Starting Monday March 31 , construstion crews will begin a major water pipeline project on Elliot Road in Paradise . The project,replacing a water main pipeline along Elliott Road, between Clark Road and the Skyway, is necessary due to the age of the current pipeline and the leaks impacting the pipeline. The Paradise Irrigation District says that when they learned that the Town of Paradise would begin repaving work on Elliott Road in July, PID switched their pipe replacement priorities to start work on this project now so the work would not impact a freshly-repaved roadway. Work on the project is expected to be completed by the end of June, Officials say that work on the project will impact travel, traffic, and parking along Elliott Road in-between Clark Road and the Skyway.

The man accused of starting the fourth largest fire in California history was in a Butte County courtroom this week.... Ronnie Stout was schedule to be arraigned but his attorney Nicole Diamond told the court there was a "dispute of discussions" off the record between her and the District Attorney's Office. Stout waived his right to a preliminary hearing in January. Diamond told the court she would not have waived her client's right to that hearing had the DA's office met certain assurances with her client. Judge Kristen Lucena granted Diamond's waiver and Stout will be back in court on April 10th. Stout is accused of pushing a burning car into a ravine in Upper Bidwell Park in July of 2024. The ensuing fire burned for 64 days enveloping more than 429-thousand acres. If convicted Stout could spend 25 years to life in prison

The Butte County Association of Governments (BCAG) has unveiled a comprehensive plan to enhance B-Line bus services across the county, under the initiative "Building a Better B-Line." Changes will occur throughout the next 18 to 24 months. Some of the plans have already been moving forward with the Cutting of some routes and improving others .. Further enhancements in 2026 will feature the implementation of zero-emissions buses, stop upgrades, routing changes, and the potential introduction of a route from Chico to Sacramento.

On Tuesday night, the Red Bluff City Council voted to close the approved homeless camp at Dog Island Park. The decision made by the city council officially takes effect in 30 days. That is when the homeless people camping at Dog Island Park will be removed. Red Bluff City Manager Tom Westbrook stated that city staff will meet later today to discuss the next steps. Admitting while how it's going to happen is still in the works, he can confirm people will no longer be camping at Dog Island Park after the 30-day period.

Sierra Nevada Brewery announced the cancellation of this year's Beer Camp and Oktoberfest events. The brewery cited rising production costs, declining ticket sales, and unpredictable weather as reasons for the decision.

Sea levels rose more than expected last year. That's according to NASA. It was the hottest year on record due to climate change, leading to a rise of nearly a quarter of an inch, exceeding the anticipated point-17 inches. Since 1993, sea levels have increased by four inches and are rising more than twice as fast. Experts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration warn that by the end of the century, global sea levels could rise by at least one foot compared to the year 2000, even with lower greenhouse gas emissions.

The pedestrian involved in a vehicle versus pedestrian traffic collision on Saturday, March 1 has died as a result of injuries they sustained during the collision. Chico Police Department (CPD) said the name of the subject involved is pending per notification of the next of kin. Chico Police officers, Chico Fire, and Butte EMS responded to the report and located the pedestrian down in the roadway upon arrival, on Saturday, March 1 around 11:26 p.m. on the 200 block of East Ave. Police said alcohol and drugs did not appear to be a factor in the collision

Republican Representative Kevin Kiley is asking for an F-B-I investigation into California's high-speed rail project. In a March 4th letter to F-B-I Director Kash Patel, Kiley points out that what was supposed to be a 33-billion-dollar bullet train from Los Angeles to San Francisco completed in 2020 has ballooned to more than 100-billion-dollars with not a single station opened yet. Kiley says about 17-billion dollars has been spent so far with nothing completed. He is asking that the F-B-I's Public Integrity Unit investigate where all that money has gone. A recent New York Times article suggests at its current pace and problems, the project will not even be completed this century.

All eyes are on Kamala Harris as the race for California governor heats up. Former California Democratic Congresswoman Katie Porter announced Tuesday she's entering the race to succeed current Governor Gavin Newsom, who is term-limited from running again. The crowded field already includes Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, former state Senate Leader Toni Atkins and former state Controller Betty Yee. Pundits say former presidential candidate and former California Senator Harris would upend the race if she decides to enter.

Almost four-thousand campsites in 18 federally funded national forests could close this summer due to budget cuts by the U.S. Forest Service. The New York Times reports an email to California forest supervisors requested a list of parks that might be shut down to save money. This could lead to no maintenance, toilet pumping, trail upkeep, or search and rescue services. An internal memo cited by the Times noted that financial constraints may make some sites "unsafe" due to maintenance issues. According to the forest service, the list is still in the planning stages, and no final decisions have been made yet.

The Oroville Police Department is investigating the weekend death of a toddler, Oroville Police says they believe that the toddler may have been exposed to fentanyl, but the official cause of death has not yet been determined. The incident happened Sunday when Police received a panic 911 call about an unresponsive child. Officers arrived at the home on Pine Oak Road but the child had been taken to the hospital where he died. Officials say the evidence suggests that the child may have been potentially exposed to fentanyl, which has prompted an ongoing investigation into the circumstances of the child's death.

