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Theorion.com | Wednesday, January 21, 2015 | Vol. 74, Issue 1 | First copy free, additional copies 50¢

Gas prices continue to decline in Chico

NEW LAW

Michael Arias

Staff Writer

Miles Huffman/The Orion

BAG BAN DRAWS MIXED REACTIONS Michael Mcclurg

Staff Writer

he sale of single-use plastic bags has been banned in major stores around Chico since Jan. 1 and the effects are coming to light. Though many people have accepted the ban, there remain a few who hold out against buying bags — paper and reusable ones alike. “Instead of paying 10 cents, a lot of people try to carry everything,” said Kelsey Cast, a 21-year-old communications major who works at the Chico State Wildcat Store as a sales associate and cashier. As of Jan. 1, businesses in Chico that have total sales of at least $2 million or that have more than 10,000 square feet of retail space will no longer provide plastic bags to customers at the checkout counter. This includes about 37 stores in Chico such as Safeway, Wal-Mart and the Wildcat Store. Customers are able to purchase a paper bag for 10 cents or a 25-cent reusable bag offered at some locations if they want something to carry their goods out easily. However, customers who are a part of CalFresh or other low-income, government- subsidized programs will not be charged for bags. Plastic bags without handles that are used for produce and bulk items are excluded from the law. This ban will affect convenience stores and other smaller businesses starting Jan. 1, 2016, which means that starting next year, every store from Target to 7-Eleven will no longer offer plastic bags for their patrons.

Despite the few people holding out against the ban, students are generally accepting of the law. “I don’t really care one way or the other,” said 22-year-old senior Matt Holzschuh. “I think it has its benefits. It’s annoying to pay the price, but it’s not hard to just save bags and it’s not a huge price. I’m for taking measures to help the environment, but I feel like plastic bags from grocery stores are only a fraction of the problem so you aren’t going to see much of a change.” Stefanie Kral, a 22-year-old psychology major, also commented on the new law. “I just think that there is so much plastic in this world and slowly but surely we should try to reduce it,” she said. The low cost of purchasing paper bags should not affect student’s budgets, Kral said. “What is 10 cents going to do to you? Are you going to go bankrupt? I think that’s stupid when people make that comment,” she said. Feedback about the new law has reached the ears of administrators and staff members alike. Store manager Emily Dehnke at S&S Organic Produce and Natural Foods noted that they’ve “had more praise than complaints” from customers in regard to the ban. This policy is ahead of Senate Bill 270, the statewide plastic bag ban that will take effect in July. Michael Mcclurg can be reached at

newseditor@theorion.com or @michaelmcclurg on Twitter.

Student struck, killed in crosswalk David McVicker

Staff Writer

The pedestrian killed when he was struck by a vehicle Friday night has been identified as 18-year-old Chico State student Nicholas Castellanos, according to the Butte County Coroners office and a campus wide announcement. Chico police officers responded to a call approximately 9:40 p.m. at the intersection of West Fifth and Walnut streets, according to a Chico Police De-

partment news release. Castellanos was found lying in the intersection unresponsive. First responders transported him to Enloe Medical Center where he later died. Investigators with Chico Police Major Accident Investigation Team found that the driver of the vehicle, a Honda Pilot SUV, was traveling at the speed limit and had a green light, the release read. The driver did not see the pedestrian crossing. NICHOLAS According to the officer, the CASTELLANOS driver’s information is being Freshman withheld because the driver is

a minor. A memorial service for Nick will be held at Coronado High School Stadium on Neidermeyer Field, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2015, at 11 a.m., with a reception immediately following at Loew’s Coronado Bay Resort. The University flag will be lowered Wednesday in his honor. David McVicker can be reached at

newseditor@theorion.com or @DavidPMcVicker on Twitter.

Surprisingly, not much has changed this year when it comes to gas prices. Californians still have the luxury of paying between $40 and $60 to fill up their tanks. Although prices were expected to increase in January, the AAA Fuel Gauge Report says that Chico area gas prices are still on the decline, except for a daily spike of 3 cents on Jan. 6 to $2.65 for a gallon of regular gas. The current average price for California’s regular gas is $2.57 while the Chico and Paradise region’s average price sits at $2.41 a gallon as of Jan. 15. Paying lower prices at the gas pump is delivering significant savings to consumers. It’s awesome. Chico resident Steve Before the gas Jungen, 51, saw his cost for a tank of gas prices started cut nearly in half, he to dive, it took said. me around “It’s awesome,” $80 to fill up. Jungen said. “Before the gas prices started Steve Jungen, to dive, it took me Chico resident around $80 to fill up.” Jungen spent $45 for a full tank of gas that day. Before the New Year, many were worried about gas prices rocketing after the announcement of the California cap-andtrade Program. On Jan. 1, the California Air Resources Board extended the regulations from industrial and electric power plants to include fuel and gasoline distributors, causing them to be held responsible for their carbon emissions. Regulated companies now have to purchase allowances that account for one metric ton of carbon emissions and greenhouse gases. California’s goal is to cut back on these emissions and gases, said David Clegern, a California Air Resources board representative. “The California cap-and-trade is basically going as planned with the price of compliance being low,” Clegern said. The effect of cap-and-trade on California gas prices should be minimal, Clegern said. “We didn’t expect it to have much of an impact on prices. If anything it would be something under 10 cents,” he said. In effect since 2013, the California capand-trade program is expected to reduce the amount of greenhouse pollutants by more than 16 percent between the years 2013 and 2020, according to the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. But some oil and fuel distributors are not as pleased with the regulations. The cap-and-trade program is a burden to California taxpayers and is poorly instituted, said Jack Reiser, president of Redding Oil Co.

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