the November 2020 ballot. In December, the Oroville City Council cation from the state is also true of the spike chose to direct most of its surplus to general fund reserves and a pension fund. As for how the city of Chico might spend the additional dollars, Stone told the CN&R that it would be unwise to utilize one-time funds for new staff positions because of the • Food insecurity was the highest in the ongoing cost. But the surplus does presnorthern inland area (Butte, Lassen, ent the city with an opportunity to address Plumas, Shasta and Siskiyou counties), fire impacts via reorganization. The council reaching 47 percent. The overall average recently approved such a restructuring for was 35 percent. the police department, for example, adding a • Black students reported the highest second deputy chief and dissolving two other levels of housing insecurity (47 percent) positions. Police Chief Mike O’Brien argued and food insecurity (54 percent). that the shift was “critical” post-Camp Fire • Students with dependent children in order to manage the department more effior adults (i.e., ill or elderly family ciently. members) reported higher “It’s one-time money and should be going expenses—$2,691 verto address the costs that we’re going to have sus $1,734 for younger down the road that continue to linger from the students. They also Camp Fire recovery. So that’s our focus and had higher rates of food insecurity continues to be,” Stone said. (43 percent) and housing insecurity (57 percent).
—ASHIAH SCHARAGA ash ia h s@ newsr ev iew.c o m
NEWSLINES C O N T I N U E D JANUARY 2, 2020
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NEWSLINES c o n t i n u e d f r o m pa g e 9
Protecting renters Council to consider broader approach to state tenant protections The City Council will take on tenant protections
at its next meeting, Tuesday (Jan. 7), considering a controversial proposal to expand locally the state’s recently passed Tenant Protection Act. This is just one of several topics coming before the council that night, which will include the third public hearing regarding Chico’s switch to district-based elections and first vetting of several draft maps. The Tenant Protection Act, or Assembly Bill 1482, already will bring about significant changes for renters and landlords in Chico. It puts into place “just cause” termination stipulations, which make it tougher for landlords to kick out good tenants, and caps on rental rate increases through 2030. Last month, the Internal Affairs Committee (IAC)—made up of Vice Mayor Alex Brown, the chairwoman, and Councilmen Scott Huber and Karl Ory—explored the topic and voted unanimously to recommend that the council extend just cause restrictions to all properties. The state law has exceptions, and does not apply to single-family homes, for example. The panel also voted to remove a requirement that specifies a minimum of one-year residency for just cause protections to kick in, noting the lingering impacts of the Camp Fire. These recommendations will be considered Tuesday. While just cause restricts when tenant leases can be terminated, it still allows for landlords to evict those who haven’t paid rent, violate their lease, maintain or permit a nuisance, or engage in criminal activity. It also allows for no-fault evictions, including when a landlord intends to occupy, demolish or substantially remodel the property. Another provision of the Tenant Protection Act relates to rent caps and prohibits landlords from increasing rent more than 5 percent plus the percentage change in the cost of living in any one-year period, or more than 10 percent of the lowest rate charged in the past year (whichever is lower). Landlords also are prohibited from increasing rent for a unit more than twice in a year. The law went into effect Wednesday (Jan. 1). Discussion at the IAC meeting last month
quickly became emotional on both sides of the issue. Sara George, a local landlord, told the committee that she and her husband bought a second home and decided to rent out their first to help pay for their children’s college expenses and their retirement. But it hasn’t been easy, she said, because the home 10
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isn’t even paying for itself. “I’m not a predatory landlord. I’m not here to take advantage of people,” she said. “If you are ruining my ability to charge market rent to cover expenses that are increasingly going up, I’m going to have to sell that rental home.” Other landlords shared similar sentiments, but most of the 14 speakers that day advocated for additional protections. Kelly Hees, a longtime renter, told the IAC that she and her husband received a no-fault termination after 11 years of tenancy, and spoke in favor of other provisions of the Tenant Protection Act that had yet to go into effect. One of those requires landlords to pay relocation expenses for tenants like Hees. “We’re not protected at all right now,” she said. “I just really would like if you guys could address that so people aren’t kicked out and becoming homeless on the street ….” In addition to taking a broader approach to the Tenant Protection Act, the IAC also is recommending that city staff research the possible implementation of a rental registry program and report back to the IAC with a cost analysis. Registries vary from city to city, but often include a fee for landlords and require information such as rental prices, inspection
reports and tenancy eviction history. The idea is to help cities better enforce rental violations. Brown told the committee that she supported these recommendations given the number of renters in Chico. “It is about leveling the playing field and also creating a mechanism by which to enforce things that are currently not being enforced,” she said. Ory added that while he understood landlords’ concerns, Chico is experiencing a housing emergency, and these actions are just a few things the city can do to address that. “Talk about demand—incinerate [14,000] houses,” he said. “… [S]ome of the few extra things that Chico’s talking about doing are needed because of the fact that we are in an outrageous situation with rents right now and with affordability.” Also on Tuesday, the public and the City Council
will review six different district maps, which were published online last month. Come the November 2020 general election, voters will select council members from their district, rather than from a group citywide. This is the first chance to publicly weigh in on the draft plans. The city’s consultant,
Demographer Michael Wagaman drafted six maps for the city of Chico’s consideration as it switches to district-based elections. Like this “Plan Green” map, all are labeled by color so no order of preference is implied. (In this plan, district 5 includes the Chico Water Pollution Control Plant, which is not pictured.) Go to tinyurl.com/ChicoDistricts to find links to the rest of the maps in PDF and interactive formats. photo courtesy of the city of chico
demographer Michael Wagaman, said the plan is that by the end of the next hearing, on Jan. 21, one of the maps will be chosen. When drawing the plans, Wagaman said he relied upon traditional criteria for creating boundaries, such as the city’s creeks and freeways, as well as input from the public, which included draft maps drawn by Chicoans. Last month, the council directed Wagaman to prepare some maps that include the home address of each incumbent as a secondary consideration. Based on the Google interactive maps Wagaman has uploaded, half of the maps have multiple council members in at least one district. The other half show all incumbents in separate districts. Wagaman, who has done this work for more than 20 years, said several things stood out in the city of Chico’s process. For one, there were more draft plans drawn up than usual, and that was primarily because the city will have seven districts (verses the more common five—or four with an at-large mayor). Also, the city received an above average number of publicly submitted maps, particularly for a city of this size, Wagaman said. “Chico’s been engaged from the beginning,” he said. “That’s great. Because the more the public is engaged, the more they are providing that feedback … the better the final product.” Another topic of interest on Tuesday includes a
request from Mayor Randall Stone and Brown to agendize a future discussion about rescinding the city’s sit/lie ordinance and amending the Offenses Against Public Property ordinance (see “Protest success,” Newslines, Dec. 19). In the request, Brown cites the Supreme Court’s decision not to hear a challenge of Martin v. Boise, in which homeless citizens sued the city of Boise, Idaho, for being cited for resting and/or camping in public. This means the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ ruling stands; criminally prosecuting homeless people for sleeping outside on public property when there are no available shelter beds is cruel and unusual punishment prohibited by the Eighth Amendment. “Despite an ever-growing body of evidence illustrating that these laws are ineffective in reducing homelessness, the City of Chico has ordinances on the books that reinforce an enforcement approach to the issue of people living on our streets,” Brown writes. “As we engage in discussions about alternative approaches, theses ordinances contain immediate and necessary changes we can make to better align with the 9th Circuit Court decision and recognize the realities of gaps in service to the unsheltered population in our region.” —AshIAh sChArAgA ash ia h s@ newsr ev iew.c o m
Recycling
Christmas Tree Programs 2020 Butte County Public Works Department and the City of Chico Chico & Durham Boy Scouts Troop 2 Pick up program: January 11th $10-$35 donation requested. Call 514-7108 to request pickup (Message phone) Leave name, address, ph. #. You can also request for a pickup online at: www.troop2chico.com and use PayPal to donate. You can mail your request to P.O. Box 7025 Chico, CA 95927. Have trees on curb by 8am. * Drop-off locations January 11th: Our drop sites on Saturday January 11, 2019 will be from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm at the following locations: - Hooker Oak Park, 1928 Manzanita Avenue - Oakway Park, 8th Avenue and Highway 32 - Butte Bible Fellowship next to the Almond Plaza, 2255 Pillsbury Road Sign-up online at http://www.troop2chico.com/christmas-tree-pickup Recology Butte Colusa Counties Curbside: collection for current yard waste customers: Place trees next to yard waste containers on regular yard waste pick up day. Must be cut into 3 ft or smaller sections. Waste Management Curbside: Cut trees into 3’ lengths and place in yard waste containers for collection on regular yard waste day. Brought to you by Butte County Public Works Department & The City of Chico
Oroville & Thermalito Recology Butte Colusa Counties Contact 533-5868 for more info. Curbside: curbside collection for current customers. Place trees next to yard waste containers on regular collection days. Must be cut into 3ft or smaller sections. Remove all tinsel & ornaments. No flocked trees. Drop-off: Free drop-off at: 2720 South 5th Avenue. M-F 8am-4pm, Sat 8:30am-4pm.
Gridley & Biggs Waste Management Call 846-0810 for more information Curbside: Cut trees into 3’ lengths and place in yard waste containers for collection on regular yard waste day. Biggs residents can drop trees off at the Biggs/BCFD station on B Street from December 26th to January 9th.
RemindeR: Remove all lights, tinsel and ornaments. No flocked trees.
www.RecycleButte.net
Remember to Reduce, Reuse, & then Recycle! Ja nua ry 2, 2020
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HEALTHLINES Paul Lubell used to vape medical marijuana to manage his chronic back and neck pain, instead of using opioid medications. Mary FecTeau/ideasTreaM
‘Tough situation’ Veteran who eased chronic pain by vaping stops after it sickened him
and Prevention suggests that it’s some added ingredient in THC vapes—likely vitamin E acetate—that is causing the lung disease. The CDC is warning people to stop vaping altogether, given the risk of lung illness, which puts people who vape to manage pain in a tough position. Lubell suffers from pain in his back, neck and
by
Marlene Harris-Taylor
A years, the trend has been fueled by the habit’s pleasurable allure: Compared with
s vaping has grown more popular in recent
smoking cigarettes or pot, vaping is discreet and less smelly. Vaping fluids come in hundreds of flavors. There’s no tar or other byproducts of burning. And vape pens are high-tech, customizable and sleek. But none of that mattered to Paul Lubell when he decided to try vaping. He wasn’t thinking about pleasure; he was trying to avoid pain. The retired Navy veteran turned to vaping marijuana, hoping it would help him cope with his chronic, debilitating mus12
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culoskeletal pain. Unfortunately, it wasn’t long before he became part of the national statistics tracking an outbreak of a vaping-related lung illness that has killed more than 50 Americans and sickened 2,400. Lubell ended up in the hospital, seriously ill from vaping an oily liquid containing extracts of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. Lubell, who lives in the Cleveland suburb of Beachwood, is older than most of those who have contracted what is now being called “e-cigarette or vaping associated lung injury,” or EVALI. Three-quarters of patients with the condition have been under age 35; Lubell is 59. But like patients in the majority of those cases, he used THC. And the latest information from the Centers for Disease Control
knees. He is not sure when his problems started, but he wonders if they are related to his days on a Navy helicopter rescue team. “It was fun. I was indestructible and good at what I did. Everybody wanted me,” he recalled, while looking at photos of his much younger self posing on top of one of the helicopters. Lubell sometimes jumped out of the helicopter and smacked into the water during training and rescue missions. That could have been the genesis of some of his back pain, he said. He has had two back surgeries, and he also suffers from serious neck pain. Every day is a struggle, he said. Looking for relief, he has tried many medications, including opioids such as hydrocodone, but that drug is no longer an option. Lubell is a patient at Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, and in the wake of the national opioid addiction epi-
demic, the VA has revised its pain-treatment protocols. “The VA is not a friend of opioids at all,” Lubell said. “Unless you’re coming out of the hospital for surgery or something like that, they do not give vets opioids.” “It leaves someone who is in chronic pain in a very tough situation, having to decide how to deal with it,” he added. Lubell started using an electronic cigarette device paired with prefilled THC cartridges. Medical marijuana is legal in Ohio, as it is in 32 other states, plus the District of Columbia. “When I say it took away pain—it was almost instantaneous,” he said. “Within the span of 10 minutes, my pain would be gone. … It made me capable of doing my daily activities.” Lubell described his old vaping cartridges as tiny sticks that screwed on top of the vaping pen. When he inhaled at one end of the pen, it pulled the THC extract and other liquids in the cartridge over a heating element. Vaping was different from when he had smoked marijuana, Lubell said. “It doesn’t have a stench to it. You could do it out on the streets. It doesn’t have that—what’s the word I’m looking for?— stigma,” he said. Lubell purchased the THC cartridges from a friend at what he described as a below-market price. A few months later, in July, Lubell started running a very high fever and went to the Cleveland VA Medical Center. “He had this cough that was persistent. He just looked very, very sick,” recalled Dr. Amy Hise, who was on the team of physicians that treated Lubell. “He was put on very strong broadspectrum antibiotics, and yet he continued to have fevers. He continued to feel unwell. He had very flu-like symptoms,” Hise said. After a few days, Lubell seemed to improve and was released, according to Hise. But then, he grew ill again. Hise said she was surprised when he came back to the emergency department in late August. By then, however, she had seen a new alert from the CDC about the vaping illness. Lubell also had seen reports in the media about health problems related to vaping. “He was forthright that he had been vaping, and indeed what had happened is when
About this story:
he was in the hospital before, he’d stopped vaping,” Hise said. “He stopped for a period of time until he started to feel better. And then he started it up again, and that’s when his lung disease came back.” The doctors at the VA switched tactics, taking Lubell off antibiotics and starting him on steroids, based on information provided by the CDC. Lubell was soon released and on the road to recovery. Even though vaping eased his pain,
those two bouts of respiratory sickness were too much. Lubell said he won’t vape again, and his doctor endorsed that decision. “I think there’s just too much that’s not known about what’s in these products to safely use them,” Hise said. But Lubell is not alone in having turned to marijuana for pain management. Dr. Melinda Lawrence, a pain management specialist at University Hospitals, said many patients have told her they are trying marijuana to see if
It is part of a partnership that includes ideastream, nPr and Kaiser Health news, an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation.
