No more NIMBY
As we all know, Chico has a very checkered past handling our homeless population. Now, and only now, have we made a reasonable attempt to meet the requirements of Warren v. Chico.
Three homeless encampments have been cleared and referrals given to campers for the Pallet or Torres shelters (both nearly full). Those for whom there was no space or did not “qualify,” the settlement agreement recommended three designated campsites.
That option has given rise to what I call the “double port-a-potty/dumpster” site at Cohasset and Eaton roads, meant only to house five to 10 folks. This is another sad commentary on Chico’s attitude toward the homeless. There was so much uproar about whose backyards the others were to be located in, it was decided at a June council meeting that we are going to just see what happens with one site (maybe we wouldn’t need the others?). Well, this first site is already maxed out.
Rather than the “not in my backyard” approach, is it possible for us to gratefully consider that solutions are being found and that not everyone will be pleased with specific outcomes?
Rebecca Cook McGuire
Chico
‘The fix was in’
ChicoSol journalist Dave Waddell was awarded by a Butte County judge (with taxpayer dollars) $43,637 in legal fees that he risked trying to get public records released to him by the city of Chico higher-ups concerning officer-involved killings in Chico (including that of my son, Tyler Scott Rushing).
Once the records were reviewed by Waddell, he concluded, in his own words, that the records “reveal that these so-called investigations were blatantly biased in every killing I looked at involving the Chico Police Department. The fix was in to exonerate the killing officers in every instance.”
From my point of view, the actions of Chico’s city council, legal department and police department have been unconscionable and shocking.
Scott Rushing
Ventura
Capitol offenses
The Congressional hearings regarding the January 6 attack on our nation’s capitol have revealed much about the inner workings of the Trump White House. Cassidy Hutchinson was a close observer of what went on and was willing to testify at length about Trump’s central role in the Capitol riot on that fateful day. She also told of Trump’s erratic and downright irrational behavior on numerous other occasions. Her testimony was quite astounding as she described a unique period in presidential history.
America is so fortunate to have survived those turbulent four years of Trump’s irresponsible leadership and moved on to more normal times. Thanks to those who were able to discern the truth in all the chaos. We can rebuild our democracy again.
Robert Woods
Forest Ranch
Write a letter
Tell us what you think in a letter to the editor. Send submissions of 200 or fewer words to cnrletters@newsreview.com. Deadline for Sept. 1, 2022, print publication is August 22.
Be the first to comment