The Recent spring storm dropped more than three and a half feet of snow in hte eastern Sierra Nevada. The UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab says the storm helped the late-season snowpack, but warm winter temperatures mean snow levels are still low. On April 1st, the Sierra snowpack was just 18 percent of average. Officials warn the low snow levels could make drought and water shortages worse unless heavy rain or snow arrives. According to the US Drought Monitor, much of the state is already abnormally dry. Several Northeastern counties are already experiencing moderate drought conditions, including portions of Lassen, Plumas, Sierra, Placer and El Dorado Counties.

The Aaron Rodgers NorCal Fire Recovery Grant Program has awarded 29 grants totaling $200,000 for projects largely focused on the health and wellness of young people in Butte County. Nonprofit and youth-serving organizations, including local governments and public schools, were eligible to apply to the annual grant program at North Valley Community Foundation. Seventy-five applications were received. The 29 grants awarded ranged from $2,500 to $15,000. Rodgers opened up the fire recovery fund at NVCF after the Camp Fire in 2018 and also started a fund benefiting locally owned small businesses during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

A religious cult leader in Oroville was supposed to be sentenced in a Butte County courtroom on Tuesday, but the date was delayed. Sansue Vang was found guilty in February by a jury of eight counts of child molestation and three counts of rape after a seven-day trial. the prosecution informed the court that numerous victims wish to speak, with some providing written statements for the judge to consider during sentencing. Vang will return to court on June 9. He is facing a potential sentence of life in prison.

The Chico Police Department arrested a Magalia man charges with soilicitation of a minor . During the operation, they gathered evidence documenting illicit conversations between a man later identified as Brandon Wheeler and two victims believed to be 13-year-old girls. In the conversations, Wheeler used an alias, asked the girls to send explicit photos and attempted to meet them in person. CPD officers arrested Wheeler during a planned traffic stop on Highway 70 at Cox Lane on April 8, 2026.

the Chico Police Department along with Butte County EMS responded to Petersen Memorial Drive in Lower Bidwell Park in Chico at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday after receiving a report of a unresponsive person. Authorities say that a passing bystander contacted 9-1-1 and had begun performing CPR on the person. first responders continued performing life-saving measures However, despite the best efforts of emergency responders, the subject passed away. Authorities say at this time, there are no signs of foul play and the public is not believed to be at any risk.

California's high-speed rail project between Los Angeles and San Francisco has faced repeated delays and continues to see soaring costs. According to Anthony Williams from the California High Speed Rail Authority, who spoke with CBS's "60 Minutes" on Sunday, the project's price tag is now at 126-billion dollars -- almost four times the original budget. The project also faces a 90-billion-dollar funding shortfall. In nearly 20 years, only a section in the Central Valley has seen any construction. The project is now slated to be finished far later than initially thought with an estimated opening date of 2033.

UNITED WAY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA HAS ANNOUNCED THEY WILL BE DOWNSIZING THEIR OPERATIONS . WITH THE RECENT COMPLETION OF THEIR MICRO SHELTER SITE AND OPERATION . THEY ARE FOCUSING AWAY FROM DIRECT SERVICES TO A BROADER REGIONAL STRATEGY. THE ORGANIZATION SAYS THAT ECONOMIC CONDITIONS ARE DRIVING THE SHIFT INCLUDING REDUCTION IN STAFFING AND THE CLOSURE OF ITS REDDING OFFICE. OFFCIALS SAY THAT THEIR FOCUS STILL REMAINS ON SERVING THE 9 COUNTIES AND CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH VITAL RESOURCES.

President Trump has ousted U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. In a Truth Social post on Thursday, Trump announced that Bondi will be leaving the administration and moving to a private sector job. The move comes after Bondi faced criticism over her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Bondi was subpoenaed by the House Oversight Committee over the issue with her scheduled to be deposed on April 14th. This marks the second cabinet member Trump has fired in his second term. Trump said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche will now serve as Acting Attorney General.

An elementary school teacher from Shasta County is under arrest for allegedly abusing several children. The Shasta County Sheriff's Office says Jandee Marie Smart was arrested yesterday for assault with a deadly weapon, corporal punishment of a child, assault resulting in great bodily injury, and several counts of child abuse. The 43-year-old teacher worked at the North Cottonwood Elementary School. Any other victims should call the Shasta County Sheriff's Office.

An Oroville Mother pleaded no contest Thursday in Butte County Superior Court to felony child abuse and causing great bodily harm in connection with her child's death. Chelsea Whitfield admitted to the child abuse charge and admitted an enhancement for causing great bodily injury to her child. The charges stem from the fentanyl-related death of her two-year-old son, who was found unresponsive at their Oroville home in March 2025 and later pronounced dead. She'll be in court April 30 for sentencing

The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments today in a high-profile case involving President Trump's plan to end birthright citizenship. Trump signed an executive order on his first day back in office to end birthright citizenship for children born to parents in the U.S. illegally or temporarily. Opponents to Trump's plan have argued that goes against the Constitution's 14th Amendment. The Trump administration claims the 14th Amendment was only intended to ensure former slaves and their children were recognized as U.S. citizens after the Civil War.

Cynthia Daley with the Center for Regenerative Agriculture and Resilient Systems at the Chico State Farm says we haven't felt the price crunch yet because the crops are still in the ground. But, she says the closing of the Straight of Hormuz is affecting agriculutural inputs like fertilizer which could see 40 percent price increases... Daley tsaysthat the Straight of Hormuz handles about one-third of the world's fertilizer supply. She says when that route is disrupted it tightens global supply. She says this tightening comes as farmers ready for the spring planting season

The Rebuild Paradise Foundation, an organization dedicated to aiding residents following the destruction of the 2018 Camp Fire, has announced its decision to sunset, effectively ending its operations after years of impactful service. Notable initiatives included a Master Floor Plan Library, the Missing Middle, Gravel, and Septic grants, which collectively provided over $2.7 million in grants directly to homeowners. A Community-Wide Sunset celebration is scheduled on June 27 at 6 p.m. at Paradise Community Park.