it will help. “That is probably something that I get from patients every day,” Lawrence said. “And it’s not just people who are young, in their 20s. [There are] people in their 80s who are telling me they are looking to try anything to help with their pain.” Even though some patients say marijuana helps their pain, there is not enough research to prove it’s broadly and reliably effective, Lawrence said. “Personally, I don’t recommend it for my patients. But maybe after we have more studies, it can be something in the future” she said. Lubell, who has an Ohio medical marijuana card, is still planning to use marijuana—but he won’t vape it. He turned over his equipment and leftover THC cartridges to health officials for analysis. Ω
WEEKLY DOSE
Want to help
Camp Fire survivors
experiencing food insecurity? The CN&R’s holiday drive for nonperishable food items has been extended through Friday, Jan. 10.
Drop off donations at our office anytime between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday–Friday. (We’ll also accept unused toiletries such as shampoo, conditioner, etc.).
353 E. Second St., Chico
Watch where you’re going! Surprising fact: Injuries to the face, eyes, nose, ears and head have risen steeply in the last 20 years, and most were caused by distracted driving, walking and texting with a cellphone. A study published recently in the journal JAMA noted that these kinds of traumas were infrequent until 2007—when Apple introduced the first iPhone—and then the numbers suddenly increased. Injuries range from cuts and bruises caused by dropping a phone on your face or the battery exploding to walking into a pole or crashing your car due to distraction. Then there’s a thing known as “text neck.” Many physical therapists blame poor posture while looking at your cellphone (head tilted forward and back hunched over) for headaches, a stiff neck, sore shoulders and even spine misalignment. New Year’s resolution? Sit up straight and be mindful when using your cellphone.
Source: JAMA Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery
January 2, 2020
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GREEN GREENWAYS
Feds vs. state
An oil field along Highway 101 in Central California. PHOTO BY CALMATTERS
Battle lines are drawn over oil drilling in California
by
Julie Cart
TeachCalifornia’s oil industry whizzed past other at the tail end of 2019, revealing wo announcements with implications for
starkly conflicting visions for energy development. After a five-year hiatus on auctions for oil-drilling rights on federal land, Washington finalized a plan to allow them on more than 700,000 acres in 11 Central California counties. A more significant proposal to include parcels on more than 1 million acres in the Bakersfield area is due in the next few months. Meanwhile, California’s oil and gas regulator announced a range of measures including a moratorium on certain types of well injections, more oversight of hydraulic fracturing—aka fracking—and an independent audit of the state’s process for granting drilling permits. After a flurry of activity at the beginning of the year, the state has not approved any fracking permits since June. The policy divergence underscores the difference between state and federal views on the future of fossil fuels in California: The state is moving to ramp down oil production while Washington is expediting it. State officials are taking a closer look at the environmental and health threats—especially land, air and water contamination—posed by energy extraction, while Washington appears to have concluded that existing federal regulations sufficiently protect its sensitive landscapes as well as public health. It is unclear how this schism will play out, beyond aggravating the already fraught relationship between the Golden State and President Donald Trump—though the federal plans date to the Obama administra-
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tion. Experts caution that even with nearly 2 million acres now open to drilling leases, there’s no certainty that energy companies will show any interest. Overall, oil production in California has fallen by about 60 percent since the mid-1980s. “The Trump administration has moved federal agencies’ policies toward aggressive expansion of fossil fuel development on public lands,” California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot said in an email. “The Newsom administration disagrees with this direction…. The governor has been clear that we need to reduce our reliance on oil and gas.” Indeed, in a plainly worded statement last month, Gov. Gavin Newsom said the state was taking its steps “as we phase out our dependence on fossil fuels and focus on clean-energy sources.” He stopped short of a fracking ban, which he said he supported during his campaign. Environmental groups have lobbied to outlaw fracking, but many nevertheless applauded the state’s moves. They derided the federal plans, which could allow drilling at the edges of such treasured landscapes as the Carrizo Plain National Monument in San Luis Obispo County and near Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks in the Central Valley. A few of the potentially affected parcels overlap the Pacific Crest Trail, a popular hiking route that traces California’s spine. Kassie Siegel is director of the Climate About this story:
It was produced by CalMatters.org, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.
Law Institute of the Center for Biological Diversity, an environmental group whose 2013 lawsuit halted federal leasing of land for oil and gas exploration in parts of California. She said the state’s slowdown is necessary to achieve its greenhouse-gas-reduction goals and eventually run the state without fossil fuels. “It’s really good news for California and is globally significant,” she said. “This is the first governor of a major oil-producing state to launch the phase-out of fossil-fuel extraction. This is really a watershed for California.” The lawsuit was settled in 2017, forcing federal agencies to review the environmental effects of fracking. With that done, the plans were revived, with the same footprint. California is the nation’s sixth-largest oil producer, but because of geology and regulation it operates differently from many other energy-producing states. For example, fracking takes place in nearly two dozen states and gets a lot of attention, but the process is used on only about 1 in 5 oil wells in California. Ideally, federal and state land-use plans would be harmonized for consistency and efficiency. But that is rarely achievable in California’s checkerboard of land ownership, a complex blend of federal, tribal, state, local and private property. The federal government controls nearly 46 percent of the land in California, though its mineral rights extend far beyond that under a longstanding land-use doctrine. In the Bakersfield area alone, the feds control about 1.2 million acres of mineral rights. In total, the U.S. government holds about half the mineral rights in California, including rights
to oil, gas and mined minerals. But few of those resources are being explored, officials said. Federal lands produce less than 10 percent of California’s oil. The federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is required to offer leases quarterly if there is an expression of interest from the energy industry. Leases are awarded to the highest bidders and are good for 10 years. But officials said they don’t expect a rush of new leasing; companies prefer to rework wells that already exist, and there has been little interest expressed in undeveloped areas. In fact, the federal leasing plan for the BLM’s Central California properties anticipates at most a few dozen applications over the next 20 years. There are no immediate industry expressions of interest in the area, according to the BLM, and the agency has no current plan to offer a lease sale there. Oil is a commodity, and energy companies make decisions based on the price of a barrel of oil, said Rock Zierman, chief executive officer of the California Independent Petroleum Association. “There’s some interest,” he said of the proposed new lease areas. “But in our business, you are going to invest your dollars where you can get the best return.” The leases are exploratory, so “there’s less certainty.” Ω
ECO EVENT
Back to earth The Chico Creek Nature Center is a local source for education and enjoyment all year long, and its weekly Nature’s ABCs event is a big part of that fun. Though each week is a little different, activities can include crafts, animal visits, story time and a guided exploration of the park. This event is great for the whole family, and it’s free! The program is open to families with children 5 years old and younger and is funded by Proposition 10, the tobacco tax. Check it out this Monday (Jan. 6) at 10 a.m. Space is limited, so arrive promptly. The wonders of the world await!
EVERYBODY’S BUSINESS PHOTO BY JOSH COZINE
15 MINUTES
THE GOODS
Merging worlds
Predictions for 2020
Jenny Rae Richman (well, that’s her human name, anyway) was working in tech in the Bay Area when she decided she’d had enough of dealing with computers and screens all day. She’d found it convenient to help cover the region’s high cost of living, but her real passion was working as a professional faerie with the Faerie Human Relations Department. Better known by her faerie name, Pepper Mint Whimsy, she’s been working for the fae government as a human relations expert for the last three years. As such, she hosts parties for young humans to build bonds and relations. Recently, she decided it was time to open her own branch in Chico, and on Oct. 1, she obtained her business license and officially opened her Faerie Human Relations Department in Chico as a party hosting service. Richman offers face-painting, balloon-twisting and casual magic services, while in character. Check out her website at faeriehumanrelations.com, or call (408) 966-4831 for questions or to book party services.
Why the big career change? I was working in the tech industry … for a while—I know it seems silly, a faerie in technology—but I just couldn’t help myself. And with all those people
by
Meredith J. Cooper meredithc@newsreview.com
just on top of one another, everything was just so crowded and there was just so much. I don’t know quite how to describe it, but being in front of one of those computer screens all day, it was driving me mad, and I wanted to do something better with my life. And, you know, I always had a passion for human studies when I went to faerie school, and I decided, Why not get into that?
Human Relations Department.
Why did you decide to go out on your own?
What’s your favorite thing about hosting children’s parties?
Faerie-human relations have been going downhill for quite some time, and it’s important that humans continue to believe in faeries—we all know what happens when humans say they don’t believe in faeries—we just start disappearing left and right and that’s really sad. It got a little worrisome, so I decided to open up an official faerie government branch of the Faerie
Where did you first learn how to practice faerie-human relations and why bring it to Chico? I worked for a company in the Bay Area called Happily Ever Laughter for over three years as a professional faerie doing faeriehuman relations. Eventually, I decided I wanted to start my own branch in a smaller place, and I knew some humans here.
I love the questions that children ask. I love the moment when the skeptical child becomes a believer and is there with me. I just think that there is so much cynicism and not enough who believe and know that all the things in our imagination are really powerful. And that’s what I want to bring, and so when I see that, that’s my favorite moment.
Your plumbing
Fixed Right, Right Now!
—JOSH COZINE
I don’t know about you, but 2020 is looking better and better every day. I remember this time last year, looking forward to a 2019 filled with renewal and rebuilding after the terror that befell us in 2018. While yes, we did experience some of that, 2019 really wasn’t so much a year of renewal as it was an extension of its predecessor, filled more with healing than actual movement. Here are a few of my predictions for 2020. Some are based on announcements already made; others on mere conjecture. I’d love to hear your thoughts on what the new year might bring. Email ’em to me at meredithc@newsreview.com. • Planet Fitness will finally take down the Chico Mall food court. The place has been a sad destination for as long as I can remember. Bonus: Cinnabon will give mallwalking a whole new purpose (to work off those calories!). • Forever 21 will close, but despite promises to reinvent the space, both it and the former Sears anchor location at the mall will remain vacant. • Chico will get its first cannabis dispensary. I’m predicting one to start, likely somewhere on the outskirts of town, like by the airport. It’ll be in the spotlight at first, but once the dust settles, the naysayers will forget it’s there and why they cared so much in the first place. • East Second Street will remain a desert. With three major vacancies on the north side—two with water damage—two on the south, and construction eating up sidewalk outside of Panama Bar Cafe, people will have little reason to venture that way, except to dine at Grana. • Someone will snatch up the Kona’s Sandwiches shop downtown and turn it into a Jewish deli (my personal wish) with killer matzo ball soup, pastrami and potato latkes. • The so-called “gig economy” will shrink. This is thanks to Assembly Bill 5, aimed at rideshare companies Uber and Lyft, which classify their drivers as independent contractors who don’t qualify for benefits, time off or even minimum wage. There already are lawsuits in the works, so my bet is Uber and Lyft are gonna do just fine; but their drivers may fall out (making way for more legit cabs in town?). The bigger problem, however, is the ripple effect will be huge, affecting a slew of other independent contractors and the small businesses that hire them. It’s definitely not going to help Butte County’s shortage of construction workers. • Dave and Busters reportedly was eyeing a spot at the Chico Mall and backed out short of making a deal. But nobody said the adult arcade master had abandoned Chico altogether. I predict it turns its gaze to the soon-to-be-empty Kmart, which is in a prime location by other dining and entertainment, has plenty of parking and is just itching to be filled with something better than, well, Kmart. (If another large retailer like Target wanted to set up shop there, that’d be fine, too—the north side of town is in dire need of some affordable, catch-all shopping.)
