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CHICO’S NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT SOURCE VOLUME 44, ISSUE 1 WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2020 CHICO.NEWSREVIEW.COM
PANDEMIC UPDATES: • Mental health access • Election questions • Reopening schools • When will the shows go on? POLICING AND PROTESTS BUTTE COUNTY V. PG&E PLUS: What’s up with the CN&R?
SPECIAL ISSUE
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july 1, 2020
INSIDE
CN&R
Homes are still selling
Vol. 44, Issue 1 • July 1, 2020
OPINION
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Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Second & Flume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Guest Comment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 This Modern World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Note from the Publisher . . . . . . . . 6 Streetalk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
HEALTHLINES
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Teresa Larson is available to assist you with buying or selling
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COVID’s mental health toll . . . . . . . 8
NEWSLINES
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A closer look at policing . . . . . . . . 10 Voting amid the pandemic . . . . . 12 Crisis schooling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
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FEATURE STORY
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Butte County v. PG&E . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
ARTS & CULTURE
Teresa Larson
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Music feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 July calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Chow. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Arts DEVO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Brezsny’s Astrology . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
REAL ESTATE
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www.ChicoListings.com chiconativ@aol.com 1101 el monte ave
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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 at large Melissa Daugherty Interim Editor Jason Cassidy Contributing Editor Evan Tuchinsky, Staff Writers Ashiah Scharaga, Ken Smith Calendar Editor Trevor Whitney
Managing Art Director Tina Flynn Creative Services Manager Elisabeth Bayard-Arthur Art of Information Editor Serene Lusano Publications Designer Katelynn Mitrano Senior Advertising Consultant Rosemarie Messina
353 E. Second St., Chico, CA 95928 Phone (530) 894-2300 Website chico.newsreview.com
President/CEO Jeff vonKaenel Director of Nuts & Bolts Deborah Redmond Director of Dollars & Sense Debbie Mantoan Payroll/AP Wizard Miranda Hansen Developer John Bisignano System Support Specialist Kalin Jenkins Got a News Tip? chiconewstips@newsreview.com Calendar Events cnrcalendar@newsreview.com Want to Advertise? cnradinfo@newsreview.com Job Opportunities jobs@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 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.
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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
Stopping the surge together Bit, Chico halted life as Californians had known turned eerily quiet. Streets and ack in March, when the coronavirus
and celebrations with friends and family.” It’s a reminder that we have a long way to go to get through the pandemic and that sidewalks were noticeably empty as resieveryone has a role to play to help stop it. dents largely stayed home, leaving only The best way to safeguard our loved for essential jobs or to shop for groceries ones, friends and neighbors—and to ultiand other necessities. mately help our economy bounce back—is On March 21, two days after Gov. through continued social-distancing Gavin Newsom announced the shelter-inmeasures and compliance with public place order, the first statewide shutdown health guidelines, including the state’s in the nation, Butte County Public Health recent mask mandate. We urge readers reported the first local case of COVID-19. to look to the medical experts on this As the weeks rolled on and the number of issue and to ignore the rhetoric labeling new cases remained low—typically one masks and other precautions as political or two every three or so days—quarantine statements. fatigue began setting in. Tired of being Butte County is not an outlier in cooped up, and stoked by talk of the lockterms of a recent increase. Statewide, down being government tyranny, people as the economy reopens, the number began began unraveling. of new cases is surging. While it’s true “Nobody has even that testing capacity died here,” some said. has increased, it’s Butte County had important to note that The seemingly done such hospitalizations have “significant a good job that it was reached their highest increase” in cases point since the start of among the first counties appeared to be cleared for phased-in the pandemic. reopening beginning in Worse scenarios linked to “close early May. Unfortunately, are playing out in contact with a many residents by then other states that were previously conwere already going about also in the process of their lives with a false getting back to busifirmed case and sense of security. This ness. Among the more from small includes the Palermo than a dozen others gatherings such church that gathered reporting record-high as celebrations its flock in violation of hospitalizations are public gathering restricArizona and Texas, with friends tions, only to learn that where government and family.” at least one parishioner officials have halted –Butte County Public Health who attended that day reopening plans as had tested positive for the medical personnel virus. scramble to keep up In early June, Butte County recorded with the influx. the first local death. That person was The surge brings up the specter of what over 65 years old, had pre-existing health happened on the East Coast early in the conditions and had contracted the disease pandemic. In March, New York City was through community spread. By last week, in the throes of crisis—so overwhelmed, less than a month later, the number of in fact, that hospitals ran out of space in new cases had nearly tripled and another their morgues and had to bring in refrigerelderly person was dead. Public Health ated trucks to hold bodies. reported that the “significant increase” Butte County isn’t anything like the in cases—totaling 143 as of Friday (June Big Apple, but spikes in small towns 28)—appeared to be linked to “close elsewhere indicate our region is vulnercontact with a previously confirmed case able, too. Indeed, this is no time for and from small gatherings such as BBQs complacency. Ω
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Tell us what you think in a letter to the editor. Send submissions of 200 or fewer words to cnrletters@newsreview.com.
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
Catching up It’s impossible to fit everything I’d like to say into this space after what has taken place during our more than three-month print hiatus. I’ll start with how much I’ve missed having this weekly conversation with readers and how happy I am that we’re able to publish this special issue. I’ve heard from many longtime supporters since the last time the paper hit the racks. That week, I explained how the CN&R’s coffers—like the finances of many other businesses, especially newspapers—were eviscerated by the coronavirus pandemic almost overnight. I learned how dicey things were on a Monday, and by that Thursday, March 19—the same day the statewide shelter-in-place mandate began—everyone in our office was unemployed. Losing our jobs so suddenly was shocking and depressing. I know that millions of people around the country—including thousands here in Butte County—can relate to what we’ve experienced during this public health crisis. The uncertainty about the future as the virus spreads in the community remains overwhelming. My heart goes out to people who are struggling, especially the loved ones of the two locals who’ve died of COVID-19. I’m thankful that my friends and family are healthy—at least physically. Emotionally speaking, focusing on the positives to keep the existential dread at bay is easier on some days than others. My medically fragile 8-year-old son, whom I wrote about in our last print issue, struggled with distance-learning when school abruptly ended. He doesn’t understand the threat of the virus or why he can’t play with his friends. It doesn’t help that his mommy and daddy haven’t quite been themselves, though we try to keep him occupied with plenty of bike rides and backyard time. One of the more painful aspects of the pandemic for me professionally in the early days of the shutdown was thinking about the stories we wouldn’t be able to tell in service to our community. The CN&R had big things in store for this year. For starters, we’d been chosen as a 2020 Report for America newsroom. We were so excited about adding a reporter to our staff to specifically cover poverty and homelessness, including Camp Fire recovery, allowing us to expand our coverage of those and other important issues. But the pandemic wiped out that plan. The excellent journalist who was scheduled to join us last month had no choice but to find another outlet. I could hardly drag myself out of bed when that happened. Indeed, it was crushing in so many ways to close our doors, but doing so during a public health crisis that arguably makes our role as community watchdogs more important today than ever was perhaps the most difficult for this career journalist. Don’t worry, here’s where I get to the good news. Giving up just wasn’t acceptable to me and my colleagues. We were determined to continue informing the community—even if it meant doing so temporarily as volunteers. In fact, the day after we lost our jobs, several of us gathered together to come up with a plan to help the CN&R move forward. We asked readers to help us financially if possible, and many of you responded immediately by donating to our online fundraiser. Though the presses were halted back in March, our racks remaining empty, we quickly became an online-only newspaper. Our tech gurus put together an excellent mobile-friendly website—chico.newsreview.com—and we’ve been publishing there ever since on a shoestring budget. As I penned the main feature in this issue on PG&E’s sentencing in Butte County Superior Court, including the heart-wrenching victim impact statements given during those proceedings, I thought back to how that particular disaster made our small editorial team dig deep and resulted in some of our best work. It was the kind of reporting we want to continue during the current crisis. I’m so thankful for our supporters—loyal readers, friends, loved ones, former staffers, interns and advertisers—whose donations have allowed us to continue our mission. Reading your accompanying words of encouragement, thoughtful emails and handwritten letters have buoyed me during this difficult time. I’m also grateful for the CN&R’s owners for not walking away, though that would be the easiest thing to do. As Publisher Jeff vonKaenel explains on page 6, the CN&R’s path forward remains somewhat nebulous and we’re looking for help to chart the way. What I can tell you is that this print issue is progress and I’m hopeful that the struggles of the past three months will lead to a sustainable future. Our plan is to publish one issue a month through October while we figure it out. Thank you for being along for the ride.
