Highlights, lowlights from the week’s news
HIT » The epic double- overtime finish in the Pleasant Valley vs. Chico football game was proof — the ball knows the truth.
We're pretty convinced the football gods were well aware that last Friday's game would have marked the 50th Almond Bowl. However, because of COVID-19 restrictions on fans and students, the schools opted not to consider the game an Almond Bowl.
But it sure had all the makings of one.
It was a great game played by two teams striving to beat their crosstown rivals and their longtime friends. There wasn't any shortage of effort from either sideline.
It was inspiring to watch these kids play their hearts out and it was refreshing to feel some normalcy during the three hours of the game.
Even though it wasn't an Almond Bowl on paper, it'll forever be remembered as one of the greatest games played between both schools.
Those kids will remember that game forever.
We're the lucky ones to get a rematch on April 30.
MISS » It was just over two years ago when residents of Chico were horrified by a mass overdose situation in which one person died and a dozen were hospitalized. A recent spike in the number of fentanyl-related offenses — and overdoses — locally has us worried other tragedies may be just around the corner.
These are deadly drugs that can easily be made to look like legitimate prescription medicine. They're not. And unless everyone suddenly stays clear of anything that doesn't come out of their own personal prescription bottle, this is a dangerous situation that can only get worse.
If you've got information about any such drug (or especially those who provide them), please contact the Butte Interagency Narcotics Task Force at 530-538-2261.
HIT » One of the most common complaints we get about homeless encampments — and, trust us, we hear them all — is the trash.
One thing we don't hear enough about is the incredible number of volunteers who help with this. And this Sunday, that's going up to another level.
North State Shelter Team volunteer Charles Withuhn said advocates plan to host weekly clean-up days at Comanche Creek Greenway from 2 to 4 p.m. Sundays starting this week, and anyone wanting to help can join. The group is purchasing another dumpster with donations and is raising funds to purchase three more dumpsters, as well as a recycling bin and another portable restroom.
Meanwhile, the city of Elk Grove is trying another tactic: paying homeless people to keep their camps clean. The city is handing out $20 gift cards to those who keep their areas free of garbage.
“We'd go there, it would just be a massive mess, we'd spend hours just cleaning and cleaning, but now we go there and their bags are ready,” said
Elk Grove Police Department Homeless Outreach Officer Jennifer McCue told CBS Sacramento.
We like both approaches. We're pretty sure that means lots of people don't like either one.
MISS » One of the great traditions of Northern California life is the Red Bluff Round-Up, currently in its 100th year.
Too bad our sister newspaper, the Red Bluff Daily News, won't be there to report on the action.
The Round-Up basically bucked the media like Bushwacker the Bull in his prime on Thursday, saying reporters would not be allowed to attend the event this year so — and we quote — “staff can focus on other aspects of the rodeo.”
It was an incredulous statement. The Red Bluff Daily News has practically served as an extra arm of the RoundUp's PR campaign for the past century, and so have many other local media outlets. And now the media's mere presence would somehow interfere with “other aspects of the rodeo?”
What “other aspects” were ever ignored because of the presence of the media and if it were such a problem, how in the world did the Round-Up survive the past 100 years?
Oh — to be fair, the rodeo did make clear that media members would be allowed to attend if they bought a ticket. But, they'd better not catch any of us trying to take any photos or anything.