Butte County election officials reported higher-than-expected turnout in the Nov. 3 general election, with about 78,000 ballots cast - roughly 62% of registered voters. The total is still rising. County Clerk-Recorder and Registrar of Voters Keaton Denlay said turnout exceeded the county's expectations and was higher than in the previous gubernatorial general election, when about 59% of registered voters cast ballots. The county expects to certify election results on Monday, Nov. 30.

the City of Chico have posted a way for residents looking for an easier way to follow major development activity The free Active Development Map shows each project's location and status, from application through completion. Users can filter projects by type and highlight those that include affordable housing. Project details may include size, housing units, key dates and a link to a staff report. The map covers major development activity and will be updated quarterly. find out more on the Citys website

The City of Chico Public Works Department will begin the annual leaf collection program on November 16, 2026. The last collection route through the City will begin on January 1, 2027. After the last pickup on your street in January, no more leaves may be placed in the street. The City does not maintain a set schedule to collect residential leaves. The leaf collection route begins in the southwest section of the city and progresses northerly in a clockwise direction until the entire City is serviced. The process is then repeated. The route can take up to 6 weeks to complete.

PACIFIC GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY (PG&E) ANNOUNCED IT HAS REACHED A MAJOR WILDFIRE SAFETY MILESTONE, INSTALLING AND ENERGIZING 1,500 MILES OF UNDERGROUND POWER LINES IN HIGH FIRE-THREAT DISTRICTS SINCE LAUNCHING ITS UNDERGROUNDING PROGRAM IN 2021. IN BUTTE COUNTY THE UTILITY HAS UNDERGROUNDED 427 MILES OF LINES TO SUPPORT ONGOING EFFORTS TO MITIGATE WILDFIRE RISK, PG&E RECENTLY FILED A 10-YEAR ELECTRICAL UNDERGROUNDING PLAN (EUP) PROPOSING TO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE WILDFIRE RISK AND IMPROVE RELIABILITY BY UNDERGROUNDING 5,000 MILES OF POWERLINES ACROSS MORE THAN 30 COUNTIES IN NORTHERN AND CENTRAL CALIFORNIA

Social media companies are suing California, going after a new law restricting their sites' use for children. Google, Meta and Tik Tok separately filed the lawsuits in federal court this week. The law restricts companies from targeting children younger than 16 with "addictive" social media content that supporters say is designed to keep them scrolling for hours. It bars social media sites from providing features like autoplay and recommended content displays to teenagers and young children. The companies are citing their First Amendment right to free speech and the Communications Decency Act, which protects online platforms from being sued due to content posted by third parties.

A Butte County jury convicted a Magalia man of multiple rape and domestic violence charges following a two-week trial. Authorities say Christopher Killion, 25, was found guilty of two counts of forcible rape, forcible sodomy and domestic violence charges. The convictions stem from violent sexual and physical abuse against three separate women with whom Killion had domestic relationships between 2021 and 2023, officials say. Officials say Killion is next in court on Dec. 9 for sentencing where he faces upwards of 98 years to life

California has approved the first major water storage project in the state in decades. The Sites Reservoir will build two large dams and nine smaller ones to store water from the Sacramento River, inundating about 15 thousand acres northwest of Sacramento. Construction on the seven-billion-dollar project is expected to start next year and finish by 2034. Plans for a reservoir in the region have been discussed since the 1950s, with the current project discussions starting in 2010. Sites will be California's largest new reservoir since 1979, holding up to one and a half million acre-feet of water. Governments will cover a third of costs, including just over one billion dollars from a state bond. The reservoir will collect water from the Sacramento River during wet years to manage what experts say will be times of more rain and less snow as the climate changes.

A long-planned affordable housing project aimed at helping seniors in Chico is now under construction, backed in part by disaster recovery funding tied to the 2018 Camp Fire. Christian Church Homes, working in partnership with the city of Chico, Butte County and the state, has broken ground on Humboldt Senior Housing, an 80-unit development designed as single-story cottages. The homes will be for people 62 and older, with household income limits of around $50,000. Company Offcicials said most clients typically make about $18,000 a year. Officials say they expect the homes to be ready in about 15 months.

Walnut growers across Butte County are reporting a smaller crop this year as harvest season winds down, with unusually warm spring temperatures believed to be a key factor. The Butte County Farm Bureau said growers have reported yield decreases ranging from 15% to 20%, based on their individual experiences in the fields. Officials feel that higher market price will offset the lower production yield. Butte County is the state's second-largest walnut-producing county behind San Joaquin County.

 

Check out Butte County Registrar Site for latest Election Results 

 

https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/CA/Butte/126778/web.345435/#/summary

For the latest up to date click here Thanks to Cal Matters

 

https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/11/california-election-results-november-2026/

The driver in the fiery crash south of Chico that killed two teenagers in January is now facing charges after the California Highway Patrol's Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team has completed its report. 19-year-old Santino Ramirez and his best friend, 17-year-old Carter Lyles, died in a crash on Dayton Road near Owen Lane. Drew Thompson, who officials say was driving that night, was the only survivor of the crash. Last week, Thompson was arrested and charged with two felony counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. Thompson faces 5 years and 4 months in state prison, if convicted. Thompson is currently set to return to court on January 8

The North Valley Community Foundation is accepting grant applications during the month of November for its Camp Fire Fund Grant Program. The community foundation has issued more than $67 million in grants since the Camp Fire on Nov. 8, 2018. As the case management system for individuals winds down this year, the annual grant program remains for nonprofit organizations and government agencies that remain active in recovery in the Camp Fire footprint. These grants typically range from $1,000 to $15,000. Applications close on Monday, Nov. 30, and awards will be announced in mid-December.