GUEST COMMENT
A dangerous man in a dangerous time maybe it was before the Grand Wizard Cheeto Itook the throne or whatever it is we have now—that
t seems like shortly after President Trump took office—or
we entered this strange dimension where there are “alternative facts.” In this realm, the information you’d rather ignore can be labeled, as he coined it, “fake news.” All you have do is call it that—even when it’s something that has killed more than 125,000 Americans. Now, as we painfully stumble to the end of his fourth year in charge of a country that’s become increasingly agitated, the birth of this infantile ideology has grown into what feels like its terrible twos. Trump’s consistent demaby goguery—and his dog-whistling Cory Hunt and drumming of racist tropes— The author is a poet, have flared both “sides” around hip-hop artist, activist any given subject. But when it and hobby historian who has lived in Chico comes to coronavirus, digging in one’s heals is especially risky. on and off for 25 In this new realm, the responses years. to the pandemic—something all
Americans should be united on—are extremely adversarial. Egged on by Trump, his supporters deny reputable sources and science, relying instead on faulty and flawed opinion purveyors that multiply like an unmitigated virus. This past week I’ve seen several friends I respect argue online against the shelter-in-place and mask mandates, using the same colorful meme that bears no citation of sources. Several of their points were easily debunked, but that didn’t stop them from propagating lies and decrying safety measures and so-called “fake news.” Other friends challenged them with science-based facts, only to be disrespected and personally attacked around their “fear.” In truth, both sides are fearful—one of purported government overreach and the other of the very real impacts of COVID-19. While the president may be largely responsible for the recent change in a certain subset of American culture that now dismisses peer-reviewed studies and reputable sources, I realize we’re talking about a much deeper-rooted issue. Following his lead, many are willing to sacrifice facts in the name of their own myopic ideology. That’s dangerous in normal times, but in the time of coronavirus it could prove fatal. Ω buttecounty.net/bclibrary/SummerReading | 530-552-5652
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2020 and beyond
#BLACKLIVESMATTER #BLACKTRANSLIVESMATTER
It is said that journalism is the first rough draft of history. And since we suspended our print edition after March 19, a lot of history has been made. The COVID-19 pandemic, the righteous anger and protests after the police killing of George Floyd, and the unraveling of the Trump presidency are only a few of the historic events of the last few months. When I look back over my lifetime, 2020 feels most like 1968. The Vietnam War was televised, its horrors broadcast directly into American homes. It was the year that U.S. troops killed more than 500 Vietnamese civilians in the My Lai massacre. It was the year that Martin Luther King Jr. and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy were assassinated. It was a year of student protests and bloody clashes between police and demonstrators at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists at the Summer Olympics in protest of racism. It was a year of terrible events, turmoil and unrest. People stood up and demanded change. It was a turning point in history. Part of today’s moment in history has been the devastating impact that the pandemic has had on already struggling local community media, including the Chico News & Review. When print advertisers pulled out and our distribution locations closed their doors, we had to suspend print publication. But since then, our readers have stepped up with donations that have gone directly to fund the work of our reporters. We recently received a federal Paycheck Protection Program loan, which will partially fund our staff for the next few months. I am proud of the work published online since the shutdown. I appreciate the staffers who have stayed with us despite an uncertain future and miss those who are no longer working with us. And I am so appreciative of the support that we have received from the community. Thanks to reader donations, paid ads and the federal aid, we were able to come out with this issue. Our hope is to continue reporting and cover America’s most important election since 1932. We are considering limited print publication or online-only production, perhaps reinventing ourselves as a nonprofit. We also are reaching out to local nonprofit media organizations about partnerships and talking to potential investors. Looking into my crystal ball, our future is still unclear. The CN&R was founded in 1977 when the Chico State student paper broke away from the university and moved off campus. Since then, it has always been both a mission and a business. The mission spoke truth to power, enabled those previously unheard to be heard, presented unpopular views and celebrated the arts. The business side has always been difficult. Speaking truth to power is not always a smart business move. We have been able to survive only because of supportive readers and advertisers, and a staff that went far above and beyond the call of duty. For the last 43 years, the CN&R has put a weekly spotlight on people and organizations— some that desperately wanted coverage and some that most definitely did not. In the early years, the paper covered the controversial struggle over adopting the Greenline, which created the boundary protecting Chico’s westside orchard lands from urban-style development. Recently, we’ve written more than 300 articles on the Camp Fire alone. At the same time, we’ve continued to play an important role covering Chico’s unique culture, including producing the CAMMIES in support of the vibrant music scene. Today, we’re working to tell one of the biggest stories of our lifetime—how coronavirus is impacting us locally. This is a historic moment for America. Our country is at a crossroads. In a time of uncertainty and confusion, independent community journalism that covers politics, news and the arts is critical. With your help, we will provide it.
Jeff vonKaenel is the president, CEO and majority owner of the News & Review newspapers in Sacramento, Chico and Reno. 6
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STREETALK
Brittany White paralegal
I think if we see a spike in COVID, yes, but currently I’m not. To be honest, I haven’t worn a mask really at all except for in Costco. I don’t know anybody who’s gotten it.
George Prussia retired
Well, I’m over 65 and I’m diabetic, so I pretty much hibernate in my apartment. I only leave to go to the grocery store and back.
Teresa Fields student
I have general concerns. I work with the general public, so I keep that in mind. I try to take my own precautions, but I’m worried about other people who have more compromised immune systems than I do.
Adrianna Smallhouse
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Asked June 17 in downtown Chico
C H I C O ’ S N E W S & E N T E R TA I N M E N T S O U R C E
Concerned about contracting Covid-19?
behavioral health counselor
I’m more concerned about somebody else maybe getting it from me. Personally, I’m not worried about getting it myself. If somebody’s at risk and I pass it onto them, I would feel bad for not being careful. I usually wear my mask.
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HEALTHLINES es for people,” Behavioral Health Director Scott Kennelly said during a recent phone interview. “You had people whose entire daily routines were disrupted. A lot of people experienced a significant increase in stress; others initially took a brief period of [respite] but we realized that didn’t last very long. After the initial phase of calm, we started to see more domestic violence situations, increased substance abuse. With the increased stress, we saw more anxiety and depression in people—and if you had a preexisting mental health condition, it typically got worse. “It seemed like everything got turned on its head,” he added. The governor’s orders forced Behavioral Health to suspend face-to-face appointments immediately, though the inpatient facility remains open. “A lot of our patients were used to inperson services,” he continued, “where they’d come into clinics to see their therapists or psychiatrists, or they’d come into our wellness centers to meet with their peers or support groups. All of a sudden, all of those services changed overnight.” Behavioral Health, as Aaronson had done,
High anxiety Quarantine takes toll on mental health, while services go online by
Evan Tuchinsky evant@ n ewsrev iew. com
W over late winter and early spring, Adam Aaronson had a better sense than many hen coronavirus took hold in California
Chicoans for how the pandemic would reshape lives. Aaronson, a marriage and family therapist in private practice, monitored developments as the number of cases climbed in the state and worldwide, even while Butte County remained relatively unaffected. Mid-March, Aaronson closed his office on Rio Lindo Avenue and transitioned to teletherapy sessions. The next week, on March 19, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued the stay-at-home order that
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halted all in-person counseling. More than that, the de facto quarantine left people— many out of work, with children distancelearning at home—suddenly confined in stressful circumstances. With videoconferencing already a part of his electronic health record system, Aaronson had experience connecting with patients remotely. Other practitioners, notably those at the Butte County Department of Behavioral Health, faced more radical reinvention just as their patients and neighbors hit crisis points. “It was about what I was expecting,” Aaronson told the CN&R by phone. “I mean, I wasn’t really prepared to deal with a global pandemic, quite frankly, so I didn’t have a ton of expectations. I was watching it from afar going, ‘Gosh, I wonder what’s going to happen?’ “Then, when the shutdown happened
here, I knew something was going to happen—I just didn’t realize the gravity of the action that was going to take place.” In speaking with patients, along with family and friends, Aaronson found a common thread: anxiety. They have felt—and feel—strong senses of dread and instability, regardless of whether there was a preexisting mental health diagnosis. People are “extra anxious” about “all of the unknowns we still face,” he continued, “and [are] overwhelmed about their future, their jobs, their immediate worlds, and globally what this world is going to look like and what this all means.” Anxiety and loss of control can magnify certain mental illnesses. As such, the stay-athome order has exacerbated some conditions such as schizophrenia, with intensified symptoms of paranoia and delusion, and made treatment more complicated. County Behavioral Health sees many such patients. The department operates the inpatient psychiatric unit and provides care for low-income individuals in a rural area where many have government-subsidized health coverage. Outpatient services span prevention, wellness and recovery, including substance abuse, with separate programs for youth and adults, and the department serves residents with an array of diagnoses—many with multiple diagnoses as well as addictions. “The quarantine caused a lot of challeng-
switched to telemedicine except for extraordinary circumstances, such as a crisis or medical necessity to evaluate in person. Some patients adjusted better than others. Kennelly said that teens and young adults took to online video “like it was nothing” while some older patients felt uncomfortable with the technology and connected via phone. Contacting those without stable housing proved challenging, as distancing rules preclude much of the outreach Behavioral Health normally conducts. In Aaronson’s practice, some clients decided to wait until he returns to the office to resume counseling, but most have given online appointments a try. Those who’ve flourished and those who’ve struggled with it “didn’t narrow down to a diagnostic specificity,” he said. “It was just personality.” Aaronson, who moved to Chico in 2014, worked as a Behavioral Health therapist for two years before joining a group practice. He’s set up his own therapy space with intentionality—relatively small and sparsely decorated. “It’s kind of like a container,” he described. “We don’t have that container any more. Therapy exists in the world, just like they exist in the world.” Clients call in from their cars, or offices after co-workers leave, “because that’s the only private space they have,” Aaronson continued. “There’s kids in the back, or dogs barking; there’s my dogs barking. And then people feel a little bit more comfortable because they’re not in my office, so some-
Are you in crisis?
Butte County Behavioral Health offers the following during the coronavirus emergency: • Assessments by phone at 891-2810, BCBH’s Crisis & Access Line (call 911 for life-threatening emergencies). • Inpatient services with daytime family visits by phone at 891-2775. • Peer support online or by phone weekdays via Zoom Visit buttecounty.net/behavioralhealth for more information.
