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Chico State’s Independent Student News Source since 1975 FEATURES:

NEWS: »Construction: Students work to take the top places in competition. A3 OPINION: »Technology: Columnist wants us to put down our phones and listen. A6

»Bodybuilding: A Chico State student discusses his life as a bodybuilder and his philosophy on nutrition. B5

SPORTS: »Rail Jam: Coverage of the first Chico snowboarding and skiing competition. B3 Photo courtesy Zach Batchelder

ARTS: »Music: Zap Mama and Antibalas bring eclectic show to Laxson Auditorium. B7

Theorion.com | Wednesday, February 25, 2015 | Vol. 74, Issue 6 | First copy free, additional copies 50¢

Council agrees to annex ‘islands’

INVESTIGATION

Unincorporated areas Chapmantown, Mulberry to join Chico William Rein

Staff Writer

To the distress of some residents, the unincorporated neighborhoods of Chapmantown and Mulberry will become part of Chico within five years. The City Council voted in favor of an annexation agreement with the Local Agency Formation Commission on Feb. 17. In a 5-2 vote, it was determined that It’s unfair that the communities of we have no one Chapmantown and to fight for us. Mulberry would be annexed into Chico Wanda Story, over the course of five Chapmantown years. The decision had previously been resident delayed, finally coming to a vote since becoming a topic of concern in the 1990s. Previously, the two pocket neighborhoods were under Butte County supervision with no representation in Chico and no ability to vote in council elections. The decision to annex will lead to increased taxes, Chico police and fire jurisdiction and sewer connections within the neighborhoods, as well as probable sidewalk installation. The changes that will come about as a result of joining the city have been the subject of debate and caused controversy in the past, particularly about unauthorized sewer connections. Many Chapmantown residents attended the council meeting to voice their opinions before the decision. A back-and-forth exists between the city and the Local Agency Formation Commission concerning who is to blame for unauthorized sewer connections, said Ron Angle, a longtime Chapmantown resident. He advocates moving past assigning blame and focusing on what the real impact on the neighborhoods would be. Though most unincorporated community inhabitants in attendance argued against the combining of Chico and their neighborhoods, Larry Wahl, member of the Butte County Board of Supervisors representing District 2, supported the agreement. “It is the logical thing, the common sense thing and the right thing to do,” Wahl said. The sewer system in the neighborhoods is a controversial point of discussion. There is a concern that nitrate secretion is contaminating the groundwater in the communities, and 62 unauthorized connections have been established, primarily in the county islands. Ten of these are contiguous to the city limits, increasing the incentive for annexation. Some of the connections took place because the city didn’t follow the procedures it should have, said Mark Wolfe, director of Community Development. Mayor Mark Sorensen speculated that the cost of the sewer connections through the commission would’ve been roughly $58,000 in 2013, with Wolfe adding the price might be “$150,000 before it’s all said and done.” Chapmantown resident Wanda Story believes that money through taxes is the reason for the annexation and that individual voices are not being heard, she said. “LAFCO and the city lied to us by saying we didn’t have to annex to use the sewers,” Story said. “It’s unfair that we have no one to fight for us.” Tami Ritter, city councilwoman, said she empathizes with the neighborhood inhabitants, noting that they have no one to speak for or represent them. “But you do have a supervisor and a mayor,” Ritter said. “And with this inevitable annexation, you will have seven more people that can represent your interests.” William Rein can be reached at newseditor@theorion.com or

Club fuming after alleged $10,000 theft Student president of finance group under investigation for stealing from account mer vice president of the club. “But we were under the impression that Neal told him to — Neal didn’t. He (Saunders) was misinforming us.” Saunders closed the club’s investment account, valued at $9882.64, and opened a new account with Bank of America to deposit the money. In a statement to University Police, Bordenave reports: “At no time did I have any knowledge that Saunders had opened a Bank of America account and was stealing club funds.” The Finance Club typically operates on a budget ranging from $750 to $1200 per semester, Bordenave said. After collecting the investment account, club expenditures increased to almost $9000, which resulted in spending the entirety of the money, Saunders said. The club meeting’s weekly food

Jenice Tupolo

Staff Writer

The Finance Club experienced a massive financial loss when its Stifel Nicolaus investment account of almost $10,000 was closed by its president, John Saunders. Originally established by a Chico State faculty member in the 1990s, the investment account was meant to give students real-life experience in making stock transactions and analyzing them. But financial discrepancies hadn’t occurred until the election of a new club president last year. Saunders, a 44-year-old business administration major, won the presidency in the spring of 2014. During the elections, he provided cake for attendees and ran on a platform of “More food, more fun and more party-like type stuff,” Saunders said. The Finance Club elections also served as an extra credit opportunity for students, resulting in a much larger turnout than usual. Saunders served as a messenger for information between the adviser, Chico State faculty member Neal Bordenave, and the club. “We knew he had closed the account,” said Matt Morgan, for-

menu escalated from $5 Little Caesar’s pizzas to Round Table and a la carte lasagnas from Italian Cottage. “It was really bad when he started,” Morgan said. “He’d say he wanted to do something, spend money on it and then not follow up to it. Him having access to the account — he had no self-control over spending it.” In the fall 2014 presidency transition meeting, Saunders was approached by club officials and when questioned about club funds and financial accounts, he ran out of the room, Morgan said. The case is currently an open investigation with the University Police and is pending for review from the Butte County District Attorney’s office. “The (former) club president should be criminally prosecuted,” Bordenave said. “It would be a travesty to see Saunders shake Dr. Zingg’s hand on graduation day.” Jenice Tupolo can be reached at

newseditor@theorion.com or @JayTupolo on Twitter.

Drought spurs rigorous conservation efforts Chico State revamps practices, equipment to minimize water use Kristina Martinez

Staff Writer

Chico State has responded to California’s ever-worsening drought by finding innovative ways to cut back on water consumption on campus and at the University Farm. Plumbing is one of the areas where water can be conserved, such as by replacing earlier faucet aerators with new ones that use only half the amount of water as before, said Bob Francis, lead plumber for Facilities Management and Services. New toilets use 1.6 gallons per flush compared to older ones, which used 4.5

Catalina Friz/The Orion

Chico State’s University Farm dries up during worsening drought conditions. gallons per flush. Newer urinals being installed are either waterless or only use one pint of water, whereas previously they used a gallon of water or more. Urinals in the Aymer J. Hamilton Building and Laxson Auditorium that flushed

@toeshd on Twitter.

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