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.