times people are smoking when I’m talking to them. I had someone chewing tobacco when I was talking to them.” As a result, he says that body language—a key component of communication—may get lost. The technology shift has yielded an unexpected benefit for Behavioral Health, however. With support groups unable to convene, peer counselors created online meetings. Kennelly said the effort has been so successful, drawing participants from other counties as well as Butte, that the department plans to continue online peer support post-coronavirus. Telemedicine, too, has been a boon: “We’ve had clients who historically have had a problem getting to appointments face-toface,” Kennelly said, due to issues such as transportation or childcare, “but they can log in at home at an agreed-upon time and see their counselor.” These new modes will prove significant as Behavioral Health braces for financial hits. Kennelly says the department will suffer a $5.5 million cut under the proposed state budget. Since that money draws federal matching funds, the total loss is $11 million, almost 14 percent of Behavioral Health’s $80 million budget. “Where we’re at right now is we’re shifting,” Kennelly said. “We’re beginning to reopen our doors for scheduled appointments, but with a lot of safety precautions in place. We think we’ll have a combination [of in-person and online now]. “Our role [in July],” he added, “is to really start talking about how we will be in our physical building and come on in if you need some help. Things we’ll be different—we’ll be wearing masks and we’ll be social distancing—but we definitely will be back up for business.” Ω
To the following incredibly selfless individuals who stepped up to support independent journalism online when we suspended our print publication in March, we cannot say THANK YOU enough. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT A Christopher Urbach Abbe Simpkins Alma Hayes Andrew Tomaselli Andy Holcombe Anika Burke Ann Kauffman Anna Ling Annette Faurote Annie Kavanagh Anthony Devine Anthony Porter Antoine Baptiste April Boone Barbara Boeger Bill Knudsen Bill Unger Blaine Waterman Bob Cottrell Brad Schreiber Bradley Glanville Bradley Sager Brandon Mckie Carin Dorghalli Carol Burr Carole Taylor Caroline Burkett Caroline Carey Caryl Brown Casey Rose Catherine Webster Cecilia Pace Charles Peckham Charles Thistlethwaite Charles Withuhn Christel Herda Christina Archuleta Christina Solomon Christine Connerly Christopher Phipps Chuck Lundgren Chuck Niepoth Clare Fisher Cleo Reed Cleo Reed Cynthia Gerrie Cynthia Muskin Dale Rudesill
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NEWSLINES Kevin Smith and his wife, Emily, at a June 9 “defunding” the Chico Police Department protest at Chico City Plaza. PHOTO BY KEN SMITH
is in reference to the interaction police have with people with mental illness. Such training has been central to public discourse on police reform as it related to the killings of Rushing, and Phillips. She also directed the department to explore the costs and impacts of requiring all CPD officers to participate in ongoing implicit bias training every other year and complete a 40-hour CIT course known as the Memphis Model within two years. CPD will present this information to the council in October. Interviewed Friday (June 26), Brown further explained her opposition to the committee plan but why she fought to be on it: “We’re at a time our community is asking us to be forthright and transparent and public with conversations about police reform. “What the mayor proposed feels like more of a one-way educational effort for the community to sit down with police and learn from them, rather than have a mutual and generative platform to actually move legitimate ideas forward.” The idea of defunding police departments has
Force and funding After years of discussion, Chico City Council vows to take a closer look at policing
IBreanne officers fired 19 shots at the car driven by Sharpe, killing the 19-year-old and t didn’t happen in 2013, when Chico police
sending bullets into a bus stop, a parked car and a residential garage. by And it didn’t happen in Ken Smith 2017, when Desmond Phillips, 25, and Tyler kens @ Rushing, 34, were shot newsrev i ew.c om to death by officers less than four months apart. But the May 25 killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers halfway across the country—and the ongoing nationwide and local cries for police reform and the redress of systemic racism that have followed—finally pushed the Chico City Council to take a closer look at policing in its own community. That action came in the form of two separate motions passed at the council’s meeting last Tuesday (June 23). One effort, proposed by Mayor Ann Schwab, is the formation of an ad-hoc committee to review the Chico Police Department’s policies and training; the second, brought forth by Vice Mayor Alex Brown, directed a complete accounting of
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officer training and the possible introduction of new training requirements. The movement comes years after police watchdog groups, including Justice for Desmond Phillips and Concerned Citizens for Justice, began attending council meetings to lobby for reform, and amid the search for a new police chief, pandemic-triggered budget adjustments and demonstrations calling for the city to “defund” the police department. The mayor’s committee has been criticized by people on both sides of policing issues, with public safety advocates calling it a distraction from Chico’s homeless and crime issues, and reform advocates saying it falls short of the citizen oversight they’ve long demanded. Of particular concern to the latter faction is the committee’s makeup, which some claim is lopsided with law enforcement proponents. “The absolute insult of a committee stacked with the very people being reviewed while we are in a moment of deep reckoning is unbelievable,” Eric Chisler wrote in an online public comment (council meetings are currently closed to the public due to COVID-19).
At the City Council meeting, Schwab introduced
her plan to form the committee by saying she recently signed the My Brother’s Keeper Pledge for mayors, an action by the Obama Foundation that asks city leaders to commit to reviewing their local police department’s use-of-force policies, training and culture. The pledge also calls for public engagement and reports on the impact of those policies and, when necessary, reform. As first pitched, the group would consist of the mayor, Councilmembers Kasey Reynolds and Scott Huber, the police chief, two members of the Chico Police Officers’ Association (the labor union representing CPD officers) and three community members chosen by the participating council members. Brown immediately voiced objections to that approach. She noted that discussions on three other important topics currently in committee—cannabis, tenants’ rights and housing—are dragging and take place outside of the public eye. She also asked that—as a social worker, the council’s most outspoken member on policing issues, and the board’s only LGBTQ member—she be included in the group. The motion passed with several added caveats for the committee: Brown will take one of the councilmember spots (and Schwab will re-pick the other), at least six public meetings will be held, and the findings will be presented to the council within 90 days. Brown’s proposal calls for a full rundown of officer training with a specific focus on the areas of implicit bias, de-escalation and crisis intervention training (CIT). The latter
taken hold among reform advocates in Chico, where the CPD accounts for nearly 50 percent of the city’s budget. After receiving hundreds of emails in favor of cutting police funds on the runup to its June 9 meeting, the City Council approved the 2020-21 budget without any changes to CPD’s allocation. However, the panel plans to revisit the budget in October, with a deep dive into each department’s budgets, including proposed cuts. Since that date, a newly formed police reform group called the Chico Community Assembly has been meeting at the Chico City Plaza each time the council convenes. One of the group’s main efforts is exploring how Interim Chico Police Chief Matt Madden (center) with City Manager Mark Orme and the city’s now-retired chief, Mike O’Brien. PHOTO COURTESY OF CHICO POLICE DEPARTMENT
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defunding could lead to less police violence and more social services. During a recent interview, Cory Hunt, one of the group’s facilitators, explained that the concept doesn’t have to mean a total departmental dismantling: “When we say ‘defund’ we’re talking about doing the same thing they’ve been doing to the education system for years,” he said. “We’re saying let’s flip the switch there … that maybe we’ve gone overboard on the police funding and now it’s time to invest at least some of those resources back into the community. “There’s never going to be enough money for everything, but if things are going to keep falling short, it shouldn’t be to support police budgets and huge pensions.” Interviewed by phone, CPD Interim Chief Matt Madden expressed concerns about defunding. “I think people need to be cautious when they talk about those things if they don’t have a total understanding of what the police budget does,” he said. “On one hand we’re hearing about more training, but training is expensive, so you have to be aware of all of the impacts. It’s a slippery slope.” Madden pointed out that the economic recession has triggered a hiring freeze, including for eight vacant police officer positions. “We’re understaffed here and we have been since the Great Recession, so to start having conversations about diverting money to some other department or this and that makes me very concerned,” he said. Madden said he welcomes deeper community review of local police policies, and spoke glowingly of the department where he’s spent 23 of his 28 years in law enforcement. He insisted the CPD is completely free of all forms of racism, touted its transparency and said the department’s standards meet or exceed the most rigorous requirements. “There’s no better time to have these discussions and start building stronger relationships between the police and the community than now,” he said. “Do I think we need to look at them and continue to evaluate [CPD policies]? Yes, I do. “On the other hand, do I believe our polices and training currently align with state and federal laws and standards? The answer to that is also, ‘Yes, I do.’” Ω
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Voting amid the pandemic
Butte County Clerk/Recorder Candace Grubbs says the county is better prepared for November than it was during the primary, when dozens of people waited for help at designated vote centers in crowded rooms for hours (such as Chico State on election night, pictured). CN&R FILE PHOTO
Carol Burr, who spoke with the CN&R at the tail-end of her term as first vice president of the league, said the pandemic won’t prevent the organization from performing its vital work. Forums afford citizens an opportunity to really get to know the candidates—who they are and what kind of leaders they would make, she said. “I don’t think there’s any substitute for that kind of direct access,” she said. “We are trying to take [advantage of] the technology, because it doesn’t seem clear when large groups of people are going to be able to safely meet in a space.”
What’s new for Chico?
Navigating challenges and changes ahead of the election by
Ashiah Scharaga ashiahs@ newsrev iew. com
Aseason, Ann Schwab would be organizing events and gearing up to meet with Chicoans t this time of year in a typical campaign
face-to-face. Instead, Chico’s mayor has had to adapt to the times, throwing out those plans and keeping the threat of COVID-19 at bay by using phones and computers to connect with voters. “I know a lot of people are still very concerned with adhering to all the basics—social distancing, wearing masks, not being in large events,” said Schwab, who is seeking re-election to the City Council in November. “We have been reopening and seeing the number of Register to vote: cases rise. … I want to It’s never too early. Go to registertovote.ca.gov be mindful of all those safety protocols, of making sure people feel safe to attend such events.” Due to both the pandemic and significant changes to the ballot in Chico, this election cycle is a complex one to navigate—and that goes for candidates, election officials, voters and voter education advocates alike. 12
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Challenges abound, not the least of which is making certain the problems experienced during the March primary—including long lines at crowded vote centers—aren’t repeated in this time when social distancing is so paramount.
Planning ahead Butte County Clerk/Recorder Candace Grubbs says the county’s new mail-in balloting system is essential to public health amid the pandemic and that her office is better prepared for November than it was this past winter. The switch to an all-mail election was prompted by the displacement of thousands of voters after the Camp Fire, but the implementation did not go as smoothly as hoped during the primary. Long lines formed at several designated vote centers—locations set up to assist the electorate—with voters spending hours awaiting help in crowded rooms. For November, Grubbs is securing larger facilities that will allow for social distancing. In addition, ballot drop-off boxes will be placed outside of every vote center, so that people won’t have to stand in line, she said. The county plans to hire more people to Due to the coronavirus, Chico City Council incumbent Ann Schwab is opting for virtual ways to campaign. PHOTO BY JASON CASSIDY
work at the facilities, Grubbs said. An informational campaign is also in the works. Grubbs cautioned that people should not wait until the last minute to register or to vote. Ballots should arrive the week of Oct. 5. “What we’re doing is emphasizing, ‘Vote the ballot that is sent to you, and if you don’t have it, let us know early enough so we can get you that ballot,’” she said. The League of Women Voters of Butte County also is grappling with concerns about keeping the public safe. Each election year, the organization hosts forums to educate voters on ballot initiatives and candidates.