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Whom to watch
2020
A
s has become tradition at the CN&R around this time, when the days begin to get longer, we start looking to the future. In doing so, we focus on some of the people we think are likely to make headlines in the coming year. When our staff sat down to share nominees for 2020, we ended up with what is probably a first for this newspaper: an all-women Whom to Watch list. It includes the director of Butte County Public Health, the city of Chico’s vice mayor and a councilwoman, a county supervisor, the executive director of the local fire safe council, and three faces behind an up-and-coming theater company. They all share a deep connection to Butte County, but each has a different vision about how to contribute to and shape the future of our region.
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A few names to look for in the new year Prime communicator Danette York
Danette York found herself at a controversial crossroads around the same time she was hired as the director of Butte County Public Health. This past summer, the Chicobased Northern Valley Harm Reduction Coalition (NVHRC) submitted an application to the state Public Health Department to distribute free syringes in Chico. The issue quickly became heated locally: Would such a service be helpful or harmful, compassionate or enabling? Public Health was asked to make presentations on the topic. York told the CN&R she assembled key members of her team beforehand and they shared their thoughts, but she made it clear how the department would respond. “Whether it’s syringe access or any hot topic or political topics, I will always provide the recommendation based on the data,” she said. “And that’s just being transparent and honest.” So, York’s team recommended syringe access programs to the Chico City Council and the Butte County Board of Supervisors, presenting data showing that they are effective in reducing transmission of HIV and hepatitis C among injection drug users. Shortly after, the state granted NVHRC a license to provide the service. This response exemplifies York’s approach to all issues of
public health concern: She told the CN&R that she sees open communication as a critical part of her role as director. In 2020, she says she’ll also focus on strengthening the department’s preventative health efforts. When a staff position opened up recently, York seized the opportunity to create a new division and division director position focused on prevention, education and health promotion. It’s her hope this will streamline the county’s preventative education work. “They can work together, they can learn from each other and they can cross-train,” she said. “That director can focus on more opportunities—learning from things like the Community Health Assessment [CHA] what Butte County needs … and then be able to look for funding opportunities that could help create a program or a policy that would help address that.” This year also marks the development of a community health improvement plan in response to the CHA, which analyzes data to paint a picture of the overall well-being of Butte County every four years. York is looking forward to working alongside her colleagues to home in on potential solutions to three of the county’s primary issues: mental health, substance abuse and homelessness. York told the CN&R she
Danette York PHOTO COURTESY OF BUTTE COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH
plans on advocating for solutions to those issues on a larger scale this year as well. She is part of the County Health Executives Association of California, a statewide organization made up of county and city health department and agency directors, and plans on expanding the scope of her involve-
ment to “make sure that Butte County is represented and not forgotten.” “For public health as a system, we will be watching closely [in 2020] and trying to help wherever we can on building access to care,” she said. —ASHIAH SCHARAGA ash ia h s@ newsr ev iew.c o m
Collaborative vision
Agent of action
Debra Lucero
Alex Brown Running for Chico City Council wasn’t what Vice Mayor Alex Brown had in mind. Brown, who has a master’s in social work from Chico State, planned to pursue a doctoral degree in that field at the University of Washington. She had been accepted and was ready to go—but she felt the timing wasn’t right. When she asked herself what drove her to stay, the answer became clear. “It was to do good. To do more in my community, and I realized that I could do that here,” Brown told the CN&R. “And so while the immediate thought wasn’t, Oh, I should run for office, it was, What can I do here that would allow me to be challenged every day? To be learning every day? And to do good?” Elected in November 2018, Brown ran on a platform of expanding the scope of public safety policies to include service providers; addressing housing availability and costs; eliminating laws that criminalize homelessness; and pursuing regulated cannabis sales. Last year, in the wake of the Camp Fire, she also prioritized addressing climate change locally. “I think 2020 is the year of climate action,” said Brown, who co-authored the Chico Green New Deal. “I think [the City Council] really set the stage in the year 2019. ... That work has set us up to be looking at every single policy decision that we make in the year 2020 through the lens of climate action.” That aforementioned work included the declaration of a climate emergency, the establishment of the Climate Action Commission and the formation of the Butte Choice Energy Authority (BCEA), a joint venture between the city and county to procure and sell power as an alternative to PG&E. Brown sits on the BCEA’s board, a position she lobbied the council for. Her presence there, she said, represents a younger demographic than might otherwise be expected for such a body. “There are a lot of younger voices that are ready to have us make bolder decisions around energy and clean energy,” Brown said. The BCEA could play a significant role in enabling climate-related action long-term, such as incentivizing local energy projects, Brown said. The board’s work this year— including considerations regarding the renewable and carbon-free energy supply options it will offer customers—will set the stage for a 2021 launch. Additionally, Brown said policies surrounding homelessness likely will be addressed early this year. Long-term solutions must focus on housing, she said, but the council in the short-term needs to take a closer look at city laws such as the sit/lie and Offenses Against Public Property ordinances, which are “disproportionately impacting people who are experiencing homelessness.” Brown believes the city should allow “safe, clean camping,” and leadership must be taken to create such spaces so people are not afraid of being cited or ordered to move by police. There is no perfect solution, Brown said, but “I want to be a part of the council who enables sheltering and housing projects for people experiencing homelessness.” —ANDRE BYIK an dr eb @ n ew sr ev i ew. com
Alex Brown
In her art-filled office in downtown Chico, Butte County Supervisor Debra Lucero reached for a map outlining the burn scar of the Camp Fire and other previous local wildfires. Like the rest of the community, she worries about future natural disasters. Flooding is at the top of her mind this winter when it comes to her own district 2—a region that stretches from the city center northward through bucolic west Chico to the Tehama County line. Lucero is encyclopedic about the issue, ticking off facts such as the increased percentage of run-off last year and its effects on rural neighborhoods that have sprung up without flood mitigation measures. Moreover, she thinks ahead to what would happen should the nearby foothills catch fire. “If Cohasset and Forest Ranch burn—I should say when—there’s going to be such issues in Chico,” she said. “There will be a lot of flooding.” Lucero had to get up to speed quickly on that and many other concerns considering she was sworn in a year ago this month—her first time in elected office—just a few months after the Camp Fire. She’s since been delving into the potential for other disasters, as well as a seemingly endless list of other issues, including those related to the county’s already high rate of poverty. Looking forward, because the entire North State is grappling with some of the same crises—take homelessness as an example—Lucero believes joining forces with other counties to represent a larger and thus more powerful constituency would better address them. She pointed to Iowa’s statewide effort to tackle the opioid crisis by basically ignoring county jurisdictional lines and locating crisis intake centers, lowbarrier shelters and other facilities strategically based on distance and need. Lucero, who has spent decades working in the arts, tourism and economic development sectors—locally WATCH C O N T I N U E D
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Debra Lucero
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and in surrounding counties—already has connections throughout the North State. She’s made new ones through involvement with the California State Association of Counties and the Latino Caucus of California Counties. From her perspective, collaboration is needed broadly at the local level as well. Lucero mentioned all five Butte County municipalities, but also pointed to some of the county’s own departments, namely Public Health, Behavioral Health, and Employment and Social Services. Toward that end, she thinks working in close cooperation with each other would benefit the community. In Shasta County, the Health and Human Services Agency comprises those departments, she noted. Lucero approaches her own work with the public with that collaborative mindset. One of her goals for 2020 on that front is for the county to host a series of regional workshops on such issues as homelessness, water, health issues and disaster preparedness. It also extends to her vision for Camp Fire relief efforts that she believes will need to continue for at least a decade or two. “You can’t just carve out a huge chunk of your county with devastation and then just keep going like everything is normal—it’s not,” she said. “That means you have to think differently, you have to operate differently, you have to be more creative, you have to be more collaborative.” —MELISSA DAUGHERTY m e l i ss ad@ n ew sr ev i ew. com
CN&R
Kasey Reynolds Kasey Reynolds is always busy, either working at Shubert’s Ice Cream & Candy, which she coowns with her brother, serving the city as a councilwoman, being a mom or volunteering. Take a recent afternoon: Reynolds was knuckle-deep in chocolate, creating dozens of cashew and almond clusters amid a bustling shop prepping for the holiday season while she discussed her plans for 2020 with the CN&R. For Reynolds, public safety is still a No. 1 priority, which means supporting the police department, holding criminals accountable and discouraging vagrancy. But she’s also been focused on another project as of late: opening a treatment facility for people with mental illness and substance use disorders. The plan is still in its infancy, so she wasn’t ready to divulge many details, but she said it will be a 50-bed facility in Chico, with a nine-month clean and sober program operated by licensed clinical staff. Reynolds added that the clients will be selected through a combination of jail release, police referral and street outreach. “We want to lift them up and make sure they are a part of our community,” she said. Reynolds, one of two conservative Chico City Council members, has caught flack for her comments
on homelessness and social service programs, however. “I feel like there’s this narrative that I’m this … ice cream fascist and I’m a white supremacist,” she said. “I’m not a supremacist against anything. I’m a business owner that loves my family, that loves my community ….” She told the CN&R that she is passionate about addressing homelessness, and that she also plans to help community organizations open a 24-hour shelter this year in a similar capacity to the treatment center project—by bringing partners together and helping them streamline the process. But she added that accountability would have to be part of the operation. Housing is another concern she said she’ll continue to work on in 2020. This past November, Reynolds was nominated by Assemblyman James Gallagher to attend a White House round table discussion on housing affordability and regulatory barriers. She attended alongside dozens of other city leaders across the U.S., and met Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, as well as other federal officials and policymakers. Reynolds said she spoke about the impacts of the Camp Fire, the region’s workforce exodus and high cost of housing. In Reynolds’ view, the city needs to prioritize public infrastructure improvements, such as roads and sewage connections, to encourage new development. She expressed frustration with state regulations, such as the California Environmental Quality Act, which she said is being used as a “sword” rather than a “shield,” halting subdivisions like Epick Homes’ planned Stonegate project that would create hundreds of new homes in east Chico, which Reynolds said could really help the region, especially post-Camp Fire. “The more we can help Paradise succeed, the more it puts people back up on the hill [and] it opens up things down here,” she said. “The more things are open down here and the more housing we have down here— it’s supply and demand. The prices are going to go down because there’s more available.” —ASHIAH SCHARAGA as h i a h s @ newsr ev iew.c o m
Kasey Reynolds
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Forging connections
JANUARY 2, 2020
