Applications are now being accepted for 26 various student scholarships through the North Valley Community Foundation (NVCF).. Most scholarships are available for graduating seniors who plan to attend a university, community college, or trade school in the fall. However, some scholarships are also available for current college students. Last year, the foundation awarded 73 scholarships totaling over $100,000. Each scholarship has different eligibility criteria and various deadlines, but most close on April 17th. for more infomation visit nvcf.org

Habitat for Humanity of Butte County announced it has received a $125,000 disaster recovery and resilience grant from Verizon through Habitat for Humanity International. Habitat for Humanity of Butte County is one of 11 local Habitat for Humanity affiliates awarded grant funding through Verizon's Disaster Resilience initiative. The Verizon partnership funding is being used to launch our pilot project, the Habitat Disaster Recovery Rebuild Program of Butte County. The purpose of the pilot project is to assist Camp Fire survivors in rebuilding their homes on property they already own

A head-on crash between a pickup truck and a Tehama County transit bus on Highway 99W south of Gyle Road killed six people and left one person critically injured Wednesday morning, according to preliminary information from the California Highway Patrol (CHP). Officials said the crash happened around 10 a.m. after the driver of a gray Toyota Tacoma, traveling at unknown speeds southbound on Hwy 99W, crossed double-yellow lines into oncoming traffic and head-on into a Tehama County transit bus. Authorities say the crash is still under investigation

Republican Assemblyman James Gallagher is running for the Congressional seat held by the late Doug LaMalfa. Gallagher made the announcement this morning, saying he wants to finish out the remainder of LaMalfa's term, which runs through the end of this year. LaMalfa, another Republican, died on January 6th after suffering a medical emergency. LaMalfa had represented District One since 2013. It covers a large portion of northern California, including cities like Yuba City, Chico, Redding and Oroville. The district boundaries may change due to Proposition 50. .

Many low-income Californians are no longer medically covered for popular weight loss drugs. Coverage for medications like Wegovy and Zepbound ended at the start of the new year. The GLP-1s had been covered by Medi-Cal, California's version of Medicaid. Health officials are now recommending diet and exercise as alternatives but experts say that is not realistic for many people who depended on the medications. State officials say continuing the coverage was no longer affordable, citing growing pharmaceutical costs and Medicaid cuts made by the Trump Administration.

The Sites Project Authority is eyeing a significant milestone this month in its endeavor to build a new water storage reservoir in Colusa County. They are hopeful to secure a draft water right permit for the future reservoir. Officials say the State Water Resources Control Board might issue the water right order as soon as this summer. Any delays in issuing the water right could increase the project's cost by $20 million each month, the group said, adding that time is of the essence. The authority previously stated their goal for starting construction was by the end of 2026, it now appears construction could begin in 2027.

Two men from Humboldt County were sentenced to life in prison without parole after being found guilty of murdering 2 men and trying to cover it up by burning their bodies in a vehicle discovered in the Cherokee area in January 2025. The suspects , Samuel Ashley, and Wesley Evans, from Homboldt County, were found guilty by a Butte County jury in December 2025. The Butte County DA's office says it was a drug deal that lead to the killings

New efforts are underway to tackle the presence of PFAS, known as "forever chemicals," in Chico's drinking water. Cal Water crews have started installing new treatment systems in central parts of the city to address this issue. These systems are designed to filter out PFAS before reaching household taps. PFAS are man-made chemicals that can easily move through water, prompting the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to tighten regulations. The setup includes massive steel vessels filled with granular activated carbon, similar to materials used in Brita filters. This carbon acts like a magnet, capturing PFAS and preventing them from contaminating the water supply. District Manager Evan Markey says the project has a $40 million price tag, with partial funding from a class-action lawsuit against companies like DuPont and 3M. Construction is expected to be completed at all 14 filter sites by the end of 2026.

Enloe Health has partnered with Lifepoint Rehabilitation, a division of Lifepoint Health, to manage its inpatient rehabilitation services. Lifepoint Rehabilitation will oversee management and operations at the Enloe Health Rehabilitation Center on East Avenue. Lifepoint Rehabilitation, operates in more than 115 hospital-based facilities nationwide. It will bring management programs and best practices in quality rehab services to Enloe Health.

The Butte County District Attorney's Office dismissed a pending murder case against a Palermo woman for the Christmas Day shooting of her husband after she finally told her story to investigators. Julie Castaneda, 34, had been charged with a single count of murder with the use of a firearm and held in the Butte County Jail following her Christmas Day arrest. The investigation showed a pattern of domestic abuse including the night of the incident .

A wet start to winter is boosting California's water supply. Lake Shasta, the state's largest reservoir, has risen by 36 feet since December 16th. It is 77 percent full and at 129 percent of its historical average for this time of year. Lake Oroville, the state's second largest reservoir, has risen by 69 feet in the same three-week period. It is 73 percent full and at 134 percent of its historical average. California's lakes have been filled with hundreds of billions of gallons of water thanks to the recent atmospheric river storms.