Several big changes lie ahead for the city of Chico in the general election. Nov. 3 marks the first time City Council seats are determined by districts and the first time residents of the newly annexed Chapman neighborhood get to vote in municipal elections. The switch to district elections was prompted by the threat of expensive lawsuits alleging the city had violated the California Voting Rights Act by holding at-large elections that created racially polarized voting and diluted minority votes. Under the new system, voters will be asked to choose one candidate who best represents their district. Chico now has seven districts of roughly equal population. Representatives for four of them will be chosen this year; the remaining three districts will be up for grabs in 2022. The city is working on a webpage that outlines the map and other voter info. Despite the controversy and subsequent publicity surrounding the switch, Grubbs anticipates receiving hundreds of calls from confused voters. By way of example, she noted that each election cycle results in voter queries related to the county’s district-based Board of Supervisors. In terms of proposed ballot initiatives in Chico, the most notable was a long-planned 1-percent general sales tax increase. A survey ahead of the pandemic indicated voters would pass it, but the current economic outlook has largely diminished support. Neither that proposal nor any of the alternative tax measures floated at the June 23 council meeting received the five votes needed to place such a measure on the ballot. In the coming weeks, however, the council is expected to consider putting a charter amendment on the ballot. It would ask voters whether to allow anyone at least 18 years old ELECTION C O N T I N U E D
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to run for a seat starting in 2022 (the current age requirement is 21).
In the running It has been a quiet election season in some ways, Schwab told the CN&R. She’s seeking her fifth term on the City Council and is surprised more candidates haven’t announced campaigns for the four districts on the updoming ballot (the filing deadline is Aug. 7). She lives in District 3. Only a handful of candidates are actively campaigning. This includes Councilman Randall Stone (District 5), and Planning Commissioner Rich Ober (District 7), who ran for a seat in 2018—with no competition as of yet in their respective districts. Chicoan Curtis Pahlka has filed paperwork for District 1, which comprises a portion of northwest Chico. However, two-term Councilman Sean Morgan resides there and has signaled that he Ballot drop-off boxes will be placed at city halls, county offices, libraries and vote centers ahead of November’s election. CN&R FILE PHOTO
may throw his hat in the ring. Schwab recently participated in a virtual event hosted by the Butte County Democrats, chatting with viewers during candidate spots. In the months to come, she envisions phone calls and virtual get-togethers through platforms like Zoom, rather than in-person visits. On a practical level, both the pandemic and the switch to districts have made it challenging to meet fundraising goals, Schwab said. But it’s the personal side of campaigning she laments losing the most. “Missing the connection will be the hardest part—the real, face-to-face connection,” she said. Other incumbents are considering how to approach this election season as well. Morgan was not planning on running for re-election, he told the CN&R, but this year has changed his perspective. “I had decided not to run but given the financial situation the city is about to find itself in (this time, through no fault of its own), I worry about our financial sustainability and our ability to adequately provide for public safety, roads, and our parks,” he wrote via email. Stone also is focused on economics. In fact, it’s at the forefront of his mind these days, he told the CN&R. He’s especially concerned about how the looming recession on top of current events will effect the electorate. Voter engagement, he said, is “hindered by the amount of trauma that is going on locally and nationwide and worldwide. “I think that problem is only going to get worse as the economy doesn’t respond and we continue into a recession,” Stone continued. “When [people] don’t have any money and they’re trying to put food on the table, the ballot is going to be something that is less of a concern for them.” Ω MORE
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NEWSLINES Butte County schools, such as Chico High, expect to reopen this fall—but exact plans remain in flux. PHOTO BY JASON CASSIDY
Crisis schooling
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Final reckoning
Criminal case against PG&E ends with guilty pleas, maximum penalty and rebuke by loved ones of those lost in the Camp Fire by
Melissa Daugherty me lissad@ n ewsrev i ew. com
M
ichael Hanko leaned over the lectern in a Chico courtroom as if A banner draping the fence at Children’s Playground during a protest last year in Chico.
his legs would give out, mustering the strength to continue speaking about the sibling he lost in the Camp Fire. His was the last of the in-person victim impact statements directed at PG&E executives and the company’s attorneys during sentencing proceedings at Butte County Superior Court on June 18. The previous day, dozens of others stood in the same spot to bear witness to the pain, trauma, loss—and in many cases, raging anger—triggered by the death of a beloved family member in the mega blaze.
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CN&R FILE PHOTO BY ANDRE BYIK
For PG&E and District Attorney Mike Ramsey, the day was the conclusion of a criminal investigation more than a year in the making. But for those who lost loved ones, it was yet another chapter in the anguishing and seemingly never-ending saga wrought by the fire, the deadliest and most destructive in state history. “I’m sorry, bro,” Hanko cried out, sobbing, before catching his breath and regaining his composure and physical stability. Minutes earlier, Hanko, who also represented his three sisters, described the younger brother with whom he once shared a mobile home in Paradise. Dennis Hanko was an animal lover who “would not kill a bug. He
The longtime district attorney gave an overwould pick it up and put it outside.” view of his office’s exhaustive investigation Turning his attention toward the utility— and the resulting 94-page report outlining the the corporation that days earlier pleaded guilty corporation’s culpability. It includes, among to 85 felonies, including 84 counts of involother things, evidence that the company had untary manslaughter—Hanko made clear that instituted salary incentives for meeting budgets the wounds stemming from the Nov. 8, 2018, that led to reductions in power line inspections. tragedy remained fresh. One of the main findings in the narrative “I think there’s still an ember smoldering about the fire’s ignition is how the equipment and the fire has not been put out. I don’t think that failed on that windy November day—a the fire has been extinguished, but I hope metal piece called a C-hook—was original today we are here to put it out,” he said. hardware dating back to 1921. What followed was That is, it had been is use for Ramsey’s closing statement 97 years. in the State of California for Camp Fire Public Report “There’s more than sufficient the County of Butte v. Pacific Read the D.A.’s report online: evidence … that details PG&E’s Gas & Electric Company. https://tinyurl.com/CampFireReport
criminally reckless and grossly negligent behavior for the purpose of elevating profits over safety that led to the deaths of those 84 people,” Ramsey said in the courtroom. Indeed, on June 16, PG&E CEO Bill Johnson, who took the company’s helm after the fire and will leave upon completion of its bankruptcy agreement, read an apology and pleaded guilty on behalf of the utility to each of the 85 felony counts. The same day, Ramsey released his report as a public document. It includes the names of each victim, as well as notations of where their remains were found. In some cases, if known, details about the end of their lives are denoted. As if to drive the gravity of the horrific disaster home, Ramsey highlighted during his closing statements the deaths of Matilde, Christina and Ishka Heffern—grandmother, mother and daughter, respectively. Johnson wasn’t in the courtroom that day, nor was he present for any of the victim impact statements. In a rare moment that cracked the veneer of Butte County’s generally unflappable top prosecutor, Ramsey described hearing the frantic last minutes of their lives. The women were trapped inside their home and called 911 as the fire bore down, he explained. On the other end of the line was a Cal Fire dispatcher, who tried to help them find a way out and listened helplessly as the three succumbed to the blaze. “In 40 years of prosecution, I can truly say I’ve not heard a more god awful, terrible, disturbing tape-recording. It is truly scarring to the psyche and the soul. It can never be unheard,” Ramsey said, voice wavering. The previous day, he read a statement written by Richard Heffern, son of Matilde, brother of Christina and uncle of 20-year-old Ishka, the youngest victim of the Camp Fire.
It was one of the many searing personal statements rebuking the energy provider’s executives, a few of whom sat quietly at a long table just feet away.
‘Focused on profits’
Among the many grieving family members who appeared in court, Laurie Teague was the first to take aim at PG&E’s greed. Speaking to the company’s interim CEO, Bill Smith, she painted a picture of her stepfather, Herbert Alderman, as a doting husband to her late mother. He’d played a crucial role raising her and her siblings, especially her younger brother Jim. She noted that at 79, Alderman was “sharp as a tack,” though he didn’t drive and had mobility issues. In fact, he’d been receiving physical therapy and had sought help on the morning of the fire from his rehabilitation office. Someone was dispatched to pick him up, but was turned back at a roadblock. Alderman never made it out, though that wasn’t clear at first. Teague was initially informed that he’d been marked safe. Her brother drove up from the Bay Area and searched the evacuation centers and parking lots, only to find out 12 days later that remains were found at Alderman’s home. “My prevailing thought has been how absolutely terrified Herb must have been,” Teague said. “My heart aches for him.” In terms of PG&E’s guilty pleas—which included one for unlawfully starting a fire— she noted the outcome doesn’t punish those responsible for the corner-cutting complacency that led to the disaster. “It was not a corporation that made the decision over and over and over again to divert monies that should have been spent on equipment maintenance and vegetation control,” she noted. “Those decisions were made by people—people focused on profits, people who will never pay a price for the utter devastation of whole communities and the deaths of 84 people in the Camp Fire alone.”
DNA and grieving delayed
Teague said it took 336 days to officially identify Alderman’s remains. Others relate to that wait and the associated anguish of delayed closure. During his victim impact statement, Chicoan Wally Sipher said his younger sister, 68-year-old Judy Sipher, was the 84th victim identified in the The broken C-hook referenced in DA Mike Ramsey’s investigative Camp Fire. He’d spoken with report. her the morning of the fire. They PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BUTTE COUNTY had lunch plans at Black Bear DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE Diner, but Judy had flu-like
Chicoan Wally Sipher at the site where his late sister’s apartment complex once stood. CN&R FILE PHOTO BY ANDRE BYIK
symptoms and canceled. She wasn’t concerned about the blaze, hearing that it was in Pulga, roughly 10 miles east of Paradise. Sipher attempted to drive to Paradise to rescue her, but was blocked by the massive and chaotic evacuation of tens of thousands of Ridge residents. Hoping Judy had somehow made it off the Ridge, he searched every shelter and hospital in the region. It was days later that a sheriff’s deputy informed him that her apartment complex had been leveled. “I knew with her condition—with the flu and she used a walker to get around—that she did not make it out,” he said. The few remains recovered where her unit once stood were so degraded that identification ultimately came down to circumstantial evidence. That occurred in August, more than nine months after the fire. Sacramento resident Meriel Wisotsky understands the frustration of that long process. She was among the first people to give DNA to help identify a loved one. During the court proceedings, she described her 96-year-old mother, Paradise resident Ethel Riggs, as the heart of her family. Riggs was independent, still able to drive and cook, her daughter said. “The only thing that was wrong with her is she was getting a little deaf and her knees were bad. That’s it. She was otherwise in great shape,” she said. Wisotsky noted that she had to submit DNA twice for the ID process. “That’s when I moved to a new level of obsession and misery, because that brought it home to me how hot [the fire] must have been,” she said. Eventually, when pathologists still couldn’t get enough DNA out of her mother’s remains to make a match, Wisotsky hired an attorney
to issue a death certificate. Until that point, she couldn’t even get the TV in her mother’s name turned off. Every part of the Camp Fire—from the news coverage to the identification process—made it impossible to grieve in the normal way, she said. But 19 months post-fire, PG&E’s pleas in the criminal case brought some comfort. “While I too doubt the sincerity of the CEO yesterday, I felt better hearing him say, all those times, when each count was read, ‘Guilty, your honor.’ I found that cathartic,” she said. “Whether or not he really felt guilty was irrelevant to me. Hearing that said, ‘Yes, we are guilty, your honor,’ made a difference to me. So, I would like to thank you all for helping with this process.”
