Assembly Bill 2700 (AB 2700), known as the Wildfire Victim Restitution Bill, has officially passed the California Legislature and is now on Governor Gavin Newsom's desk for his signature. The bill cleared the California State Senate unanimously with a 40-0 vote before the Assembly concurred in the final Senate amendments on August 31, 2026. Aims to resolve the remaining ~30% gap that Fire Victim Trust claimants still face and Ensures that all recommended financial mechanisms route funds directly to wildfire victims rather than generating attorney fee streams. If signed by the governor, the bill takes effect and shifts the issue to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). By January of 2028 This is the hard deadline for the CPUC to complete an official report calculating the exact unpaid claims for victims wildfires that occurred before July 12, 2019 (such as the 2018 Camp Fire).In that same report, the CPUC must outline specific restitution mechanisms, timelines, and benchmarks for utilities (like PG&E) to pay out the missing funds

Butte County residents will soon have a new option for electricity — Pioneer Community Energy. The city of Chico is moving closer towards starting service with Pioneer Community Energy, a non-profit community choice aggregation program. A CCA allows not-for-profit agencies, like Pioneer, to purchase electricity and use an existing utility company's infrastructure, like Pacific Gas & Electric, to distribute it. Assistant City Manager Eric Gustafson said right now, everything looks good to start service in October of 2027. Consumers could save 10% on their current bills 

Former City of Biggs Mayor Robert Bassett was sentenced on Wednesday to more than four years in prison for multiple sex crimes involving a foreign exchange student. The Butte County District Attorney's Office says in addition to the prison sentence, Bassett was ordered by Judge Deems to register as a sex offender for ten years after he was released.

The White House is unveiling what it calls its "economic D-Day" for Iran. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the new sanctions amount to an economic onslaught against Iran to further isolate it from the rest of the world. Speaking from the Treasury Department on Monday, Bessent said operation "Economic Outcast" will cut off Iran from exporting oil and from other trade. Bessent said President Trump is already calling leaders to warn them to cut off all ongoing deals with Iran.

The U.S. and Canada are locked in a trade war. President Trump says tariffs on imports of cars, trucks and auto parts from Canada will increase to 50-percent starting January 1st, 2027, after talks between the two countries broke down. Trump said, "Canada has been ripping off the United States of America for years." He added, "Their ridiculously high tariffs on our farmers and farm products has made life impossible for these great American patriots." Meanwhile, Canada announced retaliatory tariffs on some U.S. goods will start September 8th.

AB 2700(the wildfire victim restitution bill) has passed the state senate in a unanimous vote. the bill now heads back to the assembly for any amendments. The bill addresses undercompensated victims of utility-caused wildfires where survivors received only about 70% of their awarded compensation through settlement funds. It directs the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to produce a report by January 1, 2028, detailing these unpaid losses and outlining mechanisms for electrical corporations to fully compensate victims without raising electricity rates for consumers.

California will spend $95.2 million to build more electric-vehicle charging stations and hydrogen refueling sites across the state, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Tuesday. The California Energy Commission approved the funding Monday as part of the state's Clean Transportation Program. State officials said the goal is to make it easier for drivers to find places to charge or fuel zero-emission vehicles, aka ZEVs. The money will be spent during the current fiscal year, with more funding planned through the 2028-29 fiscal year.

California homeowners in wildfire-prone areas could soon face new rules that require them to better protect their homes from fire, starting as early as September. The proposed 'Zone 0' rule would require a five-foot ember-resistant buffer around homes in high-risk areas. Homeowners would need to remove flammable materials like weeds, leaves, and certain plants, and may have to replace some fences and gates. CAL FIRE says keeping the first five feet around your home clear is the best way to help stop a fire from spreading to your house. The final decision on the regulations could come this week from state fire officials.

The Chico City Council voted Tuesday night to move forward with possible changes to the municipal code to address public nuisance enforcement. City Attorney Ryan Jones made a presentation to the council showing it can enforce existing nuisance laws now, where the violation is something other than homeless camping. He also suggested changes to existing municipal code making some public nuisance violations misdemeanors. The council's vote directs staff to begin enforcement of nuisance laws that do not violate the Warren settlement agreement. the vote was 4-3

A non-native to California mosquito species has been identified by the Glenn County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) public health division and the Mosquito Vector Control District in Orland. The "Aedes aegypti" can spread diseases such as Zika, yellow fever, dengue, and other viruses. The species is noticeable since they are small, dark mosquitoes with white markings and banded legs. The county is monitoring several factors to determine how widespread the mosquitoes are, but officials believe the risk of disease in Glenn County remains low.

Oroville Hospital and its parent organization OroHealth Corporation filed a lawsuit against a limited liability company owned by their former CEO, alleging he used his position to profit from a property deal that should have belonged to the hospital. Robert J. Wentz served as CEO and a board member of both organizations when he formed Dove's Landing, LLC in 2011. The lawsuit claims Wentz acquired the property at 2450 Oro Dam Boulevard in Oroville through Dove's Landing, then leased it back to the hospital at inflated rates while the hospital spent more than $7 million renovating the abandoned building. The hospital alleges Wentz controlled the boards of both organizations and misled trustees about the transaction. The lawsuit claims he presented the deal as the only viable option while concealing his 60% ownership stake in Dove's Landing. The lawsuit seeks to have the property transferred to Oroville Hospital and to recover overcharges and damages

The man sentenced to more than 70 years in prison for a deadly shooting on a Greyhound bus was resentenced this week after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling changed how certain factors can be considered in criminal cases. Asaadhi Coleman was resentenced to 72 years to life in prison, down from his original sentence of 74 years to life. The change came about six weeks after his initial sentencing when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that aggravating factors related to prior convictions must be determined by a jury, not a judge. Coleman was convicted of second-degree murder and attempted murder for the shooting that happened on board a Greyhound bus in Oroville on February 2, 2022.