Memorial services for Rep. Doug LaMalfa will be held Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds in Chico, California, according to an announcement from his office.
The service is scheduled to begin at noon, with doors opening at 10 a.m. Parking will open at 9:30 a.m., and attendees are encouraged to arrive early to allow time for parking and required security screenings.
Tickets are required for entry. Registration is available online, and tickets will be distributed by email no later than Jan. 22. Each attendee must have an individual ticket. https://douglamalfa.com/memorial

Paradise Police have identified and arrested a suspect they believe was involved in a hit-and-run that killed one Paradise man in October. Troy Upton was struck by a car while walking home from work on Pearson Road near the intersection of Clark Road on October 4, 2025. Upton later died from his injuries. On December 31, officers from Paradise Police arrested Ricci Kempton, and she was booked into the Butte County Jail. Kempton was arraigned Monday on felony and misdemeanor charges of leaving the scene of an accident with permanent injury and destruction of evidence.

The Chico Area Recreation and Park District (CARD) is hosting three community input sessions as part of its Five-Year Master Plan. The Master Plan serves as a roadmap for where CARD will focus its efforts to improve parks and facilities. They want to hear from you regarding any projects, upgrades, or new ideas you may have to enhance CARD's current offerings. there will be 3 community meetings starting today at 530p at the Lakeside Pavillion Weds 530-7p at the CARD center and Thursday 530p-7p at the Degarmo Park Shop

Highway 99 between Garner Lane and Keefer Road has been closed by the California Highway Patrol due to flooding....The CHP Chico Office posted on social media that northbound traffic on Highway 99 is being diverted onto Garner Lane to access Keefer Road west to Highway 99. Southbound traffic on Highway 99 is being diverted onto Keefer Road to access Garner Lane south to Highway 99. no update yet on when tit will be reopened ..no word on when it will reopened

Congressman Doug LaMalfa praised President Donald Trump following a U.S. military operation that Trump said resulted in the capture and removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, calling the action a decisive strike against what he described as a narco-terror regime. In a statement, LaMalfa said Trump ordered the operation to disrupt a criminal network he accused of fueling illegal drug trafficking into the United States. LaMalfa described the mission as a "surgical strike" and praised what he called an extraordinary display of American military power and precision.

The body of a Magalia Father of 6 who had gone missing was discoverd found Friday evening in an area nearby his home. the Butte County Sheriff's Office,says their search and rescue team located Nathan Charlton in a nearby area in the vicinity of his residence on Friday evening. The investigation remains ongoing but initial findings do not suggest there was foul play involved. An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death.

California residents will start seeing lower PG&E bills. Starting this month, the utility will lower electricity and gas rates. On average electric bills will drop by seven bucks and gas bills by about one dollar. If you are on the income driven discount CARE program, you'll save about four dollars a month on your electric bill. PG&E says lower power generation costs are behind the changes. Typical bills will go down to about 202 dollars from 222 last year. According to PG&E, this is the fourth rate decrease in the last two years.

Out with the plastic, in with the paper in California. Those thick plastic so-called reusable bags are now against the law in the state. The effort is to close environmental loopholes to eliminate plastic waste. When you shop now, you have to bring your own bag or pay ten cents for a paper bag. . Produce bags are exempt According to state law, those are still compostable. In two years, by 2028, the new law mandates that all paper bags also be made of at least 50 percent recycled material.

The Chico Police Department (CPD) said its officers responded to reports of a shooting in the 300 block of Broadway at 1:50 a.m. on New years day. One victim, identified by family as Sean Ray Allen, Jr., 30, was transported to a nearby hospital. Later Thursday morning, police confirmed that Allen was pronounced deceased at the hospital. Detectives are actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the case.

The Chico man accused of dealing drugs at teh Genesis Pallet Shelter has pleaded guilty to two felony charges related to a large-scale drug dealing operation . Michael Harrigan II, is facing a potential sentence of up to four years and eight months in county jail. Between August 2024 and September 2025, four people died from drug overdoses at the Genesis site, with a fifth death occurring nearby. An ongoing investigation seeks to determine if any of these deaths can be linked to Harrigan, potentially leading to additional charges.

The Fire Victim Trust has reached a settlement agreement with Davey Tree, concluding the last of its third-party lawsuits, Trustee Cathy Yanni said that this settlement aims to avoid the costs and uncertainties of a trial. The San Francisco Superior Court is overseeing several procedural steps required to finalize the settlement. Once completed, the Trust will disclose the final terms in a filing with the Bankruptcy Court, The Trust expects to receive the settlement funds by spring or summer 2026, enabling a final distribution to eligible claimants.