Everything lost
Angela Loo traveled from Oregon to speak about the loss of her father, Ernie Foss, and stepbrother Andrew Burt, who were among several people overtaken by the flames on Edgewood Lane, a rural street with a single entrance. Loo described Foss, whom she referred to as “my Papa,” as a retired musician and computer guru who raised her as a single father. She was his eldest child and only daughter, and the two were extremely close. Though quite eloquent, Loo repeatedly lamented that she couldn’t adequately convey the impact the Camp Fire has had on her life, beginning on the day of the blaze and continuing until this day. “There are no words to describe ...” she repeated over and over. PENALTY C O N T I N U E D J U LY 1 , 2 0 2 0
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Crosses memorializing 85 people who perished in the Camp Fire. CN&R FILE PHOTO BY MELISSA DAUGHERTY
“You can’t imagine the desperation as I called everyone I could think of to ask if any first responder could assist in their evacuation. Of course, all signals busy, no one answered, not even the fire station less than a mile from them.” Loo spoke of the helplessness and the horror of seeing videos of the mass evacuation and more later of human remains belonging to her stepbrother. She felt guilty about not being there, having originally planned to visit her father a few days before the fire. “I’ve lost my champion, the one who believed in me the most. He called me his wunderkind,” Loo said. “Daily, I mourn the loss of kinship and shared history.” As her father’s home and all of its contents were destroyed, she has none of the precious mementos—recordings of Foss’ music, memorabilia and his instruments—commemorating his life. Similar sentiments were shared by other victims’ family members. Skye Sedwick said her father, John Sedwick, fought the fire at his home all day, only to perish when it returned for a second time to their Magalia neighborhood. “As I mourned my father, I longed for a shred of clothing. Something that was his that I could hold, smell—and there was nothing,” Sedwick said. Her father was not the stereotypical 82-year-old. He still worked 32 hours a week, she said, and planned to retire the month after the Camp Fire. Among his many engagements were teaching Sunday school, volunteering at the Gold Nugget Museum, and playing music on Saturdays at a senior center in Oroville— an unpaid gig he held for 20-plus years that has gone unfilled since his passing. “My father was in the process of writing a book. He called it his legacy,” she said, pausing as her voice cracked. “He spent count22
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less hours researching, reciting chapters to whoever would listen, and dictating the script into his computer. Every page of that book, the computer and the author perished that November day. His legacy up in smoke.” Sedwick pointed out that her father spent years as a volunteer firefighter on the Ridge. Had he worked for PG&E, she posited, he would have put safety first. “When I think about how many people did not do their job properly, or how greedy the company was to not replace the equipment that caused this fire, it sickens me,” she said. “How many failed opportunities to prevent this tragedy? “It is this culture of apathy, neglect and greed that has become synonymous with PG&E, and I wonder what will it take for that to change. How many more have to die?”
Repeat offenders
Philip Binstock briefly noted the impressive accomplishments of his father, 88-yearold Julian, a man who, despite being raised in an “abysmally poor family,” attended Harvard on a full scholarship and retired from Warner Bros. as vice president for foreign operations. Binstock spent the majority of his time in the courtroom lambasting PG&E, having researched the company’s record of wrongdoing. He listed numerous wildfires, contaminated water tables, and the 2010 gas pipeline explosion in San Bruno that killed eight people, an incident for which PG&E was placed on probation. “And then the 2018 Camp Fire. They murdered 85 people—84 in the fire and one who committed suicide rather than be burned to death. And at least three elderly citizens who PENALTY C O N T I N U E D
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A Message from Lifetime windows, siding, walk-in tubs, safety showers and baths. Visit our website for pictures and more information I am Scott Selig, and this is my partner Erik Palo, Owners of Selig with Coleen Thomas our Office and Finance Manager. This is a message from our Selig family, we hope everyone is healthy and safe these days. 2020 has been an ever-changing year sometimes daily for all of us. Our goal at Selig is to make sure that the public is aware of our concern for everyone’s From leFt to right Bobby Jack, 4 yrs, CSR Sarah, 12 yrs, CSR Joyce, 24 yrs, CSR Chris, 15 yrs, Associate UVC Service Tech Jas, 10 yrs, Installer
Kevin, 2 yrs, Installer Scott, 29 yrs, CEO erik, 23 yrs, President Coleen, 5yrs, Office Manager Jasmin + 1, 1 yr, CSR All others are working with customers
safety and that we follow ALL health guidelines mandated by the state and federal government. 2020 has seemed amazing to comprehend at times, and we may or not be done. Here is how we have dealt with 2020 so far, and will modify as mandated by all agencies; Here is what Erik, Coleen and I have implemented since start of Covid-19 In March we shut down 2 weeks, everyone sheltered and limited travel to essential only:
1 Selig paid ALL our employees 2 weeks pay before we shut down, most
We have UVC
commercial sanitizers Selig West Coast dealers for UVC systems for UVC Sanitize service or purchase a unit at uvc@seligconstruction.com. First service from $99 to $199. Email us for an estimate.
our employees have families, and roots in N CA
2 Resumed following all guidelines as per COVID 19 safety precautions. We also have a DME license, and deemed essential for walk in tubs, and safety showers for seniors
3 Temperature checks every morning before anyone leaves building to enter a customers home or business. masks are also worn out, along with hand sanitizer
4 Maintain social distance during construction of remodel project depending on the project
5 Wipe down and sanitize any areas we touched, and have HIPPA air filters, again, depending on project. (siding for example, not required since outside). We will continue to follow all safety precautions. We have UVC commercial virus sanitizers, available for service or sale. Here are some of our valuable co-workers, and a little history of our Selig Family. Stay safe and we will all get thru this together. Note: We still have some PPP funds available to pay for free labor while it last.
Free estimates in person also available virtual over internet
893-5898
www.SeligConStruCtion.Com july 1, 2020
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died a few days later because of the stress of being left homeless and penniless,” he said. “With over 1,500 annual wildfires and the specific disasters I listed, you knew that what you were doing was wrong,” he continued. “And rather than reduce your bonuses, you allowed your failed equipment and your improper inspections to kill people. And that is homicide with malice of forethought. And that is murder.” Binstock also alluded to how the company, at the time in bankruptcy proceedings, was expected to pay out $25.5 billion in settlements by passing along the costs to ratepayers. “What’s even more galling is that you will retain your bonuses, and through my PG&E bills I will be paying your bonuses, your fines, your shareholders dividends and your settlements.” Joseph Downer chided the company along similar lines. His older brother, 54-year-old Andrew, a wheel-chair bound amputee, perished just outside his home while awaiting first responders. “Given PG&E’s history, it’s pretty clear that this company won’t change until some PG&E executive actually goes to jail,” he said. “A $3.5 million fine for killing 80 people is not justice. Can you imagine what would happen if an ordinary citizen killed more than 80 people? “We have a social compact in this society and we give up the right to take matters in our own hands because the court, this court, is supposed to provide justice. I don’t believe justice is served by a $3.5 million fine. That is less than
Mr. Johnson, the person here yesterday telling us how sorry PG&E was, makes in one year.” Downer said he was disgusted that the utility’s executives use private jets and are paid millions in bonuses at the same time that the company failed to spend $13 to replace the worn equipment that sparked the fire. As for PG&E’s apology, Downer remained unmollified. He pointed out that one of Johnson’s predecessors, CEO Tony Earley, had expressed similar statements after the explosion in San Bruno. Yet PG&E killed more than 120 people in the last three years alone, he said. Tom LeBlanc also had harsh words for the utility. His disabled stepdaughter, 53-year-old Paradise resident Kimber Wehr, perished in the fire. Her death has greatly affected the mental health of her siblings, he told the courtroom, his voice at times booming. “These people up here on the wall, they had lives,” he said, referring to the photos of victims projected on the wall. “They’re not just statistics. They had names, they were grandmothers, grandfathers, fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, and in four hours—gone.” LeBlanc’s wife, Pat, was battling cancer at the time of the blaze, and succumbed to the disease just over a year later. Wehr’s death caused her immeasurable grief, he said. Describing himself as a retired teacher, coach and administrator, LeBlanc, who lost his home in the blaze and has since left Butte County, said PG&E executives
abdicated their responsibility to enforce the rules of safety for the citizens of Paradise.” “Unfortunately, PG&E was busy putting profits and bonuses first. Safety is the only thing that should have received top priority,” he said. “I leave this courtroom, your honor, as a victim, because I’ve been scarred for life. If they feel just a little bit of pain today from my story, mission accomplished.”
Day of reckoning
In his closing remarks, District Attorney Ramsey noted that there are several days of infamy in history—usually dealing with death and destruction. He pointed to Dec. 7, 1941, the attack on Pearl Harbor; Nov. 22, 1963, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy; and the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. “And those days become seared into the collective consciousness of the community,” he said. “These are days that, when you speak of them, they invoke immediate unspeakable, unshakable and unforgettable memories.” For Butte County, the date is Nov. 8, 2018. “Over 153,000 acres of destruction. Over 18,800 structures destroyed, of which nearly 14,000 were residents’ family homes, an entire American city wiped from the face of the earth,” Ramsey said. “Untold disruption and displacement of the lives of nearly 50,000 people followed in the wake of that fire. And, of course, the death of those 84 souls that we have seen Tom LeBlanc talks in Butte County Superior Court about the loss of his stepdaughter, Kimber, and PG&E’s culpability.
