More public space to revitalize downtown
We love downtown Chico. In 2009 we helped start a group called, “Think Local, Chico!” made up of local downtown businesses threatened by the expansion of Walmart and online shopping. As local business owners, and avid travelers, we saw how important downtown public spaces are for the heart and soul of a community. We estimate that our family has spent over $400,000 in downtown Chico over the last 30 years. Recipients of those dollars include many well-loved businesses such as, Grana, Chico Paper Company, The Bookstore, Naked Lounge, Argus, Stoble, Greenline, North Rim, Fleet Feet, Mountain Sports, Bird in Hand, Bear Garden, Upper Crust, Shuberts, Mimona, Crush, Made in Chico, Allies Pub, Saturday Farmers Market and Thursday Night Market. It feels like betrayal that some of the businesses we’ve supported over the years are trying to thwart the will of the community by arguing against the wildly popular Alternative One of the Downtown Chico Revitalization Project. Currently, Downtown Chico is depleted and dilapidated and the city has crafted a courageous plan to revitalize it with bike lanes, plantings and larger public spaces… a plan that received overwhelming support through a process that included five workshops open to the public. Downtown Chico is public space, it does not belong to a few disgruntled business owners, it belongs to the people of Chico. We love downtown Chico, but we’ll think twice about continuing to support businesses that impede improvements to the community’s public downtown space by trying to strong-arm city councilors.
—Marc Kessler 4/12/2026
Re: Chico “No Kings 3” protest draws large crowd
I’m from St. Paul, MN and was in Oregon for the protests so I thoroughly enjoyed Ken Magri’s coverage of the Chico rally. I especially like the reporting of the signs and slogans, some I had not seen or heard before. So kudos to Chico’s creativity and patriotism.
—Daniel Bernick 3/31/2026
Re: A silver lining in Trump’s ‘Big Ugly Bill’
Great breakdown of how the tax credit expansion could actually move the needle on California’s housing crisis. The article does a solid job explaining the mechanics without getting lost in jargon. As someone who follows housing policy closely, I appreciate the nuance here—acknowledging both the potential and the limitations.
—Koro Capybara 3/24/2026
Re: A young woman from Chico gets her day in court against Instagram and YouTube
The amount of teenager exploitation with private body parts even if clothed on Instagram and FB is crazy, sad and illegal.
—Justin D. 2/20/2026
[This is] such important information in this world of take-over by corrupt mega-billionaires’ corporations! Hooray for Kaley GM — I hope she and/or her children were not too deeply harmed by their cynical “business model”.
—Emily Alma 2/20/2026
Re: Ending the murderer of many names
This piece about California’s notorious serial offender is both haunting and informative. As someone with substantial experience in criminal justice reform, I found your analysis of systemic failings very eye-opening. It reminds me of my experience lobbying for better investigative processes.
—Orin Stark 4/6/2026
Re: Mental health advocate for Yurok Tribe dies in apparent murder-suicide
It’s tragic that the members of the tribe who were voted in to take care of our people, do not. I receive a monthly paper showing millions upon millions of monies the tribe is awarded, but my people are not receiving it. In care, mental health care should have had these problems fixed and cleared out and done in the last thirty years. The [lack of] available help that Calif. residents get, let alone our Yurok tribal account is outrageous. The end result is the Yurok gov’t. is causing the giving up. Our private schools which should have been endorsed thirty years ago would have eliminated the problems and they should have had a better life and the future of our children. I have been to many states and tribes with one third [of monies] we were given. They thrive and are doing away with drug use and alcohol abuse, education for good paying jobs. So we should not bring shame upon our elders who gave their lives paying for and fighting to make the Yurok tribe possible. Respect traditions.
—Laura Pepper 4/6/2026
Failure of State Social Services
Editor’s note: More information related to this subject is covered in the recent CN&R article: H.R. 1’s impact on Medi-Cal, CalFresh, and county eligibility offices
I am writing to expose a systemic failure at the California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) in Butte County that is directly causing unemployed citizens to lose their window for retraining benefits. I applied for retraining services in January 2026. Since then, I have encountered a pattern of delays that feel intentional:
Outdated Information: The DOR website is completely inaccurate, providing citizens with false expectations and old data.
Given Wrong Information: I was given the wrong email to send applications to. Weeks would go by and I would get nothing from them and had to call and ask about my application process just to be told they didn’t even know about it. They found my application with in seconds when I was on the phone with them, but no progress had been made at all to process my application.
The “Waiting Out” Strategy: There is a limited window of time to receive special retraining services while on unemployment. By dragging out simple interviews for months and failing to show up for scheduled appointments, the DOR is effectively discarding citizens until their eligibility time runs out.
When the state fails to provide the services it promises, people lose their path back to the workforce. This isn’t just a “delay”—it’s a scamming of citizens who are at their most vulnerable.
—Samantha Quezada 3/16/2026
Replace Bidwell Masion
I just finished reading an article published on April 3, 2026 in the Northern California Homes and Properties section of the [daily] newspaper. Doug Love was taking a survey of what to do about the Bidwell mansion. In my opinion, what should be done is simple. All of us have to have fire insurance on our homes and if it were to burn, it will be replaced. The Bidwell mansion was self insured by the State of California. The state, therefore, should replace the mansion. According to Doug’s article he quoted a local contractor who said salvaged old growth timber, hardware and talented local people to replicate the mansion are all available. My opinion is to rebuild the mansion to its original specifications. People did it in the past so people can do it now.
—Terry Brinson 4/3/2026
Commercial overload
Will we ever be able to watch TV again without being bombarded with close-up views of someone’s raw, wrinkled neck intended to make it “smooth and creamy”?
People standing on roofs spraying some mysterious liquid purported to preserve it “interestingly” for another 17 years?
People standing atop two big trucks claiming what to do when hit by a big truck?
Enough is enough.
—Joe Crotts 3/3/2026
Re: Chico’s Little Red Hen adapts to challenges of funding cuts
I appreciate your reporting on LRH stores. Imagine the $ the Trump Administration chooses to fund ICE going instead to LRH, ending homelessness, funding universal healthcare & stopping family farm bankruptcies.
—Catherine Cottle 2/16/2026
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