Staffing up Calli-Jane DeAnda Calli-Jane DeAnda is no stranger to fire. After all, she’s executive director of the Butte County Fire Safe Council. Still, like it was for everyone else, the Camp Fire was a wake-up call. On a personal level, DeAnda and her family were forced to relocate— not because their home burned down, but because the blaze took out their water source, the Miocene Canal. They found a house in Paradise and have been settling in. From a professional perspective, she recognized that the work she and her organization had done to that point was helpful, but clearly it wasn’t enough. “This fire was unlike any other in its magnitude and devastation,” she told the CN&R. “It’s forced us to have a creativity level we’ve never had before.” Thanks to a couple of grants, the council was able to boost its staff from four to 11 this past year. Add to that the state and national attention on the region and its fire vulnerability and 2019 turned out to be a year of growth, DeAnda said. The coming year looks to build on that momentum. “Now that we have more staff, what can we do over the next year that’s really going to help people’s consciousness grow, as far as how to be good stewards?” she said. In answer, she pointed to the busy calendar she already has scheduled for 2020. In addition to the regular events the fire safe council holds each year—forest health tours and community meetings—she’s added a slew of other activities to the list. Among them: firescaping classes. “We realized after the fire that we talk a lot about defensible space, but it’s really boring,” she said. “So, let’s talk about plants—let’s talk about lavender and aloe and peach trees, and let’s go into the yard and talk to people about their passion with plants. And then we can look at structures and the other aspects of fire safety.” Other events include separate meetings for north and south county fire safe councils, “coffee/tea for the WUI” the second Thursday of each month (WUI is short for
Calli-Jane DeAnda
Producing a legacy Jami Witt Miller, Erin Horst and Lara Tenckhoff
wildland-urban interface) at the council’s office in Paradise, and a wildfire building construction fair in October. One of the organization’s more creative new ideas is to hold a meeting of wood-crafters, with the goal of making art from the scorched Camp Fire trees as a way to both use the wood coming out of the burn zone and generate funding. In all, DeAnda said she’s optimistic for 2020 because she foresees it as a year for healing and for progress on the forest management front. The fire safe council has projects underway in Bangor, Berry Creek, Forbestown, Forest Ranch, Magalia and Paradise. Plus, it recently put in grant proposals for projects in Cohasset, Feather Falls and the Oroville foothills. “Because of the fire, because of the state’s attention, everything that we’ve been doing all along now has more encouragement and support,” she said. “So, this is year one post-fire. What will year two look like?” —MEREDITH J. COOPER me re d i thc @ n ewsrev i ew. com
Erin Horst’s mother still has the notebooks that her daughter filled with theater designs. “I’ve been sketching out a theater company since I was a little kid,” said Horst, now a mother of two. “I was very convicted from an early age that this is what I’m doing with my life.” This fall, Horst began to make her designs on creating a theater come true. The actress/director and drama instructor (at both Chico State and Inspire School of Arts & Sciences) teamed up with two friends—actress/director Lara Tenckhoff and actress/director and fellow Chico State instructor Jami Witt Miller—to produce Macbeth in Bidwell Park, the first production for their newly founded Legacy Stage theater company. The collective dream is to produce high-quality theater that also can provide an income for the those involved—in other words, a professional company. “We are three strong women who have creative careers that find ourselves together in Chico,” explained Witt Miller. “All three of us are mothers who are committed to have a legacy in the community, and want to be able to have careers in theater outside of teaching. And so we are creating that opportunity.” So far, the only way the women have been able to utilize their years of theater experience to make money in the production/performance realm has been to leave town. Both Tenckhoff and Witt Miller travel to tiny Clinton, Iowa, to work with the professional Clinton Area Showboat Theatre. “I’ve been spending my last four summers having to leave this community that I love, that I’ve lived in for 20 years, to be able to work professionally somewhere and continue to build my professional résumé,” said Tenckhoff. “And as a mother and a wife, that’s not the
most sustainable model.” “We find ourselves pouring into these communities that we go into, and we want to pour that energy into our community,” added Witt Miller. “[We] want to create opportunities for artists to have careers and professional experiences in this community. It’s something that we really think Chico can support and sustain and deserves.” That ambitious mission had a promising start in the company’s Macbeth debut. Staged among the trees, creek and creepy shadows of Bidwell Park at night, the roving outdoor production was impressive and wellreceived, selling out five weekends of performances by week two. The follow-up was a holiday cabaret called Give My Regards to Christmas, which was written by Witt Miller’s husband, Matthew Teague Miller. The holiday show was staged at Apollo School of Music, and while the three say they want to work toward establishing a permanent home, Legacy’s productions will rotate among existing venues for the time being. The 2020-21 season is still in the works, including the first show of the new year—a big spring production—that will be announced as soon as rights have been secured. Horst says that the ultimate goal is to establish “a fully staffed theater with a full year of programming,” but added that it’s most important to develop a deeper relationship with Chico and create “a cultural centerpiece of the community where people go to connect in relationship to each other.” —JASON CASSIDY jaso nc @ newsr ev iew.c o m
From left: Jami Witt Miller, Erin Horst and Laura Tenckhoff
JANUARY 2, 2020
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Arts &Culture
Put a spell on you
The freak-rock magic of SF’s Glitter Wizard
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litter Wizard is not soon forgotten. With a biker meets glamrocker fashion sense— velvet jumpsuits, sparkly golden fringe vests, metal chokers, etc.—and a dramatic high-energy stage show filled with tales of wizardry and glam-, progand stoner-metal sounds, the band is committed to making a scene. “We’re there to entertain; we’re wearing goofy costumes,” said frontma n Wendy by Stonehenge (born Robin Micah Warren). Bacior “I personally don’t ever want Preview: Glitter Wizard to be in a band performs Thursday, that rolls out of Jan. 9, 8:30 p.m. bed and throws Touch Fuzz y on a T-shirt and Get Dizzy and Bad Mana open. plays the same Tickets: $7 old songs on stag e. If someThe Maltese body’s gonna pay 1600 Park Ave. 343-4915 to come see me maltesebarchico.com perform, I want them to have a real show.” The first iteration of the group started nearly 14 years ago, when Stonehenge was living in Santa Cruz (fun fact: He also lived in Chico in the earl y 2000s and has a song named after the town on his 2015 solo album, Wendy Stonehenge Is the Bandersnatch). With an aim
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to make something akin to a glam-informed version of Black Sabbath’s proto-metal, the singer attempted to put together a group in the beach community, but nothing really stuck. “We worked at it for about two years and managed to play two shows that entire time,” Stonehenge said. He decided to relocate to San Francisco. After a few variations, the band eventually solidified and has gone on to become a fixture in the Bay Area. Over the course of the last decade, Stonehenge and company have released four full-lengths and three EPs of dirty riff-heavy rock songs with lyrics packed with wizards, witches, conspiracy theories, blood sacrifices and outer space. For its latest album, Opera Villains (released last spring), the band tried to steer away from the conceptual, but it happened anyway.
“We were kind of breaking away from that a little bit for this album,” Stonehenge said. “The title kind of started as a joke, but as it turns out most of the lyrics were about different villainous characters. I think subconsciously it did work itself into the general theme when it all came down to it.” The new album kicks off with “A Spell So Evil,” an uptempo garagey prog scorcher with lyrics about casting evil spells in the name of rock ’n’ roll: “He was a mighty wizard sorcerer of sound!” Opera Villains maintains a strong ’70s rock vibe throughout, with crunchy fuzzed-out electric guitar, heavy stepping drums and laser synths shooting through the noise, and Stonehenge’s voice pivoting between rockin’ growl and slightly theatric. The songs have a strong energy, which might stem from the fact they’ve been well worn on the road. “Most of the songs on the album—with the exception of
R W IZ AR D OF GL IT TE
the acous ti mental— c or more experi[are] ones performin we’ve be en g Stonehen live for a while,” ge said. “ The live v sion com eres firs The band t.” ahead, wit has a busy 2020 h tours, a ru some West Coas t n out Eas t, in Europe as well. T and shows kicking it hey’ll be a a show at ll off in Chico wit h th While a lo e Maltese (Jan. 9 ). t of imag ination an energy go d in would be to the live shows , it a mistake all theatric to think it ’s al g “One mis immick. conceptio often get n we is put on su , I think because w ch a wack e y we someti mes get c live show, ategorize as a joke d ba said. “Bu nd,” Stonehenge t I think if to the mu you listen sic a lot of th you can tell we put ought and it. There are some effort into bands tha have a gre t a but their t gimmick on stag music do e esn hold up, b ut I think ’t really pretty goo w d job of c e do a bases.” overing b oth Ω
THIS WEEK 3
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HILARITY FIRST: Comedy show fundraiser for the Andrew Yang campaign. Fri, 1/3, 9pm. $10. The Maltese, 1600 Park Ave. VOLUNTEER FRIDAYS: Join in picking up litter and pulling weeds in the park. For more info call Shane at 896-7831. Fri, 1/3, 9am. Bidwell Park.
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Special Events A NEW YEAR’S REVOLUTION HOUSE PARTY & FILM FEST: Fundraiser for the Respectful Revolution project featuring music by Webster Moore, food by OM, no-host bar, raffle and merch. Sat 1/4, 5pm. $5-$10. Northstate Powersports, 11096 Midway.
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Special Events
STONEWALL WINE & CHEESE EVENT: Enjoy live music, drinks and apps and hear about Stonewall Alliance’s plans for its 30th year and beyond. Sun, 1/5, 4pm. Wine Time, 26 Lost Dutchman Drive.
Music
FREE LISTINGS! Post your event for free online at www. newsreview.com/calendar, or email the CN&R calendar editor at cnrcalendar@newsreview.com. Deadline for print listings is Wednesday, 5 p.m., one week prior to the issue in which you wish the listing to appear.
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Special Events
SCOTT TECCA
DUELING MAGICIANS: An evening of magic
Sunday, Jan. 5 Tender Loving Coffee & Secret Trail Brewing Co.
and mentalism with Dean Waters and Stephen Chollet. Be prepared to laugh and have your mind blown. Tue, 1/7, 6pm. $15. Unwined Kitchen & Bar, 980 Mangrove Ave.
SEE SUNDAY, MUSIC
SCOTT TECCA: Two shows, two venues. Nashville singer/ songwriter of father/ daughter duo The Teccas will stop by Tender Loving Coffee (365 E. Sixth St.) at 11 a.m., and Secret Trail Brewing Co. (132 Meyers St., Ste. 120) at 3 p.m.
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FOR MORE MUSIC, SEE NIGHTLIFE ON PAGE 22
FINE ARTS
REMEMBERING MARIA AND THE AVENUE 9 ART GUILD Shows through Jan. 19 Museum of Northern California Art
Special Events FARM STAND: Fun farmers’ market fea-
SEE ART
turing local growers, plant starts, homemade bakery goods and medicinal herbs. Mon, 1/6, 4pm. Blackbird, 1431 Park Ave.
FREE MOVIE: Call for movie title 891-2762. Sun, 1/5, 2pm. Chico Branch Library, 1108 Sherman Ave. buttecounty.net
EDITOR’S PICK
Art HEALING ART GALLERY AT ENLOE CANCER CENTER: Art by Christine
ABRACADABRA Do you believe in magic? Not the old rabbit-in-a-hat kind of magic, but the fascinating reading your mind kind of wizardry. Unwined Kitchen & Bar has been hosting regular evenings of magic and mentalism that may just convince you. This Tuesday (Jan. 7), magician Dean Waters and mentalist Stephen Chollet present an encore performance of Dueling Magicians. Open your mind and see what all the fuss is about. And be prepared to participate—that’s when the fun really begins.
MacShane, paintings by local artist. The Enloe Cancer Center, Healing Art Gallery shows work by artists whose lives have been touched by cancer (survivors, caretakers and healthcare givers). Through 1/24. 265 Cohasset Road.
MUSEUM OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA ART: Remembering Maria and the Avenue 9 Art Guild, exhibition includes photographs of Maria Phillips’ art and originals from the Avenue 9 Art Guild. Through 1/19. 900 Esplanade. monca.org
PARADISE ART CENTER: Coming Home, the newly opened Ridge gallery presents first show of the season featuring artwork that speaks to the idea and concept of coming home and what it means to each artist. Through 1/25. 5564 Almond St., Paradise.
PROVISIONS GALLERY: After Glow, original compositions by local photographer Gunnar Loveland. Through 1/13. 122 W. Third St.
Museums CHICO CHILDREN’S MUSEUM: Tons of cool stuff for kids to explore including a miniature city, complete with a junior
vet clinic, dentist, cafe and farmers’ market, a giant fish tank, multi-sensory room, imagination playground and much more. Check the website for hours and admission information. Through 8/3. $7-$9. 325 Main St. chicochildrensmuseum.org.
VALENE L. SMITH MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY: Unbroken Traditions Basketweavers of the Meadows-Baker Families in Northern California, exhibition represents the culmination of one year of research and collaboration between Mountain Maidu weavers, other tribal experts, museums studies students, faculty and curators. Through 5/15. Chico State.
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SCENE Alex Hilsee as Isabella in the Blue Room’s Measure for Measure. PHOTO BY JOE HILSEE
Tempted by the stage
InDepenDentJournalIsmFunD.org
A preview of local theater in 2020
Tcontemporary year is stacked—Shakespeare, and classic musicals, he stage schedule for the new
farces, twisted comedies and original works fill up the calendar in by Jason Cassidy a very busy first six months of j aso nc @ 2020 for Butte new srev i ew. c o m County theatergoers.