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Butte County Mike Ramsey has given numerous interviews regarding the Camp Fire, including for a special on Frontline.
projected up on that wall as we’ve had these proceedings over that last few days.” Following the description of the single household in which three women were killed, Ramsey noted that PG&E CEO Johnson was among the company officials, including its outgoing board of directors, forced to listen to the recording of their horrific end. The order came from U.S. District Judge William Alsup, the judge overseeing PG&E’s criminal probation stemming from the San Bruno explosion. He also ordered the board to tour the blackened landscape of Paradise roughly six months after the wildfire. In May, Alsup called the utility a “recalcitrant criminal.” And in the Chico courtroom during sentencing proceedings, other choice words by the federal judge were quoted more than once. Ramsey noted that, under state law and based on the evidence, PG&E’s executives are exempted from serving prison sentences. Moreover, a corporation itself cannot be imprisoned. “To really demonstrate the consequences of its misbehavior, we can only punish it by penalizing it financially, which quite frankly, under law, is too little for the enormity of the criminal behavior,” he said. “But it is a start. More than anything else today, by the historic nature of PG&E’s pleas to the 84 homicide counts, we establish something that might answer that question. What can we do to make it safe?” PG&E’s interim CEO, Bill Smith, flanked by attorneys and Aaron Johnson, the utility’s VP of wildfire safety and public engagement, represented the company that day. He said the corporation had heard “every word” spoken by the loved ones of
those killed by the wildfire. “We will never forget their pain. It can never be said too many times: We accept responsibility for our role in the Camp Fire, and all 23,000 employees are committed to making sure our equipment never again causes a catastrophe like this,” Smith said. “On behalf of everyone at PG&E, I’m truly sorry for the terrible loss of life and the physical and emotional damage resulting from the fire. I recognize that no apology, no plea, no sentencing can undo that damage, and no passage of time can lessen the anguish that we heard expressed in this courtroom. “All of us know that actions speak louder than words,” he continued. “We have taken action and we will continue to take action to combat the growing threat of wildfires and to keep our customers and communities safe.” Butte County Superior Court Judge Michael R. Deems echoed Ramsey regarding the exemption for prison time. “The court has considered the facts of this case, which establish a callous disregard for the safety and property of the citizens of Butte County,” he said. “The court has also considered that the only means of exacting punishment for the many serious crimes to which PG&E has pleaded is to impose a fine. Accordingly, the sentence imposed will be the maximum fines authorized by law.” But before doing so, ruling that the company pay nearly $3.5 million in fines, fees, assessments and surcharges, plus another $500,000 for the cost of the investigation, Deems quoted Alsup, the federal judge. “If ever there was a corporation that deserved to go to prison, it’s PG&E.” Ω J U LY 1 , 2 0 2 0
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FOR DENTURES WITH EXTRACTIONS ONLY
We are here to help!
COVID 19 has been stressful for many of us in Butte County as well as for many others around the world. Stress over a prolonged period of time can cause or make worse pre-existing conditions people might have as well. As a result, people can experience a significant increase in mental health challenges (anger, depression, anxiety, and fear) as well as increased substance use (drugs and or alcohol). If you or someone that you know is struggling with any of these issues there is help available. Reaching out for help is not a sign of personal failure or weakness. It is the right thing to do. Every day, millions of people face challenges related to mental health and substance use. You are not alone, and we are here to help. Butte County Behavioral Health has a mission to "Partner with individuals, families and the community for recovery from serious mental health and substance use issues and to promote wellness, resiliency and hope."
Now, more than ever, it is critical to pay attention to your mental wellness. If you or a loved one would like more information on local treatment and services, dial 2-1-1 to speak with someone for assistance.
Need help? If you have Medi-Cal and are interested in accessing services with Behavioral Health for mental health or substance use treatment or if you are in crisis: Please call our Access line (available 7 days a week 24 hours a day). 800.334.6622 or 530.891.2810 Services are provided in Chico, Paradise, Oroville, Gridley Additional resources are also available at buttecounty.net/ behavioralhealth
800.334.6622 or 530.891.2810 www.buttecounty.net/behavioralhealth/
july 1, 2020
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Arts &Culture Canceled by C����
The stage at Chico State’s Laxson Auditiorium likely won’t be prepped for another concert in front of a live audience until 2021. PHOTO BY LYLE LOVETT (COURTESY OF CHICO PERFORMANCES)
THROUGH
JULY An uncertain future for Chico’s music scene as pandemic impacts public events
W
BLUE ROOM DARK SEASON: The Blue Room has revamped
hen Smokey the Groove hit the stage
for its May 23 performance at Lost on Main, it had been the first gig in more than two months. Not just the first gig for the local psych/funk/ jam band, but also the by first show that any band Jason had played on a Chico Cassidy stage since Gov. Gavin j aso nc@ Newsom’s shelter-inn ewsrev i ew.c om place order was implemented on March 19. Lost on Main General Manager Karin Williams introduced Smokey by saying, “Until we can all get back to live live music, enjoy this.” She was referring to the concert attended by an audience of camera operators and soundpeople inside the downtown club, and broadcast online via Facebook Live. With California’s nightclubs and concert venues closed until we reach the final stop on California’s “Resilience Roadmap”—aka stage 4 of reopening—the internet is the only venue where Chicoans can catch a live band. The COVID-19 pandemic has wiped out the live music scene as Butte County knows it. It’s the same story in most cities in America, as musicians, venues and the workers who make the shows happen face an uncertain future in an industry that was among the first to be shut down and will be 28
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one of the last to return. The CN&R surveyed bookers and managers at local clubs, bars, cafes, galleries and concert halls to find out when the shows might return, what they’ll look like when they do, and how the community will be impacted. Stephen Cummins, director of University
Public Engagement at Chico State and booker of the school’s Chico Performances series at Laxson Auditorium, might’ve had the first coronavirus-related cancellation in Chico. The GuGu Drum Group from Shanghai, China, was scheduled to play the second show of its American tour at Laxson on Feb. 4. In January, as the news of the looming pandemic spread, Cummins called the group’s agent and asked, “Can you tell me that none of [the performers] have been to Wuhan Province?” The agent could not. This cancellation was prior to President Trump declaring a public health emergency and issuing travel restrictions for China, and more than a month before widespread cancellations of public events in this country. By mid-March, however, the writing was on the wall. As the pandemic spread, producers of large public gatherings—everything from concerts to sporting events—started postponing and canceling their shows. In conjunction with the university’s announcement of the suspen-
sion of in-person instruction on March 13, Cummins shut down the remainder of Chico Performances’ spring schedule. Since then, he’s also canceled all shows planned through Thanksgiving for the upcoming 2020-21 season. “We will probably be more careful than some people,” Cummins said about bringing audiences back to Laxson, pointing out that institutions like the university are normally “risk adverse” in the first place, and unlike a privately owned club, he doesn’t have to worry about making the rent. According to a survey conducted by the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), 90 percent of its 2,000 members said their venues will be forced to close permanently in a few months if they don’t receive federal funding. Under the banner of the Save Our Stages campaign, NIVA is lobbying Congress for expanded benefits under the Paycheck Protection Program, as well as a host of tax breaks for the industry that currently has virtually no revenue. “We refunded almost a million dollars in ticket sales [in the first month of the pandemic],” said Justin Maximov, owner of JMax Productions, the Chico company that books concerts for the Senator Theatre (as well at venues in Nevada and southern MUSIC CONTINUED ON PAGE 30
its schedule and replaced canceled stage plays with a new roster of virtual productions: “Theatre outside of the black box delivered straight to your couch.” Visit the theater’s website for updates on upcoming Zoom productions, and sign up at patreon.com/BlueRoomChico to watch already filmed productions of Treasure Island, Fresh Ink radio plays, Wilde Nights and more. Blue Room Theatre, 139 W. First St., 895-3749, blueroomtheatre.com
BLUE ZOOM THEATRE CAMP: Blue Room Theatre hosts its annual kids’ summer camp featuring improv, lip sync, design and a play. The camp will be held via Zoom until health guidelines allow in-person meetings. Throughout July, times vary. $150/week. Blue Room Theatre, 139 W. First St., 895-3749, blueroomtheatre.com
BLUE ROOM’S DARK SEASON All month
ONLINE EVENTS
IS YOUR EVENT ONLINE?
So is the CN&R calendar! Submit virtual and real-world events for the online calendar, as well as the monthly print edition, at chico.newsreview.com/calendar
MONCA EXHIBITS All month
MUSEUM OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA ART
CHICO ART CENTER: Flora – The Other Endangered Species, CAC’s call for art focusing on local, threatened native plants. Deadline for submissions is 8/2 for September show. 450 Orange St. chicoartcenter.com/flora
Valley Plaza (Wednesdays, 8am-1pm). Paradise: Alliance Church (Tuesdays, 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m.). Oroville: Riverbend Park (Saturdays, 7:30am-2pm); Dove’s Landing parking lot (Wednesdays, 9am-2pm). downtownchico.com; chico farmersmarket.com; orovillechamber. biz/calendar
FARMERS’ MARKETS: Butte County’s markets are open and selling fresh produce and more. Chico: Downtown (Saturdays, 7:30am-1pm & Thursdays, 6-9pm); North
ALZHEIMER’S CARE AND RESEARCH CONFERENCE
GATEWAY SCIENCE MUSEUM: The museum is physically closed, but it’s still offering virtual activities like folding paper airplanes, learning in the garden, wildlife art and reading and lectures from previous seasons that cover a variety of environmental topics. csuchico.edu/ gateway
MUSEUM OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA ART: Unbroken Legacies – Northern California Art Glass. An online video tour of the current exhibit featuring a variety of glass work from Northern California artists. Also, Refuge, a three panel video filmed over three years at the Gray Lodge Wildlife Area in Gridley. Both through 7/31. Just announced: MONCA has reopened for in-person visits, members only. Also, calls for art for No Word for Art (media created by artists with a Hmong-American background—submissions through 7/11) and Those Who Teach . . . Can! (media created by visual arts educators, past and present—submissions through 8/26). 900 Esplanade, 487-7272 monca.org
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July 10
ONLINE EVENT
WED
CONTENT MARKETING FOR YOUR STARTUP: The benefits of creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content at a reasonable cost. RSVP. Wed, 7/1, 10am. Online event, chicostart.com
science, plus communication strategies and insights into enhancing the lives of individuals living with Alzheimer’s and dementia. Fri, 7/10, 9am. Free. Online and by phone. 8959661, tinyurl.com/HelpHopeConf2020
7/18, 3pm. $35. The Lab Bar and Grill, 250 Cohasset Rd., Ste. 10. sienna-joy.square.site
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15
WED
MOTORCYCLE SWAP MEET: All motorcycle mer-
SYMPHONY INTERVIEW: North State Symphony conductor Scott Seaton talks with
Beethoven Idol winner Andrea Donati. Wed., 7/15, 9am. $35. Watch on symphony’s social media pages. northstatesymphony.org
chandise is welcome—except for the bikes themselves. Reserve a spot in advance. Sat, 7/25, 9am. Sierra Steel Harley-Davidson, 1501 Mangrove Ave.