A former Biggs mayor pleaded no contest on Wednesday, August 5, in Butte County Superior Court to multiple sex crime charges involving a foreign exchange student who lived in his home in 2023. Bassett pleaded no contest to three counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. He faces a maximum sentence of four years and four months in state prison. The judge ordered Bassett held without bail at the Butte County Jail pending his sentencing Sept. 2.

The City of Chico detected dangerous levels of E. coli this week in Sycamore Pool in Chico's Lower Bidwell Park. It's been an ongoing issue since last summer when several people got sick, claiming it was a result of swimming in the pool. The city has been monitoring levels with frequent testing, moving to daily tests at the end of June of this year. On Monday, city testing found the highest levels recorded this summer. Park Director Shane Romain said testing done Wednesday detected much lower levels of E. coli which falls under a swim advisory. He said the city will wait until Thursday's results come back before making the decision to officially put out new recommendations.

Chico 's Police Chief released a statement Wednesday saying the Department is temporarily limiting access to its license plate reader (LPR) system to California law enforcement agencies while it reviews its policies and information-sharing practices, This comes after recent public scrutiny over the department's sharing of automated license plate reader (ALPR) data with federal and out-of-state law enforcement agencies, including concerns that agencies such as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Border Patrol had access to the system. Chief Aldridge said the department is now working with the City Attorney's Office to review its policies, practices and data-sharing agreements to ensure they align with current law, emerging legal guidance and community expectations.

New car prices are causing buyers to go deeper into debt to finance purchases. Data from Edmunds shows almost 30-percent of new car buyers are still paying off loans for their trade-ins. Edmunds said the average amount of remaining balances on cars traded in the second quarter of 2026 was nearly seven-thousand dollars. That's the highest for a second quarter on record.

Night construction work on E. 20th Street will officially began Sunday as the City of Chico starts a pavement rehabilitation project on the busy roadway. According to the City of Chico, the work is scheduled to take place between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. Monday through Friday and some weekends. The work will be occurring from the northbound Highway 99 off-ramp to Notre Dame Boulevard. Motorists are advised to use caution when driving through the construction zone and to use alternate routes when possible. One side of the road will be closed each night with traffic shifted to the opposite side.

The candidate filing period is open for the November 3 General Election in Butte County. According to Butte County Clerk-Recorder/Registrar of Voters the filing period opened on July 13. In total, there are 91 county positions up for election. To date, 43 candidates have filed to run for those positions. The deadline to file is by 5 p.m. on August 7. Information on becoming a candidate with the required forms is also available online at www.ButteVotes.ca.gov.

Oroville Hospital and key stakeholders say they have reached an agreement to extend post-petition financing and allow the facility to pursue either restructuring or a sale. The agreement, announced Monday, requires approval from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of California, Sacramento Division. The amendment extends the post-petition financing and permits the hospital to pursue a dual-track approach. The facility can either restructure its operations or complete a sale. Upon court approval, the Chapter 11 timelines and milestones will be extended to ensure the hospital's continued operations.

Chico city leaders are reviewing whether the Chico Police Department (CPD) improperly shared automated license plate reader data with federal, out-of-state and other law enforcement agencies in a possible violation of California law. Documents released by the CPD in July appear to show the department shared ALPR data with several U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement divisions, U.S. Border Patrol sectors and multiple out-of-state law enforcement agencies. The records have raised questions about whether the data sharing complied with California law.

Paradise Irrigation District will flush water along portions of upper Skyway as part of the Skyway Main replacement project. The flushing will continue through July 21, targeting different sections on various nights from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. According to Paradise Irrigation District, the contractor will staff the flushing sites to monitor water flow and ensure water is dechlorinated before entering the storm drains. Flushing the new main line is required by the state at this point in the replacement project, ensuring the pipeline is clear and ready to deliver fresh water to the Paradise community.

Lindsey Graham's sister has been appointed to fill his South Carolina Senate seat following his sudden death. South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster announced on Monday that the late Republican senator's sister, Darlene, will serve in the role until the term ends in January. Lindsey Graham passed away over the weekend due to aortic dissection, which is a tear in the body's main artery. He was 71 years old.

Several tigers once kept at the former Barry R. Kirshner Wildlife Foundation in Oroville have been relocated to accredited animal sanctuaries and the Oakland Zoo The animals had previously been housed at the Barry R. Kirshner Wildlife Foundation, which closed after state enforcement actions over alleged animal welfare violations. The Kirshner Foundation is still embroiled in a lawsuit brought by PETA over the conditions and treatment of teh animals at the facillity in Oroville.

Former Biggs Mayor Brian Bassett was arraigned on multiple charges of sexual abuse involving a minor. The judge decided Bassett remain in custody on a $330,000 bail. Bassett, 58, is facing 5 sexual abuse counts involving a 17-year-old he was responsible for. The District Attorney's Office is also looking into Bassett's past to see if there are any other issues related to this case, or if there were any potential previous incidents that may have been missed If convicted he's facing up to 5 years behind bars.

Six people were rescued from the Sacramento River after getting stuck on branches Saturday afternoon. Emergency crews responded to the area of West Sacramento Avenue and River Road around 3:36 p.m. The group became snagged on branches in the river. Cal Fire, Butte County Search and Rescue, the Butte County Sheriff's Office and other agencies worked together to pull everyone to safety. All six people were rescued without injuries.