Measure for Measure, Blue Room Theatre (Jan. 9-25): Lust, hypocrisy, temptation and corruption. Shakespeare knew what was up with the world in this comedy on “morality and mercy in Vienna.” Directed by Joe Hilsee. Clue, CUSD Center for the Arts (Jan. 11-19): Inspire School of Arts & Sciences students bring the classic board game to the stage. Girls’ Weekend, Theatre on the Ridge (Jan. 23-Feb. 9): The wine and farce flow freely during a weekend getaway. Directed by Judy Clemens. The Music Man, Chico Theater Company (Jan. 24-Feb. 16): The classic Broadway musical about a huckster who falls in love in the Midwest. Little Women the Musical, CUSD Center for the Arts (Feb. 7-16): On the heels of the release of the big-screen version of Louisa May Alcott’s classic story, California Regional Theatre presents a musical adaptation. 22
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JANUARY 2, 2020
Fresh Ink, Blue Room (Feb. 13-16): Annual festival of prompted one-acts. A Piece of My Heart, Birdcage Theatre (Feb. 21-29): Shirley Lauro’s drama about five nurses and one country singer’s experiences helping the troops during the war in Vietnam. The Portuguese Kid, Theatre on the Ridge (Feb. 27-March 8): A new romantic comedy from Pulitzer Prize- and Oscar-winning writer John Patrick Shanley (Doubt: A Parable, Moonstruck). Directed by Jerry Miller. The Servant of Two Masters, Wismer Theatre (March 5-8): Chico State Theatre Department presents a modern rendering of the classic commedia dell’arte. Stuff N Things: A Fair Retail Story, Blue Room (March 12-28): Premiere of local actor/playwright Wade Gess’ original musical exploration of “how corporate capitalism can fracture the American Dream.” Directed by Amber Miller. Jesus Christ Superstar, Chico Theater Company (March 13April 5): The 1970s rock opera with Jesus, Judas and the rest of the groovy Gospels cats kicks off the spring. Love, Sex and the IRS, Birdcage Theatre (March 27-April 4): A farce set in the 1970s that lives up to its title.
The Legend of Georgia McBride, Theatre on the Ridge (April 2-19): When a young father’s tired Elvis impersonation act starts to flounder, he makes the switch to drag performer to save his career and provide for his family. This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing, Blue Room (April 23-May 9): A contemporary work by Finegan Kruckemeyer about triplet sisters left in the forest. One goes one way, one goes the other, and one stays put. Twenty years later they meet again as grown women. As You Like It, Butte College (April 25-May 3): The drama students take on Shakespeare’s lovely pastoral comedy. In the Heights, Laxson Auditorium (April 30-May 3): For its spring musical, Chico State presents LinManuel Miranda’s first Broadway show, a hip-hop musical revolving around the Hispanic community in New York City’s Washington Heights neighborhood. The Foursome, Chico Theater Company (May 1-17): On the occasion of their 15-year college reunion, four pals take stock of their lives during a round of golf. Or, Blue Room (May 21-June 6): The “1660s look a lot like the 1960s” in this bodice-ripper by New York-based playwright Liz Duffy Adams. Directed by Joyce Henderson Ω
REEL WORLD
FILM SHORTS Reviewers: Meredith J. Cooper, Bob Grimm and Juan-Carlos Selznick.
Opening this week The Grudge
The 2002 Japanese horror flick, Ju-On: The Grudge—which spawned a three-part American Grudge film series—is re-imagined again with another scary ghost taking vengeance on the living. Cinemark 14, Feather River Cinemas. Rated R.
Now playing
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A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
This is a beautiful film. Whimsical, sweet, complicated and full of warmth, just like that polite guy who used to put on his cardigan and sneakers for his long-running children’s show on PBS. Tom Hanks plays Mr. Rogers in a wonderful tribute to the man. But Fred Rogers is a supporting player in director Marielle Heller’s heartfelt movie. The main protagonist is Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys), a troubled journalist who grumbles upon getting an assignment to do a profile on the guy with a “hokey” TV show for Esquire magazine. The reporter bristles at first, but over the course of the film, the two become friends, and rogers helps him with stresses in his life, including the impending death of his father. Heller brilliantly frames the film as an episode of the TV show, starting with Hanks delivering the infamous welcoming song, and then introducing Lloyd as a friend who needs help. The characters travel between different citiews that are depicted like the train sets of the TV show. Cinemark 14. Rated PG —B.G.
Meg, Jo, Amy and Beth A fresh adaptation of classic coming-of-age novel Little Women Tadaptation for stage, TV and film—but this seventh big-screen of Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel is here have been a lot of
adaptations—
the best. The third feature by visionary writer/ director Greta Gerwig (of the by ultra-fantastic Lady Bird) is an Bob Grimm across-the-board stunner. Gerwig’s admirable update of bg r i mm@ the precious 1868 work is beaunewsrev i ew.c om tiful to look at thanks to some of 2019’s best art direction and camerawork, and it’s chock-full of tremendous performances. Saoirse Ronan, who also Little Women starred in Lady Bird, headlines Starring Saoirse as Jo March, eldest sister of the Ronan, Emma Watson, March clan that includes Meg Meryl Streep, (Emma Watson), Amy (Florence Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen and Timothée Pugh) and Beth (Eliza Scanlen). Chalamet. Directed Ronan, not surprisingly, makes by Greta Gerwig. the intrepid character of Jo her Cinemark 14, Feather own, a budding writer who is tryRiver Cinemas. Rated PG. ing to get her ideas past a crusty editor, Mr. Dashwood (Tracy Letts, who had a damn fine 2019 — see: Ford v. Ferrari). In a departure from past adaptations, Gerwig focuses more on the girls as adults, with flashbacks to their younger days. In doing this, she chose not to cast Amy with two different actresses. Pugh, who is well into her 20s, plays Amy at every stage, even falling through the ice as a pre-teen. It would seem an odd choice, but Pugh is masterful in every scene, even those in which she doesn’t look the age.
4
Ford v Ferrari
Timothée Chalamet plays boy-next-door Theodore “Laurie” Laurence, and there couldn’t have been a better choice for the role. His first dance with Jo, where they go a little crazy outside on a porch alone during a party, is as timeless as movie dancing gets. Chalamet has such skill and ridiculous charm in every line he delivers. He doesn’t waste a single second of his screen time. My one quibble with the movie is Gerwig’s ambitious approach to jumping from the multiple timelines (not in chronological order). It’s a minor gripe because these occasional confusing moments were still enjoyable. Little Women exemplifies how a period piece should be done. It’s a fresh take that makes you feel like you are experiencing a familiar story for the first time. Also, it doesn’t hurt to have Meryl Streep cast as the wealthy Aunt March. And driving it all home is one of the year’s greatest ensembles—brought together by Gerwig—playing characters that you root for. Up next for Gerwig? Possibly a live-action Barbie movie she is co-writing with Noah Baumbach. Margot Robbie has been cast in the title role, and if Gerwig ends up at the directorial chair, it’s sure to be a fresh and interesting take. Ω
1 2 3 Poor
Fair
Good
4 Very Good
4
5 Excellent
It’s the ’60s, and Henry Ford II (Tracy Letts) has had it with Enzo Ferrari (Remo Girone) and his fast, flashy cars. He and cronies such as Lee Iacocca (Jon Bernthal) and Leo Beebe (Josh Lucas) decide to send a message to the world that Ford isn’t just about family cars. The plan is to win races and appeal to a younger demographic by rolling out sporty Mustangs and the like. Enter Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon), a former race car driver turned designer and salesman. Ford hires Shelby to come up with a car that can beat Ferrari, namely at the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans in France. It’s a tall order, and it calls for a crazy guy behind the wheel. Ken Miles (Christian Bale) is a rule-breaking Brit who can drive as well as provide instant feedback on what alterations need to be made to make the damn thing go faster. His lack of convention causes Ford to bristle, Shelby gets in the middle, and we have ourselves a gripping tale about racing technology, volatile friendships and corporate clashes. Cinemark 14. Rated PG-13 —B.G.
4
Jumanji: The Next Level
The whole gang is back for the sequel to Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017). This time around, they set out to save Spencer (Alex Wolff), who’s gone back into the game. Turns out, the sequel is more difficult, and they must embark on a new adventure with a new nemesis (played with perfect intensity by Rory McCann—GOT’s The Hound). To beef up the story, the familiar avatars (played by Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black and Karen Gillan) get some new strengths and weaknesses, and are joined by a few new sidekicks (Awkwafina and a horse—don’t ask). In the human world, we get to meet Spencer’s grandfather (Danny DeVito) and his old business partner (Danny Glover), to add some “I’m too old for this shit” humor to the mix. Add to that some new tricks and/or glitches—like the ability to switch characters mid-game—and fans of the first film are in for a fun ride. The adventure is nonstop, and I can’t count the number of times I laughed out
loud in the theater. A perfect escape film for the wintertime blues. Cinemark 14, Feather River Cinemas. Rated PG-13 —M.J.C.
4 1
Little Women
See review this issue. Cinemark 14, Feather River Cinemas. Rated PG —B.G.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Director J.J. Abrams and producer Kathleen Kennedy have failed at giving the main story of the Star Wars franchise the send-off it deserved. But money has to get made, so here it is, the last chapter of the nine-film/three-trilogy Skywalker Saga, just in time for holiday movie going. What makes it so bad? The first hour is fast and furious, but with no editing flow and no sense of purpose. Fans going in looking for answers or meaningful storytelling will not only be bewildered, but probably pissed off as well. By doing everything it can to win back the fans that may have gotten disenchanted by The Last Jedi—continuity be damned—this film renders its predecessor as a complete joke. Even if some fans were displeased with Jedi, it doesn’t mean they wanted a Star Wars Happy Times Mix Tape in response. My advice is to pretend Rise of Skywalker didn’t happen. Allow hologram Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) facing down Kylo Ren in Jedi to be the end of the Skywalker Saga and skip this one. Cinemark 14, Feather River Cinemas. Rated PG-13 —B.G.
5
Uncut Gems
Adam Sandler joins forces with writers/directors Benny and Josh Safdie and delivers the kind of fully committed dramatic performance that he’s hinted at in the past (see Punch-Drunk Love). Sandler plays Howard Ratner, a New York City jewelry store owner and gambling addict. It’s 2012, and he’s built up substantial debts with a bunch of criminals, and Howard will suffer greatly if he doesn’t pay. His solution is to obtain a milliondollar black opal straight from Ethiopia. Of course, selling the stone at auction and solving all of his problems doesn’t prove so easy for Howard, portrayed by Sandler as an out-of-his-mind kook who screws up every chance he gets. With a character whose life is so messed up that it’s sometimes funny, Sandler’s comedic chops come into play for some moments of dark humor as well. But, for the most part, Sandler isn’t in this for laughs. His Howard is a complete character study of a sad, complex man addicted to chaos who doesn’t know when to quit. He completely owns the role. Cinemark 14, Feather River Cinemas, Pageant Theatre. Rated R —B.G.
Still here Black Christmas
Cinemark 14. Rated PG-13.
Bombshell
Cinemark 14. Rated R.
Cats
Cinemark 14, Feather River Cinemas. Rated PG.
Frozen 2
Cinemark 14, Feather River Cinemas. Rated PG.
Knives Out
Cinemark 14. Rated PG-13.
Richard Jewell
Cinemark 14, Feather River Cinemas. Rated R.
Spies in Disguise
Cinemark 14, Feather River Cinemas. Rated PG.
Due to holiday deadlines, film listings might not be current. Please check with theaters for up-to-date information. JANUARY 2, 2020
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23
NIGHTLIFE
THurSDay 01/02—WEDnESDay 01/08
The Viles
aMaHjra
Saturday, Jan. 4 Tackle Box
03FrIDay
SEE SaTurDay
3PINTS DOWN: Good time, sing-along tunes from local three-piece band. Fri, 1/3, 7pm. The Commons Social Empourium, 2412 Park Ave.
DOUBLE TROUBLE: Tom Petty and Bob Seger tribute artists partner up
for a night of classic rock. Fri, 1/3, 9:30pm. $5. Feather Falls Casino & Lodge, 3 Alverda Drive, Oroville. featherfallscasino.com
HILARITY FIRST: Fundraiser comedy show for the Andrew Yang campaign. Fri, 1/3, 9pm. $10. The Maltese, 1600 Park Ave.