DC police are investigating after Secret Service agents shot a man near the White House early Sunday morning. An agency spokesperson says agents confronted the armed suspect who allegedly pulled out a gun before being shot and was taken to the hospital in unknown condition. The Secret Service had reportedly been notified about a potentially "suicidal individual" traveling from Indiana to Washington, DC. President Trump was at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida at the time of the incident. Later on yesterday, fighter jets from NORAD intercepted a civilian aircraft after it entered restricted airspace over Mar-a-Lago. It was the second such encounter in as many days.

More than half of Californians approve of Governor Newsom's job performance. A recent study from the Public Policy Institute of California found that 52-percent of voters and 55-percent of likely voters approved of how the governor handles his job. Newsom's approval is the highest in Los Angeles, followed by the San Francisco Bay Area. The study also found about half of Californians say the cost of living and inflation, housing costs and availability, and the environment are the most important issues for the governor and legislature to tackle this year.

Two men were arrested on Thursday after one of them fired a gun during a dispute and then led police on a pursuit. Butte County Sheriff's Office (BCSO) said they responded to a report of shots fired duringa Family altercation .BCSO said they located a vehicle matching the description of Eduardo Carmona's in the area of Palermo Honcut Highway and Cox Lane. However when they stopped the vehicle , officers said he sped up and drove away leading Officers on a pursuit through Oroville, Forbestown, and into Yuba County before Carmona lost control and hit a pole on Laporte Road, Deputies arrested Carmona and a passenger identified as Justin Martinez, age 42 of Oroville. A Search also discovered a firearm that was tossed by the suspects from the moving vehicle . Both suspects were taken into custody and face felony charges

Assemblyman James Gallagher and State Senator Megan Dahle announced legislative action that will help the Paradise Unified School District recover from the devastating Camp Fire in 2018, which destroyed around 85 percent of the community. Gallagher and Dahle requested $21.5 million to rebuild the Paradise Elementary School, which was destroyed in the wildfire, either through the state budget process or via a stand-alone bill, Assembly Bill 842. The funding requested is needed to complete the reconstruction of the school and help PUSD keep up with growing enrollment

The Chico City Council voted unanimously to create an Ad-Hoc committee that will be tasked with searching for new solutions when it comes to the homeless crisis. The newly-formed committee, which comes as a result of the City of Chico's ongoing struggle with homelessness, will examine ordinances, code changes, and alternative programs to find a solution to the issue.

The Man found guilty in starting the fire that desroyed the Bidwell Mansion , Kevin Carlson, was sentenced to the maximum term of 11 years in state prison The Judge imposed the sentence along with ordering Carlson to pay restitution to California State Parks for the destruction of the mansion in the amount of $37 million dollars,

Two Humboldt County men were in Court to enter their pleas of not guilty to murder charges in connection with the discovery of two bodies in a burned vehicle in Oroville . . Wesley Evans, 45, of Rio Dell, and Samuel Ashley, 43, of Ferndale, appeared in Butte County where they entered their pleas. Butte County Sheriff's Office and Cal Fire responded to a call on January 30th about a burned vehicle near Condor and Red Tape Roads. Inside, authorities found the bodies of 26-year-old Juan Daniel Arreola-Solano of Eureka and 22-year-old Esquiel Valle-Arellano of San Diego. Autopsies revealed both victims died from gunshot wounds. Evans and Ashley are scheduled to return to court for their preliminary hearings on March 19.

The Butte County District Attorney and the Butte County Officer-Involved Shooting Protocol Team continue to investigate the circumstances of the Chico Police shooting of an attempted-murder suspect early Sunday morning on the parking structure of an off-campus student housing building known as the Post on Nord, 1200 Nord Avenue, Chico. This follows a shooting on Friday night in downtown Chico where Oxley shot and injured a victim in Lot 1 , the investigation led police to suspect 43-year-old Michael Oxley of Chico. An investigation led officers to discover that Oxley was living at The Post as an Airbnb resident, not a student. after A two-hour negotiation attempting to have Oxley surrender ended with Oxley standing and firing at officers, Ramsey said. The district attorney's office said that officers returned fire, resulting in Oxley's death..Ramsey says 6 officers from Chico PD and SWAT are currently on administrative leave as the investigation is ongoing

Paradise Town officials invite the community to learn more about the Paradise Sewer Project and provide valuable input into project alternatives. Participants will have the opportunity to hear a brief presentation on project status and share critical input to shape the next steps. the meeting will be Weds 6-8pm at Paradise Town Hall

Governor Gavin Newsom on Saturday declared a state of emergency to fast-track wildfire protection projects ahead of the peak fire season. Newsom says the emergency proclamation is designed to expedite forest management efforts and reduce the bureaucratic hurdles slowing down essential wildfire resilience projects, such as fuel reduction and forest restoration. Specifically, the proclamation suspends the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the Coastal Act, allowing for quicker implementation of wildfire prevention measures.

A man is dead following a multi-hour standoff with Chico police that ended in an officer-involved shooting Saturday night at an apartment complex on Nord Avenue. Police say the 43-year-old man was wanted in connection with a shooting that left a victim critically injured Friday night in downtown Chico's Lot 1. The victim remains in stable but serious condition. Police found the suspect at the Post apartments , the man refused to surrender, prompting police to order residents to shelter in place. During the standoff, the suspect exchanged gunfire with officers, who returned fire and killed him. The suspects identity has not been released