The Milwaukee Brewers are World Series champions. Milwaukee defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 in Game Five Wednesday night. It's the Brew Crew's first World Series title in franchise history. The Rays entered the game down three-games-to-one. They narrowly avoided a sweep by taking down the Brewers in Game Four Tuesday night.

Two Northern California county's say they will not comply with the Department of Justice request to investigate voters who the Trump Administration believes may not be citizens. Both Butte and Tehama County say the Trump Administration requests are lacking key documents to warrant further investigation. Butte County Clerk Recorder Keaton Denlay reviewed the claims by the DOJ and says the allegations are false. Tehama County election officials say the documents were not complete with some data fields incomplete. They also stated the request lacked a subpoena, search warrant or court orders. Tehama County officials telling KRCR television that removing any voters now on the information provided would leave the county open to litigation.

Chico State faculty and staff held a union rally demanding higher wages and better benefits... The skilled workers are looking for cost-of-living adjustments, job security protections and sustainable workloads. Union members are also looking for protections regarding artificial intelligence and academic freedom. Organizers of the rally are calling the Chancellor's 3 percent pay raise and 3 percent bonus not enough to cover the cost of living. The Union has filed unfair labor practice charges including outsourcing mental health counselor work and accuses the CSU system of launching an artificial intelligence initiative without bargaining with the union. California Faculty Association members begin voting this week on whether to authorize a strike.

California officials want the FBI to help stop thousands of illegal marijuana farms in Northern California. Last year, officials destroyed nearly 333 thousand illegal plants and seized over 54 thousand pounds of processed marijuana in Siskiyou County alone. Representative James Gallagher also says some of these farms may also be run or funded by Chinese organized crime groups. A 2018 case led to the seizure of over one hundred properties linked to illegal grows funded by Chinese money. He says the farms have also moved onto federal lands, including the Shasta-Trinity National Forest.

The Chico School Board approved part of the requested funding to bring back school resource officers. As part of a grant-funded program, the police chief came back with a smaller budget request. the 3-2 vote approved a smaller budget at 230K and 1 addtional officer The grant money will fund two officers and a supervisor. The plan is to have the school resource officers at the high schools next July.

Gun owners in California and gun owners moving into the state, will soon face new training requirements under a newly passed bill aimed at expanding firearm safety education. Under Senate Bill 948, the requirement to obtain a Firearm Safety Certificate will change from only a written test to both a written test and a minimum four-hour course that includes live-fire training. The safety course will have to be completed every five years to maintain a Firearm Safety Certificate, which has been the standard with the written test. The new requirement is set to take effect Jan. 1, 2029.

One man is dead and another injured after a stabbing at a Save Mart store in Marysville. After yesterday's attack, people in the store were able to restrain the suspect. He's now identified as Samuel Hartbower. The 33-year-old is currently facing charges of homicide and assault with a deadly weapon. It does not appear that the victim knew the attacker. The Yuba City Police Department says Hartbower had an active felony warrant for assault and was, at the time of the attack, on Post Release Community Supervision in Yuba County.

CAL FIRE law enforcement officers say they made 135 arrests related to arson across California through September. that is down from the previous year . Officials say each intentionally set fire puts lives, homes, communities and firefighters at risk. Officials said tips from the public are crucial in preventing arson and protecting communities.

A 67 yr old man was killed after a head-on crash on State Route 162 in Willows around 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, CHP says 26-year-old Cameron Vessels was driving a pickup eastbound on Highway 162, east of County Road 304, when he traveled across the center line into the westbound lane and hit a motorcyclist head-on.CHP officers determined Vessels was under the influence. He was arrested and booked into Glenn County Jail for murder. The crash in still under investigation.

Chico police are investigating after a man was found dead in the Lindo Channel on Sunday morning. At about 8:50 a.m., a citizen called Chico Police Dispatch to report a person lying in the Lindo Channel near Manzanita Avenue and Hilda Way. The caller said the person was lying on top of an electric bicycle and appeared to be unresponsive. Chico Fire Department, Butte EMS and Chico police officers responded and determined the person was dead. The man has not yet been identified.

The war in Iran reportedly cost about 246-million dollars per day in its first five months. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office released a report on Tuesday estimating the war with Iran cost the U.S. over 38-billion dollars from late February to early August, and could cost up to three-billion dollars for each additional month. The report said over half that cost has come from replacing all the munitions used in the fighting. The war has also led to higher fuel prices around the world.

The Oroville Police Department is investigating after the body of a woman was found at an homeless encampment on Feather River Island. Tuesday morning The reporting party told law enforcement that a deceased individual was at an homeless encampment Officers located the body of a middle aged female. The Oroville Police Department says there are no indications of any foul play associated with the individual's death.