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Freak Show The Keep Chico Weird talent show featured freak-folk artists, female illusionist and much more. theorion.com/arts

SETTING THE BAR

Local track star vaults over the competition to become a conference champion. see page B1

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Future of

FRACKING

Local organizations seek to plug up any plans for hydraulic fracturing Yessenia Funes

SAND

WATER

Staff Writer

Community-led organizations throughout Butte County are building an alliance to protect groundwater from hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking. The Butte Environmental Council, a nonprofit that focuses on education and advocacy, will meet with the Butte County Water Commission Wednesday to discuss a resolution that would protect Butte County from hydraulic fracturing. The policy changes would require corporations to apply for permits calling for environmental review and a public hearing to obtain community feedback, said Robyn DiFalco, executive director of the Butte Environmental Council. The county would not approve any future fracking proposals if the resolution passes. A moratorium would follow the resolution until the final vote in August, DiFalco said. Joni Stellar, treasurer of the Butte Citizen Action Net-

work’s “Frack-Free Butte County” campaign, said she plans to attend the meeting. “It’s taking something that’s not being offered, and doing it in a violent fashion that’s leaving the area ruined,” Stellar said. “That’s earth rape to me.” There are about 260 oil wells in Butte County, said Dave Garcia, a member of the council’s advocacy board. Currently, there are 26 active natural gas wells that produce gas in Butte County, DiFalco said. These wells are conventional, so they don’t require fracking. Oil and gas companies can, however, stimulate the rest of the approximately 234 idle wells by injecting them with water and chemicals, or fracking, according to a document from the Environmental Protection Agency. The Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources supervises the drilling, maintenance, plugging and abandonment of onshore and offshore oil and gas wells in California, according to its website. California holds about 210,000 oil, gas and geothermal

» please see FRACKING | A4

35,000 wells fracked in the United States.

Butte County has about 260 wells; 26 are active but not fracked. People drink the used water, and farmers use it for their crops. Nine out of 10 natural gas wells in the United States use fracking.

Services held for deceased students Mozes Zarate

News Editor

Memorial and support services are being held for the students involved in a fatal car crash that occurred on Jan. 26. Services for Bryant Mata-Adams will be held Saturday at 4190 Front St. in San Diego, according to a campus-wide email. The family said it welcomes all visitors to attend, according to the email. Mata-Adams, 19, a passenger in the car, died Jan. 27 at Enloe Medical Center after being in critical condition for about one day. An online fundraiser is being held for Lisa Mata, Mata-Adams’ mother, to help pay for funeral and medical expenses. The fundraiser, entitled “A Grieving Mother,” can be found on YouCaring. Bryant As of Monday, Mata-Adams the fundraiser has 1994 - 2014 raised $13,573, according to the website. Services for Austin Silver, 20, were held on Sunday in Simi Valley, wrote Joe Wills, a Chico State spokesman, in an email to The Orion. Silver, another passenger, died at the scene of the crash, according to the California Highway Patrol. The family of Diego Arriaga-Rodriguez, 18, the driver, created a Facebook support page called “Prayer Chain for Diego.” Arriaga-Rodriguez, who has been in serious condition at Enloe Medical Center since Jan. 30, was set to be transported to a hospital in San Jose, closer to his family’s home, according to a message posted on the page Monday night. Mozes Zarate can be reached at

NATURAL GAS

The Orion ∤ Infographic by ASHLEY O’LOONEY

newseditor@theorion.com or @mzarate139 on Twitter.

obituary

Student remembered as upbeat, caring planned to change his major to accounting. He last spoke to his father on Jan. 23 — three days before the News Editor crash. He was excited about getting books for all his classes, Austin Silver, 20, a Chico State student who died in a car his father said. “He was probably going to take one of his heaviest loads crash on Jan. 26, is remembered as a curious, upbeat and musince he started at Chico,” Steven Silver said. “He was pumped sical individual by his friends and family. Silver, a music industry major, died from severe head trauma up and excited for the semester. He was very optimistic.” Silver said he came up to visit his son on Jan. 12. He helped after the crash, according to California Highway Patrol. his son fix up his house and they had dinner in town after. “He had this ability to light up the room with laughter,” said “I had a great weekend up there with him,” Steven Silver Jake Ball, who was a close friend of Silver’s since they were said. “Just father and son.” both 3 years old. “ He always put a A vigil was held in Chico on Jan. smile on everyone’s face.” 28 outside of Silver’s home. A second He loved to sing, play piano vigil was held Saturday at Royal High and guitar and was an avid fan of School, put together by Ball, where winter sports, said Austin Silver’s around 200 attendees gathered, his friends. father said. Kindness was also a strong suit “He apparently touched a lot of peoof his, said Steven Silver, his father. ple,” the father said. “He was a very outgoing and soChris Silver, his mother, said she ciable person,” Steven Silver said. was clearing out his room when she “He pretty much accepted anybody Steven Silver found a sealed letter in his desk. It was as a friend. He was a kind-hearted Austin Silver’s father written in the spring of 2013 and it guy who seemed to like almost evwas addressed to his parents but was erybody.” never mailed. Austin Silver was born Dec. 7, In the letter, Silver expressed love 1993 in Simi Valley, according to a and gratitude toward his parents, thanking them for everycampus-wide email. He attended Royal High School, where he swam for three thing they provided him, including an education, she said. “It was everything a parent would want to hear,” his mother years and played water polo for four, his father said. “He was always the kind of individual who would strive for said. “It was a total miracle.” Silver is survived by his younger brother Dylan, his father success and always sought out what was the right thing to do,” said Robert Lubell, a high school classmate. “He and his family and mother. “He was a great kid,” his father said. “I miss him sorely. I were a big part of the aquatics community at Royal.” wouldn’t trade him for the world. I wouldn’t trade him for anyHe graduated from Royal High School in 2012 and began thing.” studying at Chico State that fall. “He liked the size of the town,” Steven Silver said. “He liked the layout of the college and the way it felt. It seemed to fit.” Mozes Zarate can be reached at newseditor@theorion.com or Austin Silver dreamed of opening an accounting firm that dealt with clients in the music business, his father said. He @mzarate139 on Twitter. Mozes Zarate

I miss him sorely. I wouldn’t trade him for the world. I wouldn’t trade him for anything.

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