THE KOOL SHIFTERS: Vintage, country
and blues you can dance to. Fri, 1/3, 8:30pm. Feather Falls Casino & Lodge, 3 Alverda Drive, Oroville.
OPEN MIC: Open mic hosted by Jeff
Pershing. Fri, 1/3, 7pm. $1-$0. Down Lo, 319 Main St.
THE VILES: Sacramento/Chico duo performs with local lineup featuring LDF and Change It (members of Sunny Acres). Fri, 1/3, 8pm. $3. Naked Lounge, 118 W. Second St.
TGIF
The Naked Lounge has a sweet lineup of catchy and melodic Nor Cal-made rock for you this Friday (Jan. 3). On the bill are The Viles, a White Stripes-esque duo featuring Chico rock star Maddi Gruber; grungy local crew LDF, and fresh out the gates Change It (featuring members of Sunny Acres). Happy weekend!
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
IN THE NEW YEAR CN&R’s annual Health and Wellness Issue will be on stands January 16. For more information about advertising in this issue, call your News & Review advertising representative today at (530) 894-2300.
24
CN&R
january 2, 2020
THIS WEEK: FInD MOrE EnTErTaInMEnT anD SPECIaL EVEnTS On PaGE 20 FunnyBOnE FrIDay
uPTOWn FunK
Saturday, Jan. 4 Feather Falls Casino & Lodge SEE SaTurDay
06MOnDay
WEEKLY COMEDY OPEN MIC: The best of the local comedy scene and surprise guests from out of town, plus the opportunity for new blood to brave the stage. Mon, 1/6, 9pm. Down Lo, 319 Main St.
Local comic/promoter Dillon Collins is a busy little bee, offering up a packed schedule of shows all over Chico (and beyond) each month. He kicks off the new year on Friday (Jan. 3) at The Maltese with Hilarity First—a fundraising event for presidential candidate Andrew Yang. Expect a solid local lineup and likely a few surprises.
07TuESDay
DUELING MAGICIANS: An evening of
magic and mentalism with Dean Waters and Stephen Chollet. Be prepared to laugh and have your mind blown. Tue, 1/7, 6pm. $15. Unwined Kitchen & Bar, 980 Mangrove Ave.
08WEDnESDay
AFTER THIS JAZZ TRIO: Get jazzy for
04SaTurDay
THE KOOL SHIFTERS: Vintage, country and blues you can dance to. Sat, 1/4, 8:30pm. Feather Falls Casino & Lodge, 3 Alverda Drive, Oroville.
AMAHJRA: Psychedelic alternative
blues band plays The Box with 3SD and Sick! Sick! Sick! Sat, 1/4, 9pm. $10. Tackle Box, 379 E. Park Ave.
SCOTT TECCA: Nashville singer/song-
Save up to
writer of the award-winning father/ daughter duo The Teccas stops by on solo tour. Sat, 1/4, 7pm. The
a mid-week pick up. Wed, 1/8, 6pm. The Allies Pub, 426 Broadway,
Commons Social Empourium, 2412 Park Ave.
UPTOWN FUNK: Popular funk and R&B band in the style of Bruno Mars. Sat, 1/4, 9:30pm. $5. Feather Falls Casino & Lodge, 3 Alverda Drive, Oroville.
Suite 130.
DANCE NIGHT: Four lady DJs with large vinyl collections select a fresh slice of wax every Wednesday for your boogie pleasure. Wed, 1/8, 10pm. $1. Duffy’s Tavern, 337 Main St.
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CN&R
25
ARTS DEVO
CHOW
by Jason Cassidy • jasonc@newsreview.com
Baking with Nana
all the best words In case you missed any of arts dEVo’s words last year, below are 523 of them in a string of quotes from this column that together provide one picture of 2019. Welcome to the Whiskeydrome …
Grandma’s classic zucchini bread recipe, plus an elevated update
Iretreat want to go outside, but quickly into the house once their
t’s a cold, rainy morning. The cats
paws feel the temperature. The coffeemaker gurgles as I place two slices of Nana’s zucchini bread into the toaster oven. Ding! chimes the timer as news headlines echo from the television. I open the door to a familiar aroma that creates a sense of nostalgia. Butter by pats melt before I Ken Magri can spread them across each slice of bread. When the coffee is ready, the cats want to cuddle, my favorite program is on and the day is open. That cozy winter scene is what eating Nana’s zucchini bread feels like. Although she called it bread, it more closely resembles the sweetness and texture of unfrosted carrot cake. It’s the kind of comfort food that is gobbled up quickly and then everyone wonders where it all went. Nana is the late grandmother of my wife, Teresa. As a child, Teresa baked cookies and cakes alongside her beloved Nana for the annual Christmas day feast. Because Nana’s bread was most often eaten in the weeks following the holiday, it became the family’s favorite wintertime comfort. When Teresa was an adult, Nana let her write down the original recipe, which was scribbled on two index cards that are now framed and hang on our kitchen wall. Over the years, Teresa has carried on the tradition. In a daylong performance, she hauls the big stand mixer across 26
CN&R
January 2, 2020
the kitchen and begins preparations. My job is to buy groceries, grate zucchinis and wash cookware between batches. On one occasion, Teresa was procrastinating. When I offered to bake a batch, she cautioned that I didn’t know the secret ingredients “that aren’t in Nana’s recipe.” I said that it wouldn’t be Nana’s recipe with secret ingredients. “Mine’s better,” she answered. Recently, Teresa relented and let me bake. “The secret ingredients are an extra teaspoon of vanilla extract and a little maple flavoring,” she told me. Knowing I hate maple flavor, she reassured me that it wouldn’t be noticeable. But when she said to add nutmeg, I protested. For my version, I added a secret ingredient of my own: a little THC. I used 1 gram of live-resin cannabis concentrate from the Monterey Kush Co. Concentrates leave no detectable cannabis smell or taste. To prep my addition, I cooked the live resin in a 200 degree oven for half an hour. This crucial process, called decarboxylation, boils off inert ingredients while activating the THC. Heating also allows the concentrate to blend in evenly with cooking oil. I want to caution readers who try the THC option: Everybody reacts differently to edibles, which can take as long as two hours to kick in. There is absolutely no comfort in overdosing family or friends, so the baker should sample every batch before offering it to others. (Though my infused loaves turned out great,
Real talk: Don’t take a date to this show unless you are cool seeing each other naked …
there was perhaps too much concentrate. It was hella potent.) For those who want to make a straight batch alongside a loaded one, a suggestion for distinguishing them is to add chopped walnuts to one batch. Nana’s zucchini bread 3 eggs 2 cups sugar 1 cup cooking oil 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 2 cups raw zucchini, grated 3 cups flour 1/2 cup walnuts (optional) Teresa’s additions: 1/2 teaspoon more vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon maple extract 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg Ken’s addition: Add 1/2 to 1 gram of cannabis concentrate (depending on desired potency) to the cooking oil Instructions: Preheat oven to 350. Beat eggs in mixing bowl until foamy. Blend in sugar, oil (with cannabis concentrate if desired), vanilla, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, baking powder, zucchini and flour (plus Teresa’s additions if desired). Mix at high speed until well-blended. Pour into two wellgreased 9-by-5-inch loaf pans, and bake for 75-90 minutes (done when butter knife stuck in middle comes out clean). Reduce baking times for smaller loaf pans. Ω
Sexiest food in Chico? It has to be Good night, 2019. Zot’s! ... When it comes to food porn, I prefer mine all flushed, sweaty and kind of messy, and there are few foods in town that match that description as perfectly as one of Zot’s hot steamed dogs. It’s way more of a turn on for me than most of the fancy and expensive plates in town. Everything you need for a good time is right there in your face. We’re all made up of the same stuff, just in different combos. Kind of like the menu at Taco Bell. Music to smoke cloves in a graveyard to ... Of course, within the friendly confines of Chico, the freaks and barflies aren’t relegated to the underground. We live in this naturally beautiful place where creative exploration and having a good time can become a way of life. The Butcher Shop, for me, is the ultimate celebration of that, where Chico’s extended tribe gathers by the thousands in one spot to drink beer and watch a bunch of weird original theater, music and art. ... it’s depressing and infuriating how, in the 50 years I’ve been dragging this meatsack under the sun, many of the ills of society remain unchanged or worse from the days of that crook Nixon to these of that crooked Trump. Oct. 13 is Treat Yo Self Day. That’s this Sunday, and this year I, “in my great and unmatched wisdom,” consider this to be a reasonable thing for Arts DEVO and every person reading this column to celebrate in an effort to improve our mental health during this most stupid period of American history. Let no pleasure or indulgence within your grasp go unfulfilled. Buy those shoes. Get that massage. Tuck into a blanket with other warm bodies and binge watch 12 episodes of anything. Open the good wine. Buy the prime cut. Read on the grass, nap, repeat. Host a potluck, turn up the boom box loud enough for the neighbors to join in, and dance until you pass out. Pleasure yourself. Pleasure others. Finish each meal with ice cream. Dogs. Tacos. Whiskey. Sunset. Stars. For one goddam day let’s let our moans of contentment and howls of abandon drown out the noise of manufactured chaos. Let’s start a Christmas war … All that’s left to do is set out a bottle of schnapps and maybe a hollowedout ram’s horn for Krampus drink it from and then get out of the way. Tonight (Dec. 5) is the eve of the Feast of St. Nicholas—aka Krampusnacht—the night when the real big guy will make his rounds, kick open the doors at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., and with swinging chains, or a bundle of prickly branches, or articles of impeachment in his hands, lay down the proper punishment to the most naughty child of all. Now that would be a Krampusnacht miracle. Be kind, fight the jerks, have fun with people, and create stuff— especially your own reality.
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The following houses were sold in Butte County by real estate agents or private parties during the week of December 16 - December 20, 2019 The housing prices are based on the stated documentary transfer tax of the parcel and may not necessarily reflect the actual sale price of the home. ADDRESS
TOWN
PRICE
BR/BA
3268 Keefer Rd 764 Vallombrosa Ave 4675 Songbird 1962 Preservation Oak Dr 132 Copperfield Dr 1065 Lia Way 1628 Oak Park Ave 413 Newport Dr 1986 Potter Rd 285 Idyllwild Cir 758 La Force Ct 471 Mill Creek Dr 355 Picholine Way 13025 Carmen Ln 8568 Cohasset Rd 2378 Farmington Ave 647 W 8th St 2210 Cherry Glenn Ct 311 Mission Serra Ter 1270 Yosemite Dr 10 Geneva Ln 2890 Carlene Pl
Chico Chico Chico Chico Chico Chico Chico Chico Chico Chico Chico Chico Chico Chico Chico Chico Chico Chico Chico Chico Chico Chico
$750,000 $735,000 $685,000 $667,000 $615,000 $585,500 $535,000 $530,000 $525,000 $510,000 $505,000 $500,000 $480,000 $475,000 $470,000 $460,000 $415,000 $415,000 $387,500 $384,000 $350,000 $348,500
4/3 3/3 3/3 3/3 4/3 3/4 5/3 3/2 4/3 3/2 3/2 3/3 3/3 3/2 3/3 3/2 3/1 3/2 3/2 4/2 3/3 3/1
SQ. FT.
2959 2691 2886 2427 2191 2703 2707 1956 1929 2029 1787 2065 2167 1962 2321 2024 1992 1774 1917 1724 2092 1472
ADDRESS
1121 Greenwich Dr 1059 Viceroy Dr 18 Benton Ave 1089 Windsor Way 10 Niagara Way 2147 Mansfield Ct 1131 Hobart St 2099 Hartford Dr #18 555 Vallombrosa Ave #69 36 Zepher Way 116 Acacia Ave 173 La Mirada Ave 266 Mountain View Ct 107 Morningstar Ave 747 Plumas Ave 1510 Tehama Ave 1957 Arnold Ave 2475 Greenville St 50 Crane Ave 4676 Virginia Ave 220 Redbud Dr 290 Pacific Dr
TOWN
PRICE
BR/BA
Chico Chico Chico Chico Chico Chico Chico Chico Chico Oroville Oroville Oroville Oroville Oroville Oroville Oroville Oroville Oroville Oroville Oroville Paradise Paradise
$335,000 $321,000 $314,000 $314,000 $295,000 $295,000 $275,000 $240,000 $210,000 $449,000 $259,500 $239,000 $225,000 $215,000 $187,000 $150,000 $107,000 $100,000 $92,000 $85,000 $360,000 $275,000
3/2 4/2 3/2 3/2 3/2 3/2 2/1 3/2 2/1 5/2 2/2 2/2 3/2 3/1 2/1 4/2 2/1 1/1 3/2 3/1 2/2 3/2 January 2, 2020
SQ. FT.
