Highlights, lowlights from the week’s news

HIT >> We can’t think of a bigger national disgrace than the fact we have 38,000 homeless veterans in the United States.

Thus, when people step up to help, it’s a huge cause for celebration.

Thanks to a $600,000 donation secured by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1555, eight homeless veterans in the Chico area will be moving into houses acquired by the Chico Housing Action Team.

First, VFW and CHAT — is that a winning combination, or what? The VFW is all about veterans helping other veterans, and CHAT continues to show what can happen when people resolve to directly help other people.

The benefactor, who chose to remain anonymous, was the key to this particular success story.

“We were so fortunate to get that benefactor who really wants to help veterans, and our connection to that person really facilitated this so we could purchase the houses,” VFW Post 1555 Commander Mike Halldorson said.

Bob Trausch, who manages the veterans program for CHAT, said the donation increased the number of beds for veterans in their housing program from eight to 16.

CHAT, by the way, now operates or master-leases more than 70 homes in the Chico area and as of April, had 270 residents including 89 children.

CHAT and our local VFW are just two more reasons for Chico to be proud. Well done to all involved.

MISS >> Nobody likes news about rate hikes. This week’s announcement that Chico’s sewer rates could be doubling was an especially tough blow.

Public Works Director Erik Gustafson said this week that nearly 30 percent of Chico’s sewer network is past its useful life, and added “It is critical that we start initiating large capital improvement projects to replace aged sewer pipes before they fail.”

To repair 50% of the annual sewer system replacement needs, the Chico City Council is recommended to increase the current sewer rate of $22.98 to $29.39 by year one, $38.21 by year two, $47.81 by year three, $52.56 by year four, and $57.84 by year five — about 2.5 times 2022 rates.

This will be a hotly debated topic at Tuesday’s Chico City Council meeting for sure, and many residents will no doubt also bring up the proposed one-cent sales tax increase (although that has nothing to do with the sewer, which is not a general fund matter).

Nobody likes paying more. On the other hand, not paying more often means you’re not going to keep getting the same level of service.

HIT >> A hotly contest loss in a Butte County supervisors race is about to become Plumas County’s gain.

Debra Lucero, who came within a few dozen votes of forcing a runoff in her race with challenger Peter Durfee, has been hired as the new Chief Administrative Officer of Plumas County.

Lucero’s role begins Tuesday, although she won’t begin full-time duties until Nov. 1.

Lucero is still working out the details regarding the rest of her supervisors’ term, which runs through the end of the year. But, if anyone is capable of pulling off two such big jobs in adjoining counties, it’s probably her.

As Plumas County residents will soon learn, no one is going to show up at the table more prepared, after having done more research and probably interviewed more people, than their new CAO.

As she told us, she “likes to get things done.” There’s a lot that needs to be done in Plumas County following the Dixie Fire; our congratulations to our neighboring county for making a wise decision about hiring the right person to help make it happen.

MISS >> Last week, the state of California announced all new cars sold in the state must be free of greenhouse gas emissions by 2035 as part of an effort to fight climate change. In other words — it’s time for everybody to buy an electric car.

Then, a few days later, the California Independent System Operator, which manages the state’s power grid, sent a Flex Alert asking all residents to voluntarily reduce their electricity use between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday — adding a line that specifically said residents “should also avoid charging electric vehicles” as the state hopes to prevent rolling blackouts.

Erin Mellon, a spokesperson for Gov. Gavin Newsom, said the request has been misrepresented, adding “We’re not saying don’t charge them. We’re just saying don’t charge them between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m.”

According to the Office of Public Highway Information, there are more than 30 million vehicles registered in California. Earlier this year, Newsom said the state had passed the one million electric vehicles sold mark.

How many hours a day will we be expected to not charge vehicles when there are 30 million of them on the road instead of one million?

We’re all for effective clean energy, but can you blame people for being pessimistic?