Governor Gavin Newsom is polling in third place among Democrats likely to face off in the 2028 New Hampshire presidential primary. Emerson College Polling surveyed a thousand likely voters earlier this week. Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is leading among Democrats, with more than 19 percent support. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is in second place, with more than eleven percent support, followed closely by Newsom. More than 23 percent of likely Democratic voters remain undecided. Vice President JD Vance is overwhelmingly leading the poll among likely Republican candidates, with nearly 43 percent support

An old lumber mill in Susanville was destroyed in an early morning fire Sunday, Authorities said the fire resulted in the loss of "an irreplaceable piece of the community's history," but no injuries to civilians or firefighters have been reported. First responders were able to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading beyond the mill site, limiting further damage. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

A Butte County Jail inmate was transferred to state prison Monday to begin serving an 18-year sentence for attacking a correctional deputy last year, authorities said. Guy Dalrymple was sentenced for the August 13, 2025, assault that occurred while he was in custody at the Butte County Jail. Authorities said Dalrymple struck the deputy multiple times . During the struggle, the deputy suffered a dislocated shoulder and a fractured arm.

One of the Republican candidates for Governor in California wants federal funding to USC cut, after the university canceled Tuesday's night's debate. Steve Hilton has written a letter to U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon asking for the funding cut while the reasons for the debate cancellation are reviewed. In the letter, Hilton says Democrats turned the whole thing into a mess, the public has a right to hear from the candidates, and there needs to be clear accountability about what happened. Hilton, Republican Chad Bianco, and four Democrats were supposed to be on the debate stage, but when the forum was announced, there was criticism that only white candidates were invited. USC has defended its selection criteria, but said it canceled the debate at the last minute because the criticism became too much of a distraction.

Assemblyman James Gallagher has introduced A BILL that requires the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to develop recommendations to cut electricity rates by at least 30% by January 1, 2028, . The bill would further require the PUC to include in its report an assessment of verified restitution shortfalls for victims of wildfires caused by electrical corporations occurring before July 12, 2019 - including victims covered by the Fire Victim's Trust (FVT),

CHICO STATE HAS ANNOUNCED THEY ARE CANCELLING THE CESAR CHAVEZ DAY EVENTS ON CAMPUS ON MARCH 31 ..USUALLY THEY HOLD A CATS IN THE COMMUNITY CLEAN UP DAY...UNIVERSITY OFFCIALS SAY THEY WILL NOT BE DOING EVENTS ON MARCH 31 BUT WILL HOLD VOLUNTEER EVENTS IN APRIL.

State lawmakers are moving quickly to rename Cesar Chavez Day. Yesterday, the State Assembly voted 67-to-nothing to approve AB 2156. That's the bill that proposes changing Cesar Chavez Day to Farmworkers Day. The State Senate is now considering the measure and it could be on Governor Gavin Newsom's desk by Thursday. Cesar Chavez Day takes place in California next Tuesday. The rapid legislative action is happening one week after the New York Times published a multi-year investigation. Several women say they were sexually assaulted by the late labor leader when they were as young as 12.

A federal judge has denied the City of Chico's motion to withdraw from or modify the Warren v. Chico settlement agreement, a 2022 deal that restricts the city's ability to enforce anti-camping laws against homeless individuals. The ruling, issued by U.S. District Court Judge Dale A. Drozd keeps the agreement in place until its scheduled expiration on January 14, 2027. The city sought to exit the settlement, arguing that the 2024 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Grants Pass v. Johnson-which gave cities greater authority to enforce anti-camping laws-superseded the local agreement. The court found that the city voluntarily entered into the settlement, which provides stronger protections for the unhoused than the minimum constitutional requirements. The judge noted that challenges in enforcement and the legal landscape were foreseeable, and the city cannot unilaterally break the contract

The Butte County Sheriff's Office is investigating a in-custody medical emergency that occurred at the Butte County Jail on Monday afternoon. Authorities say at around 2:32 p.m. A correctional deputy at the Butte County Jail was conducting a routine security check inside of the housing unit discovered a 35-year-old male inmate who was unresponsive inside of their single-occupancy cell. The Sheriffs office reports the inmate had a bedsheet around his neck, which was attached to the interior of the cell. Staff was able to obtain a pulse for the inmate, who was transported to a local hospital for further evaluation and treatment.

Chico's new 30 million dollar aquatic center is slated to open later this year Two of three pools have been delivered and work is underway. Chico Area Recreation and District General Manager Scott Schumann says that included water park will include a 50 meter competition pool and a 25 yard leisure pool Shumann says two of the pools will be heated so they can be used during the winter months for recreation and rehabilitation purposes. The center is expected to open this September

The North State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (NSHCC) has canceled its planned Cesar Chavez Celebration event in Chico, after the New York Times reported allegations of sexual misconduct against Chavez. The event was set to take place at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds on Sunday March 29. The Chamber says it can no longer move forward in supporting the event in its current form.

A new poll shows Republicans have a strong chance of upsetting Democrats in the race for California's next governor. UC Berkeley's Institute of Governmental Studies released the poll today. It shows Republicans Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco leading their Democratic opponents by slim margins. Hilton, a conservative commentator, has the support of 17 percent of likely voters. Bianco, the Riverside County Sheriff, has the support of 16 percent of likely voters. They are going against eight top Democrats, none of whom have emerged as a clear frontrunner. California has a top-two primary system, meaning the top two vote-getters in the June primary, regardless of party, advance to the November general election.