1440 1552 1374 1467 1352 1121 1064 1375 902 2495 1630 1542 1378 1116 832 1288 1022 560 1175 1260 1631 1247
CN&R
27
REAL ESTATE E For more information about advertising in our Real estate section, call us at
(530) 894-2300
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FICTITIOUS BUSINESS FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following persons are doing business as PORCH-TO-PORCH REAL ESTATE ASSOCIATES at 2080 E. 20th St. Suite 170 Chico, CA 95928. BCHM CORPORATION 2080 E. 20th St. Suite 170 Chico, CA 95928. This business is conducted by a Corporation. Signed: KAREN MCCOLLUM, ADMINISTRATOR Dated: November 20, 2019 FBN Number: 2019-0001320 Published: December 12,19,26, 2019, January 2, 2020
Community Supported Donate to ’s Independent Journalism Fund www.independentjournalismfund.org
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as WOFCHUCK HONEY CO at 1725 Dayton Road Chico, CA 95928. MICHAEL WOFCHUCK 1725 Dayton Road Chico, CA 95928. This business is conducted by an Individual. Signed: MICHAEL WOFCHUCK Dated: December 2, 2019 FBN Number: 2019-0001347 Published: December 12,19,26, 2019, January 2, 2020
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as FOOTHILL PROPERTIES at 695 E. 4th Street Chico, CA 95928. BLAKE ANDERSON 695 E. 4th Street Chico, CA 95928. This business is conducted by an Individual. Signed: BLAKE ANDERSON this Legal Notice continues
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FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following persons are doing business as PATHOLOGY SCIENCES MEDICAL GROUP at 183 E 8th Avenue Chico, CA 95926. PRISCILLA S CHANG 2962 Chico River Road Chico, CA 95928. HEIDI A JESS 34 Sparrow Hawk Lane Chico, CA 95928. REBECCA L JOHNSON 368 Brookside Drive Chico, CA 95928. NELSON K KANEISHI 979 E 6th Street Chico, CA 95928. ANTHONY NASR 4523 Garden Brook Drive Chico, CA 95973. GEOFFREY T SASAKI 3156 Shallow Springs Terrace Chico, CA 95928. LESTER K WONG 347 Legion Avenue Chico, CA 95926. This business is conducted by a General Partnership. Signed: LESTER K. WONG Dated: October 30, 2019 FBN Number: 2019-0001236 Published: December 12,19,26, 2019, January 2, 2020
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME - STATEMENT OF WITHDRAWAL The following persons have withdrawn as partners from the partnership operating under PATHOLOGY SCIENCES MEDICAL GROUP at 183 E 8th Avenue Chico, CA 95926. MARK R CARTER MD A PROFESSION 621 Breanna Lane Chico, CA 95973. This business is conducted by a General Partnership. Signed: MARK R CARTER MD Dated: October 30, 2019 FBN Number: 2017-0001599 Published: December 12,19,26, 2019, January 2, 2020
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as JEANNIE’S, JEANNIE’S CONSIGNMENT at 491 Pearson Rd Paradise, CA 95969. CAROL STARK 5486 Scottwood Rd Paradise, CA 95969. This business is conducted by an Individual. Signed: CAROL STARK Dated: November 12, 2019 FBN Number: 2019-0001283 this Legal Notice continues
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FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following persons are doing business as PURE HYDRATION at 325 Bridge Street Colusa, CA 95932. THE VIGILANT ONE, INC. 325 Bridge Street Colusa, CA 95932. This business is conducted by a Corporation. Signed: TRACY RIDDLE, CRNA Dated: November 13, 2019 FBN Number: 2019-0001285 Published: December 19,26, 2019, January 2,9, 2020
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following persons are doing business as STEWART PROPERTY MANAGEMENT at 1924 Mangrove Avenue Chico, CA 95928. BREIN L. JONES TRUSTEE OF THE STEWART 2019 FAMILY TRUST 1924 Mangrove Avenue Chico, CA 95928. RICHARD L STEWART TRUSTEE OF THE RICHARD STEWART LIVING TRUST 1924 Mangrove Avenue Chico, CA 95928. This business is conducted by an Unincorporated Association. Signed: BREIN JONES Dated: December 2, 2019 FBN Number: 2019-0001346 Published: December 19,26, 2019, January 2,9, 2020
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as CHICO TATTOO COMPANY at 252 East Ave Suite C Chico, CA 95973. TYSON BODE 2765 Montgomery Street Oroville, CA 95966. This business is conducted by an Individual. Signed: TYSON BODE Dated: December 6, 2019 FBN Number: 2019-0001362 Published: December 19,26, 2019, January 2,9, 2020
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as SHANASHEEL at 1301 Sheridan Ave #109 Chico, CA 95926. JASIM WASI 1301 Sheridan Ave #109 Chico, CA 95926. This business is conducted by an Individual. Signed: JASIM WASI Dated: November 26, 2019 FBN Number: 2019-0001339 Published: December 19,26, 2019, January 2,9, 2020
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as THE ORIGINAL BARBER JOHNS at 532 Nord Ave Chico, CA 95926. RICHARD ROY FUNKHOUSER II 2388 Serviss Street Durham, CA 95938. This business is conducted by an Individual. Signed: RICHARD R FUNKHOUSER II Dated: December 11, 2019 FBN Number: 2019-0001382 Published: December 19,26, 2019, January 2,9, 2020
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as ALEX FIX IT at 280 Camino Norte St Chico, CA 95973. ALEXANDER T ARAUJO 280 Camino Norte St Chico, CA 95973. This business is conducted by an Individual. Signed: ARAUJO, ALEXANDER Dated: December 11, 2019 FBN Number: 2019-0001383 Published: December 19,26, 2019, January 2,9, 2020
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following persons are doing business as CHICO GROCERY OUTLET at 2157 Pillsbury Rd Chico, CA 95926. C AND T’S BARGAIN MARKET, INC 4297 Calernbar Rd Paradise, CA 95969. This business is conducted by a Corporation. Signed: CHRIS HOSTETTLER, OWNER Dated: November 18, 2019 FBN Number: 2019-0001307 Published: December 19,26, 2019, January 2,9, 2020
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following persons are doing business as ALPHA STRONG at 977 East Ave #10 Chico, CA 95926. NEW STRONG INC 977 East Ave #10 Chico, CA 95926. This business is conducted by a Corporation. Signed: KATHY HANKINS, CEO Dated: December 10, 2019 FBN Number: 2019-0001375 Published: December 19,26, 2019, January 2,9, 2020
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as ALPHA STRONG FITNESS 2 at 977 East Ave #10 Chico, CA 95926. KATHY M HANKINS 977 East Ave #10 Chico, CA 95926. This business is conducted by an Individual. Signed: KATHY M HANKINS Dated: December 10, 2019 FBN Number: 2019-0001376 Published: December 19,26, 2019 January 2,9, 2020
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as CHICO BROW at 4070 Nord Hwy 141 Chico, CA 95973. ASHLEY NICOLE ROOT BAZER 4070 Nord Hwy 141 Chico, CA 95973. This business is conducted by an Individual. Signed: ASHLEY ROOT-BAZER Dated: November 18, 2019 FBN Number: 2019-0001310 Published: December 19,26, 2019, January 2,9, 2020
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as PRO WIRELESS at 2554 Olive Highway Oroville, CA 95966. NENG XIONG 2707 Fay Way Oroville, CA 95966. This business is conducted by
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an Individual. Signed: NENG XIONG Dated: December 13, 2019 FBN Number: 2019-0001396 Published: December 19,26, 2019, January 2,9, 2020
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME - STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT The following person has abandoned the use of the fictitious business name REVOLUTION DANCE at 5923 Clark Rd Suite I Paradise, CA 95969. VALERIE LEIDIG 7040 Montna Dr Paradise, CA 95969. This business was conducted by an Individual. Signed: VALERIE LEIDIG Dated: December 10, 2019 FBN Number: 2017-0001568 Published: December 26, 2019, January 2,9,16, 2020
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as REVOLUTION DANCE COMPANY at 830 Broadway Street Chico, CA 95928. KAREN WINCHESTER 3965 Front Street Chico, CA 95928. This business is conducted by an Individual. Signed: KAREN WINCHESTER Dated: December 10, 2019 FBN Number: 2019-0001377 Published: December 26, 2019, January 2,9,16, 2020
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following persons are doing business as CHINA MASSAGE at 236 W East Ave Suite F Chico, CA 95926. XIU LAN LI 400 Mission Ranch Blvd #43 Chico, CA 95928. ROBERT W MAURER 400 Mission Ranch Blvd #43 Chico, CA 95928. This business is conducted by a Married Couple. Signed: ROBERT W. MAURER Dated: December 17, 2019 FBN Number: 2019-0001409 Published: December 26, 2019, January 2,9,16, 2020
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following persons are doing business as TORRES COMMUNITY SHELTER at 101 Silver Dollar Way Chico, CA 95928. TRUE NORTH HOUSING ALLIANCE INC 101 Silver Dollar Way Chico, CA 95928. This business is conducted by a Corporation. Signed: JOY AMARO, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Dated: December 16, 2019 FBN Number: 2019-0001402 Published: December 26, 2019, January 2,9,16, 2020
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following persons are doing business as ACTION REALTY at 1664 Montgomery Street Oroville, CA 95965. TROY DAVIS REAL ESTATE, INC. 1664 Montgomery Street Oroville, CA 95965. This business is conducted by a Corporation. Signed: TROY DAVIS, BOARD CHAIR PERSON, PRESIDENT, this Legal Notice continues
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SECRETARY, TREASURER Dated: December 17, 2019 FBN Number: 2019-0001410 Published: December 26, 2019, January 2,9,16, 2020
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as JM TRANSPORT at 50 Lobelia Ct Chico, CA 95973. JAIVIRPAL S RANDHAWA 50 Lobelia Ct Chico, CA 95973. This business is conducted by an Individual. Signed: JAIVIRPAL S. RANDHAWA Dated: December 16, 2019 FBN Number: 2019-0001400 Published: December 26, 2019, January 2,9,16, 2020
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following persons are doing business as MI JALISCO at 1002 W 5th Street Chico, CA 95928. KARLA CAZARES DELGADO 3156 Esplanade Spc 272 Chico, CA 95973. GILBERTO VALLADORES ORTIZ 3156 Esplanade Spc 272 Chico, CA 95973. This business is conducted by a Married Couple. Signed: GILBERTO VALLADARES ORTIZ Dated: December 19, 2019 FBN Number: 2019-0001419 Published: January 2,19,16,23, 2020
NOTICES ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner ERIC ELISHA KNIGHT filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: ERIC ELISHA KNIGHT Proposed name: DAVID ELISHA STOCKTON THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING Date: January 8, 2020 Time: 9:00 AM Dept: TBA Room: TBA The address of the court is: Butte County Superior Court 1775 Concord Ave Chico, CA 95928 Signed: ROBERT A. GLUSMAN Dated: November 1, 2019 Case Number: 19CV03107 Published: December 12,19,26, 2019, January 2, 2020
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner BRADLEY CHRISTOPHER SCHULTZ this Legal Notice continues
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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: BRADLEY CHRISTOPHER SCHULTZ Proposed name: BRADLEY CHRISTOPHER MORRIS THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING Date: January 29, 2020 Time: 9:00 AM Dept: TBA Room: TBA The address of the court is: Butte County Superior Court 1775 Concord Ave Chico, CA 95928 Signed: MICHAEL P. CANDELA Dated: December 12, 2019 Case Number: 19CV03653 Published: December 19,26, 2019, January 2,9, 2020
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner LA NETTE CAROL THOMPSON filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: LA NETTE CAROL THOMPSON Proposed name: LANETTE CAROL SIX THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING Date: February 5, 2020 Time: 9:00 AM Dept: TBA Room: TBA The address of the court is: Butte County Superior Court 1775 Concord Ave Chico, CA 95928 Signed: BARBARA L. ROBERTS Dated: December 19, 2019 Case Number: 19CV03765 Published: January 2,9,16,23, 2020
SUMMONS SUMMONS NOTICE TO DEFENDANT: CHARISH L BLEVINS YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PLAINTIFF: BUTTE COUNTY CREDIT BUREAU A CORP NOTICE! You have been sued. The court may decide against you without your being heard this Legal Notice continues
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unless you respond within 30 days. Read the information below. You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this summons and legal papers are served on you to file a written response at this court and have a copy served on the plaintiff. A letter or phone call will not protect you. Your written response must be in proper legal form if you want the court to hear your case. There may be a court form that you can use for your response. You can find these court forms and more information at the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), your county library, or the courthouse nearest you. If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the court clerk for a fee waiver form. If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case by default, and your wages, money and property may be taken without further warning from the court. There are other legal requirements. You may want to call an attorney right away. If you do not know an attorney, you may want to call an attorney referral service. If you cannot afford an attorney, you may be eligible for free legal services from a nonprofit legal services program. You can locate these nonprofit groups at the California Legal Services Web site (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), or by contacting your local court or county bar association. NOTE: The court has a statutory lien for waived fees and costs on any settlement or arbitration award of $10,000 or more in a civil case. The Court’s lien must be paid before the court will dismiss the case. The name and address of the court is: Superior Court of California County of Butte 1775 Concord Avenue Chico, CA 95928 LIMITED CIVIL CASE The name, address and telephone number of plaintiff’s attorney is: JOSEPH L SELBY (#249546) Law Office of Ferris & Selby 2607 Forest Avenue Ste 130 Chico, CA 95928. (530) 366-4290 Dated: November 13, 2018 Signed: KIMBERLY FLENER Case Number: 18CV03741 Published: December 12,19,26, 2019, Janurary 2, 2020