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FRI
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SAT
CAR MEET: NorCal Automotive Community will
HERBS PLANT AND SIP: Get a drink, paint a small pot and plant two small herbs as part of a relaxed art experience. RSVP. Sat,
host a meet-up for local car enthusiasts. No matter what you drive, pull up to the event and show it off. Fri, 7/31, 8pm. Free. Kmart Parking Lot, 2155 Pillsbury Road.
EDITOR’S PICK
DOS AND DON’TS OF COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR COMMUNITY: Attendees will receive examples, best practices, and resources for nonprofit organizations to help address feedback from the community during COVID-19. Wed, 7/1, 11am. Online event, chicostart.com
4
WED
FOURTH OF JULY FIREWORKS: Oroville’s Independence Day fireworks show is on at the airport. Viewers are encouraged to tailgate outside Oroville Municipal Airport and remain in cars to ensure proper social distancing. Show starts 30 minutes after sunset. orovillecham ber.biz/calendar
10
FRI
ALZHEIMER’S CARE AND RESEARCH CONFERENCE: North State residents are invited to take part in a half-day virtual conference for family caregivers and professionals. The latest research findings in Alzheimer’s
DRIVE-IN FIREWORKS America is in a bad way in many respects, so cheering the bombs bursting in air might not feel like the best move. But tailgating does sound pretty comforting, so Oroville Rotary’s plan of putting on a social-distancing fireworks show drive-in style sounds like good medicine for the community. Gather outside Oroville Municipal Airport Saturday, July 4; fireworks start 30 minutes after sunset.
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Smokey the Groove during a May 23 livestream performance from inside a closed Lost on Main. PHOTO BY KEN PORDES
Oregon). After rescheduling some concerts multiple times, Maximov stopped selling shows and holding dates for touring acts. “I don’t think we’re going to have anything until the beginning of next year,” he estimated. “I’ve been doing this for 30 years. I don’t have a back-up plan.” Of the 15 Butte County venues contacted by the CN&R, 11 of them (mostly bars and restaurants with existing means of earning money) said they could make it without live music or government assistance. Continued existence for the rest is dependent on the return of shows or receiving financial help (two reported being turned down for federal loans and one received a modest Economic Injury Disaster Loan). More than half of the venues have canceled events indefinitely (with the exception of a handful of brunch/happy hour sets by solo acts physically distant from patrons), and the projected return for the rest is somewhere between this fall and spring/summer of 2021. “In my head, I don’t see a return to normalcy until this time next year,” said Jake Sprecher, booker for Duffy’s Tavern. He also produces the annual multi-venue Valley Fever music festival, which was slated for April and was forced to postpone until next spring/summer at the earliest. What “normal” will look like is hard to deter-
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mine at this juncture. No matter when Butte County venues are allowed to reopen, guidelines for physical distancing and crowd control will come with economic and logistical impacts. “Am I all of a sudden going to have another $1,000 to $2,000 in expenses?” Maximov wondered as he penciled out plexiglass barriers and extra staffing for line management coupled with reduced revenue from fewer patrons. “I don’t know what it’s going to cost me to put on a show anymore.” As for Duffy’s, a bar with limited space to begin with, if the stage area is cleared of tables for a performance, that further limits
seating in a place that’s already been required to increase spacing. “If you don’t have those tables full, you just lost 20 percent of your capacity,” added Sprecher. “All of a sudden the bar is making that much less money.” For Cummins at Chico State, logistics will be most challenging. “It’s not the theater houses [that are the problem]; it’s the size of the restrooms, and the size of the lobby, and our ability to queue people,” he said. “Just seating the audience socially distanced is probably the easiest thing in the equation.” There’s also the matter of when the touring bands will return. Not only will many booking be months away, but if venues in major cities like Portland and San Francisco—along the tour routes that feed into Chico—are forced to close down, tours will pass on our little city. “It really affects a market like Chico,” said Mahina Gannet, manager of the Big Room at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. “It’s along the way, and it works out really well for a lot of touring artists if those other venues exist. So many iconic venues might have to shut their doors forever, and it’s so heartbreaking to think about.” “I think the economic impact will be profound,” Cummins said when looking at the bigger picture. “I talk to the restaurateurs downtown and they all know the Chico Performances schedule, because they have to put extra waiters on that night.” Arts and music venues are a significant source of employment and revenue. The latest report from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis found that “arts and culture contributed $877.8 billion, or 4.5 percent, to the nation’s gross domestic product in 2017.” “It’s not just the ticket revenue,” Cummins stressed. “There’s so much more that’s coming back to the community, [including] our way of life, the little bit of beauty by getting to hear a singer-songwriter. There’s just the fact that the arts are transformative. And god, our society needs transformative experiences right now more than any other time.” Ω
Open Daily Noon - 9pm We appreciate the support of our community!
Enjoy our scrumptious food menu as you experience an ever changing collection of artisan beers. Come check out our new expansion! 2070 E 20th STE 160 Chico, CA 95928 PHONE: 530-894-BEER (2337)
jOiN us ON
Lotus Flower Imports july 1, 2020
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Yoga Center of ChiCo
CHOW
We are alive and Well! offering live online classes daily back to in-studio starting june 29th! Please go to our website: yogacenterofchico.com for information
yogacenterofchico.com • 342-0100 250 Vallombrosa #150 • next to t-bar
Trial by wood fire Two fun new Chico pizzerias open during the pandemic
Ring just two days to celebrate clearthe final hurdles to opening oland Allen and Alan Gross had
We Are Open! Stop in to see all of our improvements!
Still offering Daily SpecialS and SaleS! Update hours TueS-Sun 10am - 6pm 1405 Park Ave, Chico 530.892.9198 @ShowLoveThrift 32
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their new brewery/pizzeria. “We passed all our inspections literally 48 hours before the coronavirus lockdown,” Allen said by phone. It wasn’t the momentous debut they’d envisioned when they embarked on building Mulberry Station Brewing Co. on story & photos by the south side Jason Cassidy of town. But who includes j aso nc @ new srev i ew. c o m a global pandemic Mulberry Station and shuttered 175 E. 20th St. economy in 809-5616 their business mulberrystation.org plan? Hours: Tues.-Thurs., The restau3-8 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; rant’s name is Sun., 11 a.m.-8 p.m. a nod to the old Chico Electric Pizza Riot Railway that 206 Walnut, Ste. A used run 712-1647 veganpizzariot.com down nearby Open Tues.-Sat., Mulberry noon-8 p.m. Street, and it’s a bit heartbreaking to walk inside—now that the state’s dine-in restrictions have been eased—and see the huge dining room fairly empty due to physical-distancing requirements. The wide-open space with the
silver brew tanks in the corner and the wood-fired oven extending into the room—formerly Chico Auto Parts, and before that a bowling alley—has a lot of potential as an inviting gathering place for large groups, but likely won’t be fully realized until the pandemic is over. The owners have had to reinvent their business plan on the fly, which has meant temporarily abandoning one of the core tenets of the their food philosophy: Wood-fired pizza should be served fresh. There is a small window of perfection—pretty much just straight out of the blazing oven— but Allen and Gross had to adapt. “We were never going to deliver pizzas, and probably not going to do take-out,” Allen said. But Gov. Gavin Newsom’s initial order discontinuing dine-in services gave them few options. The pizzas are built on a Neapolitan-style crust, and the pie from my first visit—the Smoked Porky ($17), with smoked pork, Yukon gold potatoes, cheese, green onions and white garlic sauce— didn’t lose much in the ride home.
The crust—a little thicker than typical wood-fired ones—was still light and airy with a nice chewiness and tasty char on the bottom. Especially enjoyable at home was the 32-ounce crowler of Electric Rail Pale Ale ($12), which had a moderately malty body to balance the hops. With Allen as one of the brewmasters (alongside Dale Sakschewski), it’s not surprising. He has a long résumé that started with a decade as an assistant brewmaster at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. before starting Butte Creek Brewing in Chico in 1995. For the past seven years, he was the brewmaster at Feather Falls Casino Brewing Co. Next on my to-drink list is Roland’s Redder Ale, a beefed-up version—from 5.6 to 7.3 percent alcohol by volume—of the signature red ale that’s followed Allen throughout his career. The brewmaster says that business has been going “OK,” and he’s just hoping that COVID-19 cases don’t rise to point where restaurants and bars are forced to take a step backward.
Find us online chico.newsreview.com
& E N T E R T A I N M E N T
Mulberry Station Brewing Co.’s Electric Rail pale ale with the Smoked Porky (upper left), and the Sunflower and Dirty Burger from Pizza Riot.
qualities in mind. The most notorious example on the menu is the Dirty Burger (an homage to the burger stand from Trailer Park Boys), a sort of deconstructed hamburger on a crust (for $15), with barbecue sauce, “mozzarella,” Beyond Burger meat, cherry tomatoes, pickles and red onions. The sweet sauce and tangy pickle cement the familiar impression and are great complements as well. During my first visit, I also picked up one of Pizza Riot’s Sunflowers, which is a mini pizza in the center surrounded by folded “petals” filled with outof-this-world house ricotta (made with cashews) and basil. I got the original ($14) with a “cheeze” and marinara pizza center and fresh marinara dipping sauce. The airy, chewy crust on both pies was perfectly done. Some of the other inventive pizzas include the Japanarchy (featuring shitake mushrooms, sesame seeds, lime and teriyaki drizzle) and the Korean Cholo (with chorizo, jalapeños, avocado-lime drizzle and a side of kimchi). There’s also a selection of Asian-Mexican fusion tacos and Riot Dogs, featuring Beyond Meat dogs wrapped in pizza dough. Ω
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corridor of Walnut Street/Nord Avenue, another wood-fired oven has been pushing out Neapolitanstyle crusts during the pandemic. Pizza Riot opened one week before California’s stay-at-home order was issued. Before then, owners Kristin and Bruce Riot had already become somewhat established in Chico as street vendors. The husband and wife had been selling their pies at various locations around town for several months, building a reputation with a creative menu of vegan, organic, non-GMO pies. “Luckily we had a really good platform from our pop-up,” Kristin said during a recent phone interview. The mother of two was often seen wearing her baby daughter in a sling as she shaped dough at pop-ups, and the couple leveraged social media to build a following of people craving vegan options as well as many meat-eaters who didn’t realize the menu was all plant-based. “They were surprised to find out that we were vegan,” Kristin said. “People are missing texture and seasoning [of meat],” she added, so several of the options are created with replicating those
C H I C O ’ S
Across town, on the student-centric
Serving Survivors and Significant Others of Sexual Violence in Butte, Glenn & Tehama Counties Since 1974
We are open and affirming to all regardless of ability, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation Virtual Counseling, Education and Volunteer Programs Available Butte/Glenn: 530-891-1331 Tehama: 530-529-3980 Corning: 530-824-3982
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24hr CRISIS LINE: 530-342-RAPE (7273) Collect Calls Accepted
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We are open! Thank you
to our community for your support!