SUMMONS NOTICE TO RESPONDENT KEVIN K. WISE You have been sued by petitioner: STACY R. KNAUSS You have 30 calendar days after this Summons and Petition are served on you to file a Response (form FL-120) at the court and have a copy served on the petitioner. A letter, phone call, or court appearance will not protect you. If you do not file your Response on time, the court may make orders affecting your marriage or domestic partnership, your property, and custody of your children. You may be ordered to pay support and attorney fees and costs. For legal advice, contact a lawyer immediately. Get help finding a lawyer at the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courts.ca.gov/selfhelp) at the California Legal Services website (www.lawhelpca.org), or by contacting your local county bar association. FEE WAIVER: If you cannot pay this Legal Notice continues
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the filing fee, ask the clerk for a fee waiver form. The court may order you to pay back all or part of the fees and costs that the court waived for you or the other party. The name and address of the court are: Superior Court Of California County of Butte Chico - North Butte County Courthouse 1775 Concord Avenue Chico, CA 95928 The name, address, and telephone number of the petitioner’s attorney, or the petitioner without an attorney, are: STACY R. KNAUSS 7986 Railroad Ave. Oroville, CA 95966 Signed: KIMBERLY FLENER Dated: October 30, 2019 Case Number: 19PA01874 Published: December 19,26, 2019, January 2,9, 2020
PETITION NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE DANNY W. JARRETT, also known as DANNY WAYNE JARRETT To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: DANNY W. JARRETT, DANNY WANYE JARRETT, DANNY JARRETT A Petition for Probate has been filed by: DEBRA CUNNINGHAM in the Superior Court of California, County of Butte. The Petition for Probate requests that: DEBRA CUNNINGHAM be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: Date: January 7, 2020 Time: 9:00 a.m. Dept: Probate Room: Address of the court: Superior Court of California County of Butte 1775 Concord Ave. Chico, CA 95926. IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of this Legal Notice continues
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letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult an attorney knowledgeable in California law. YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for petitioner: NICOLE R. PLOTTEL 466 Vallombrosa Ave. Chico, CA 95926 (530) 893-2882 Dated: December 10, 2019 Case Number: 19PR00549 Published: December 19,26, 2019, January 2, 2020
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE LAWRENCE E. HESCOCK, aka LAWRENCE EUGENE HESCOCK, aka LARRY HESCOCK To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: LAWRENCE E. HESCOCK, aka LAWRENCE EUGENE HESCOCK, aka LARRY HESCOCK A Petition for Probate has been filed by: ROBERT HOLUB in the Superior Court of California, County of Butte. The Petition for Probate requests that: ROBERT HOLUB be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: Date: January 7, 2020 Time: 9:00 a.m. Dept: C-10 Room: Address of the court: Superior Court of California County of Butte 1775 Concord Ave. Chico, CA 95926. IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your this Legal Notice continues
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attorney. IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult an attorney knowledgeable in California law. YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for petitioner: RAOUL J. LECLERC P.O. Drawer 111 Oroville, CA 95965 (530) 533-5661 Dated: December 10, 2019 Case Number: 19PR00550 Published: December 19,26, 2019, January 2, 2020
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE MICHAEL JOHN WEINREICH To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: MICHAEL JOHN WEINREICH A Petition for Probate has been filed by: SUSAN F. WEINREICH BEST in the Superior Court of California, County of Butte. The Petition for Probate requests that: SUSAN F. WEINREICH BEST be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: Date: January 14, 2020 Time: 9:00 a.m. Dept: TBA Room: TBA Address of the court: Superior Court of California County of Butte 1775 Concord Ave. Chico, CA 95926. IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should this Legal Notice continues
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For the week oF January 2, 2020 ARIES (March 21-April 19): “We are all
hostages of the joy of which we deprive ourselves,” wrote poet Odysseus Elytis. Isn’t that an astounding idea? That we refuse to allow ourselves to experience some of the bliss and pleasure we could easily have, and that we are immured inside that suppressed bliss and pleasure? I call on you to rebel against this human tendency. As I see it, one of your main tasks in 2020 is to permit yourself to welcome more bliss, to aggressively seize more pleasure and thereby free yourself from the rot of its nullification.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): At age
22, Taurus-born Dutch citizen Willem de Kooning sneaked into the United States. He was a stowaway on an Argentina-bound freighter, and stealthily disembarked when the ship made a stop in Virginia. As he lived in America during subsequent decades, he became a renowned painter who helped pioneer the movement known as abstract expressionism. His status as an illegal immigrant rarely presented any obstacles to his growing success and stature. Not until age 57 did he finally become an American citizen. I propose we make him one of your role models in 2020. May he inspire you to capitalize on being a maverick, outsider or stranger. May he encourage you to find opportunities beyond your safety zone.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): When
British novelist E.M. Forster was in his late 30s, he had sex with another person for the first time. Before that he had published five novels. After that, he produced just one more novel, though he lived till age 91. Why? Was he having too much fun? Looking back from his old age, he remarked that he would “have been a more famous writer if I had published more, but sex prevented the latter.” I suspect that sensual pleasure and intimacy will have the exact opposite effect on you in 2020. In sometimes mysterious ways, they will make you more productive in your chosen sphere.
by rob brezsny reason why he took so long to finish. But there was another explanation, too. He told his patron, the Duke of Milan, that he sometimes positioned himself in front of his painting-in-progress and simply gazed at and thought about it, not lifting a brush. Those were times he did some of his hardest work, he said. I trust you will have regular experiences like that in 2020. Some of your best efforts will arise out of your willingness and ability to incubate your good ideas with concentrated silence and patience.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): By 1895,
Henry James had already published 94 books. He was renowned in the U.S. and England, and had written the works that would later lead to him being considered for a Nobel Prize. Then, at age 52, although he was not physically fit, he decided to learn how to ride a bicycle. He paid for lessons at a bicycle academy, and cheerfully tolerated bruises and cuts from his frequent falls as an acceptable price to pay for his new ability. I admire James’ determination to keep transforming. Let’s make him a role model for you in 2020. May he inspire you to keep adding new aptitudes as you outgrow your previous successes.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
When Sagittarian composer Ludwig van Beethoven created the Eroica symphony in the early 1800s, many observers panned it. They said its rhythms were eccentric, that it was too long. One critic said it was “glaring and bizarre,” while another condemned its “undesirable originality.” This same critic concluded, “Genius proclaims itself not in the unusual and fantastic but in the beautiful and sublime.” Today, of course, Eroica has a different reputation. It’s regarded as a breakthrough event in musical history. I’ll go on record here to say that I suspect you created your own personal version of Eroica in 2019. 2020 is the year it will get the full appreciation it deserves, although it may take a while. Be patient.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): “Every part CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): I’m of our personality that we do not love will regress and become hostile to us,” wrote poet Robert Bly. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t suffer from this problem at least a little. That’s the bad news. The good news for us Cancerians (yes, I’m a Crab!) is that 2020 will be a favorable time to engage in a holy crusade to fix this glitch: to feel and express more love for parts of our personality that we have dismissed or marginalized. The result? Any self-sabotage we have suffered from in the past could dramatically diminish.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): As a young adult,
Leo-born Raymond Chandler worked as a fruit-picker, tennis racquet-stringer and bookkeeper. At age 34, he began a clerical job at the Dabney Oil Syndicate, and eventually rose in the ranks to become a well-paid executive. The cushy role lasted until he was 44, when he was fired. He mourned for a while, then decided to become an author of detective fiction. It took a while, but at age 50, he published his first novel. During the next 20 years, he wrote six additional novels as well as numerous short stories and screenplays—and in the process became popular and influential. I present this synopsis as an inspirational story to fuel your destiny in 2020.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The fame of
Virgo-born Italian poet Ludovico Ariosto (1474-1533) has persisted through the ages because of Orlando Furioso, an epic poem he authored. It tells the story of the Christian knight Orlando and his adoration for a pagan princess. This great work did not come easily to Ariosto. It wasn’t until he had written 56 versions of it that he was finally satisfied. I suspect you may harbor an equally perfectionist streak about the good works and labors of love you’ll craft in 2020. May I suggest you confine your experiments to no more than 10 versions?
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Leonardo
da Vinci worked on his painting The Last Supper from 1495 to 1498. It’s a big piece—about 15 by 29 feet. That’s one
going to speculate that sometime in the next six months, you will experience events that years from now you’ll look back on as having been the beginning of a fresh universe for you. What should you call this launch? I suggest you consider elegant terms like “Destiny Rebirth” or “Fate Renewal” rather than a cliché like the “Big Bang.” And how should you celebrate it? As if it were the Grand Opening of the rest of your long life.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In 2020,
I believe you will be able to summon the insight and kismet necessary to resolve at least one long-running problem, and probably more. You’ll have an enhanced ability to kick bad habits and escape deadends and uncover liberating truths about mysteries that have flustered you. Frustrations and irritations you’ve grudgingly tolerated for far too much time will finally begin to wane. Congratulations in advance, Aquarius! The hard work you do to score these triumphs won’t always be delightful, but it could provide you with a curiously robust and muscular kind of fun.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Let’s say
you wanted to dress completely in silk: shirt, pants, vest, scarf, socks, shoes, hat, underwear all made of silk. And let’s say your dream was to grow and process and weave the silk from scratch. You’d start with half an ounce of silkworm eggs. They’d hatch into 10,000 silkworms. Eventually those hard-working insects would generate 5 pounds of silk—enough to create your entire outfit. So in other words, you’d be able to generate an array of functional beauty from a small but concentrated amount of raw material. By the way, that last sentence is a good description of what I think your general approach should be in 2020. And also by the way, dressing in silk wouldn’t be too crazy an idea in the coming months. I hope you’ll have fun cultivating your allure, style and flair.
www.RealAstrology.com for Rob Brezsny’s EXPANDED WEEKLY AUDIO HOROSCOPES and DAILY TEXT MESSAGE HOROSCOPES. The audio horoscopes are also available by phone at 1-877-873-4888. January 2, 2020
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appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult an attorney knowledgeable in California law. YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Petitioner: 1585 Hooker Oak Ave Chico, CA 95926 Dated: December 11, 2019 Case Number: 19PR00520 Published: December 19,26, 2019, January 2, 2020
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE MICHAEL LA VERNE PARKINSON To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: MICHAEL LA VERNE PARKINSON A Petition for Probate has been filed by: DOUGLAS B. PARKINSON in the Superior Court of California, County of Butte. The Petition for Probate requests that: be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: Date: January 14, 2020 Time: 9:00 a.m. Dept: Room: Address of the court: Superior Court of California County of Butte 1775 Concord Ave. Chico, CA 95926.
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IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult an attorney knowledgeable in California law. YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for petitioner: SONYA K. FINN, LAW OFFICES OF LEVERENZ & FINN 515 Wall Street Chico, CA 95928 (530) 895-1621 Dated: December 19, 2019 Case Number: 19PR00563 Published: December 26, 2019, January 2,9, 2020
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