ARTS DEVO by JASON CASSIDY • jasonc@newsreview.com
THANK YOU! This newspaper is in your hands because of you. You gave money in a shutdown
economy during a global pandemic ... to a broke newspaper! You gave money to Arts DEVO, literally. I still have a job thanks to reader donations (as well as some of that sweet low-interest federal cash). I imagine that it was community journalism, and not dog food and my mortgage, that was on your mind when you hit the “Donate Now” button—but with a very content poodle at my feet and a roof over my head, I promise to put in good work with my co-conspirators to honor your support and keep this Chico institution vital. As you’ll read in other places in this issue (see Second & Flume, page 4; Publisher’s note, page 6), we are still figuring out what form the CN&R will take postpause. One thing we do know is that we’ll be be telling our community’s stories daily on the new improved website (chico.newsreview. com) and monthly in print through October. And, after that, hopefully something more permanent. Just a Chico hero shotgunning-in-place with his roomies.
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stuff happens are open, and that most won’t be for some time, but I also know that many of you have spent your shelter-in-place making cool stuff. You’ve had to! And that is something. In fact, it might be everything. I’m going to have to tell plenty of bummer stories about the damaged art scene (see “Canceled by COVID,” page 28), but what’s going to get me and you through this time is the art you make. Help me tell the story behind the song you’ve been wood-shedding. Please, send me your pissed-off poetry. Share the series of paintings that nobody has seen yet! Or, maybe you didn’t make a damn thing, and you filled your lockdown with a bunch of freaky depravity? That sounds amazing! Definitely send me evidence of that. I’m not just joking here. I really do want to be connected to whatever everyone’s been up to. Email me right now and I will celebrate it, either on these rare pages or online. Like this: Zac Elstein, one of my favorite local artists, is always working on something new. He spent last year making beautiful creepy light boxes filled with animal skeletons, dead plants, and deteriorating wood and metal detritus for multiple exhibitions that I couldn’t keep my eyes off. This year, he’s building art for our ears. His handmade wooden music boxes are simple, beautiful machines that look like little speaker boxes, with speaker grills fashioned out of lace fabric of various patterns. The music coming from inside comes from a tiny MP3 player that’s been programmed with a melody Elstein crafted on a punch-card music box and then recorded. Songs range from “November Rain” by Guns ’N’ Roses to “Space Oddity” by David Bowie. Elstein sells the boxes for $50 and will program one with your song of choice for an additional $30. (He says the most requested are Radiohead and John Prine songs.) Check out @_music_boxes_ on Instagram for video examples, with each of Elstein’s music boxes set in uniquely dressed still life scenes. Music box still life by Zac Elstein.
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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY For the week oF July 2, 2020
Is your event online? So is the CN&R calendar!
‹
Submit your virtual and real-world events at chico.newsreview.com/calendar
Good To-Go
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Aries author
Marge Piercy writes, “The people I love the best, jump into work head first without dallying in the shallows.” The Aries people I love best will do just that in the coming days. Now is not the right time to wait around passively, lazily hoping that something better will come along. Nor is it prudent to procrastinate or postpone decisions while shopping around for more options or collecting more research. Dive!
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Calvin and
Hobbes is a comic strip by Bill Watterson. It features a boy named Calvin and his stuffed tiger Hobbes. In the first panel of one story, Calvin is seated at a school desk looking perplexed as he studies a question on a test, which reads: “Explain [Isaac] Newton’s First Law of Motion in your own words.” In the second panel, Calvin has a broad smile, suddenly imbued with inspiration. In the third panel, he writes his response to the test question: “Yakka foob mog. Grug pubbawup zink wattoom gazork. Chumble spuzz.” The fourth panel shows him triumphant and relaxed, proclaiming, “I love loopholes.” I propose that you use this scenario as your victorious metaphor in the coming weeks. Look for loopholes! And use them to overcome obstacles and solve riddles.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “It is a fault
to wish to be understood before we have made ourselves clear to ourselves,” wrote philosopher and activist Simone Weil. I’m hoping that this horoscope of mine can help you avoid that mistake. In the coming weeks and months, you will have a stronger-thanusual need to be seen for who you really are—to have your essential nature be appreciated and understood by people you care about. And the best way to make sure that happens is to work hard right now on seeing, appreciating, and understanding yourself.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Some read-
Who’s open? ■ Who’s doing curbside? ■ Delivery? Dine-in? ■
Visit the CN&R’s new dining listings page to find out what options are on the menu at local eateries.
chico.newsreview.com/local-dining
ers wish I would write more like Cormac McCarthy or Albert Camus or Raymond Chandler—with spare simplicity. They accuse me of being too lush and exuberant in my prose. They want me to use shorter sentences and fewer adjectives. To them I say: It ain’t going to happen. I have feelings similar to those of best-selling Cancerian author Oliver Sacks, who the New York Times called “one of the great clinical writers of the 20th century.” Sacks once said, “I never use one adjective if six seem to me better and, in their cumulative effect, more incisive. I am haunted by the density of reality and try to capture this with ‘thick description.’” I bring these thoughts to your attention because I think it’s important for you to be your lavish, sumptuous, complex self in the coming weeks. Don’t oversimplify yourself or dumb yourself down, either intellectually or emotionally.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Travel writer Paul
Theroux has journeyed long distances by train: once from Britain to Japan and back again, and then from Massachusetts to Argentina. He also rode trains during part of his expedition from Cairo to Cape Town. Here’s one of his conclusions: “It is almost axiomatic that the worst trains take you through magical places.” I’d like to offer a milder version of that counsel as your metaphor for the coming weeks: The funky, bumpy, rickety influences will bring you the best magic.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Philosopher
Miguel de Unamuno declared, “Everything that exalts and expands consciousness is good, while that which depresses and diminishes it is evil.” This idea will be intensely true for and applicable to you in the coming weeks. It will be your sacred duty—both to yourself and to those you care about—to enlarge your understandings of how the world works and to push your awareness to become more inclusive and empathetic. What’s your vision of paradise-on-earth? Now is a good time to have fun imagining it.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): What do you
by rob brezsny want to be when you grow up? What’s that you say? You firmly believe you are already all grown up? I hope not! In my vision of your destiny, you will always keep evolving and transforming; you will ceaselessly transcend your existing successes and push on to accomplish further breakthroughs and victories. Now would be an excellent time to rededicate yourself to this noble aspiration. I invite you to dream and scheme about three specific wonders and marvels you would like to experience during the next five years.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): U.S. Sen.
Elizabeth Warren has advice that would serve you well in the coming weeks. She says, “Keep a little space in your heart for the improbable. You won’t regret it.” In accordance with your astrological potentials, I’m inclined to amend her statement as follows: “Keep a sizable space in your heart for the improbable. You’ll be rewarded with catalytic revelations and intriguing opportunities.” To attract blessings in abundance, be willing to set aside some of your usual skepticism and urge for control.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
Author Malidoma Somé lives in the U.S. now, but was born in the West African country of Burkina Faso. He writes, “In the culture of my people, the Dagara, we have no word for the supernatural. The closest we come to this concept is Yielbongura, ‘the thing that knowledge can’t eat.’ This word suggests that the life and power of certain things depend upon their resistance to the categorizing knowledge that human beings apply to everything.” I bring Somé’s thoughts to your attention because I suspect that in the coming weeks, you will encounter more than the usual number of experiences that knowledge can’t eat. They might at times be a bit spooky or confounding, but will mostly be interesting and fun. I’m guessing that if you embrace them, they will liberate you from overly literal and materialistic ideas about how the world works. And that will be good for your soul.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
Pioneer Capricorn scientist Isaac Newton is often hailed as one of history’s greatest geniuses. I agree that his intellectual capacities were sublime. But his emotional intelligence was sparse and feeble. During the time he taught at Cambridge University, his talks were so affectless and boring that many of his students skipped most of his classes. I’ll encourage you to make Newton your anti-role model for the next eight weeks. This time will be favorable for you to increase your mastery of three kinds of intelligence beyond the intellectual kind: feeling, intuition and collaboration.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): When
future writer (and Aquarius) Charles Dickens was 12 years old, his parents and siblings got incarcerated in a debtors’ prison. To stay alive and help his family, he took a job working 12 hours a day, six days a week, pasting labels on pots of boot polish in a rotting, rat-infested warehouse. Hard times! Yet the experiences he had there later provided him with rich material for the novels that ultimately made him wealthy and beloved. In predicting that you, too, will have future success at capitalizing on difficulty, I don’t mean to imply you’ve endured or will endure anything as harsh as Dickens’ ordeal. I’m just hoping to help you appreciate the motivating power of your challenging experiences.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Maybe you
feel that the ongoing pandemic has inhibited your ability to explore and deepen intimacy to the degree that would like to. But even if that’s the case, the coming weeks will provide openings that could soften and remedy your predicament. So be extra receptive and alert to the clues that life reveals to you. And call on your imagination to look for previously unguessed and unexpected ways to reinvent togetherness and tenderness. Let’s call the next three weeks your Season of Renewing Rapport.
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.
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