25 Years Ago
Council OKs $80,000 for homeless shelter
By Michelle MacEachern, Staff Writer
Setting aside money for a permanent Chico homeless shelter brought tempers to a boil at Tuesday night’s Chico City Council meeting.
The vote to set aside $80,000 for a yet-unidentified project was 5-2, with Councilmen Rick Keene and Dan Herbert opposing.
Keene said he was worried about a year-round shelter becoming a “magnet” for homeless people. He also expressed concern that it meant turning a community effort into a government-run project.
“… Rick, you p… me off,” responded Councilwoman Coleen Jarvis. She pointed out that the Chico Community Shelter Partnership (which sheltered people in churches this winter) has had meetings on homeless issues, and Keene was invited but never attended. …
This year, a community group spearheaded by Jarvis ran a shelter program that put people in churches.
The group got $65,000 of city money to run it. They returned $30,000 at Tuesday night’s meeting.
“It doesn’t happen very often for the city to receive checks back,” commented Mayor Steve Bertagna.
But it was an uphill battle from that moment.
The group asked for $100,000. …
Herbert pointed out there are “potentially three different programs” competing for the job. …
… Wayne Cook, who identified himself as a Salvation Army board member, urged The Well (Ministry of Rescue) project get city help because the Salvation Army’s plans were taking a long time and would cost much more. …
“It’s too bad this issue is getting divided the way it is,” said Councilman David Guzzetti. He talked about the “long public outcry that we need a homeless shelter.” Not to set aside for the cause is a “really big mistake.”
Instead of “creating a turf war,” the council should go forward with the set aside, he said.
Keene said he was proud that “up till now” the community had been very involved with the shelter. But the set aside meant more government involvement — a move towards “administrative warehousing” of the homeless with “less community involvement.”
He was also bothered by the idea that the shelter could be year-round.
“When you get into that, you end up with magnet problems. We end up being a draw,” he said. …
Then Councilman Bill Johnston pointed to a recent story in the Enterprise-Record, where Jarvis was quoted as saying she was told Chico’s shelter is the “best shelter in the United States.”
That bothered Johnston.
“I have to tell you, I do not want Chico to become renowned as the very best in the country” for its shelters. …
— Enterprise-Record, April 8, 1999
50 Years Ago
Mental Health Problems Aired
By Len Steinberg, Enterprise-Record Staff Writer
OROVILLE — Butte County’s mental health programs — and any problems they may have been experiencing — were given a full, open hearing last night before the Board of Supervisors. …
Mental health programs, especially as they relate to law enforcement personnel, have come under public fire recently.
(Chief Probation Officer Don) Nissen complained that two juveniles at Juvenile Hall … were refused admittance by Mental Health Services.
Oroville Police Chief West Barrett charged that the system of admitting the mentally disturbed on an emergency basis wasn’t working citing one case when two of his officers were tied up for hours when a man attempted suicide but a mental health spokesman would not authorize admittance. …
“I can find no place in the state that has the trouble with handling mental health patients that we have experienced in this county in the past 18 months,” Barrett said last night.
Barrett said that the present procedure calls for an officer in the field who is handling a mentally disturbed person to call mental health and get authorization for admittance …
He said the procedure as set up looks all right, “but in the test it never survives.”
Bill Scott, operator of the Oroville Ambulance Service who has a contract to provide such transportation, concurred with Barrett that the present procedure was “entirely inadequate.”
… The supervisors passed a resolution which will change the contract with the county’s ambulance services, allowing the peace officer in the field or the Juvenile Hall authorities to call an ambulance … without getting prior authorization from Mental Health Services.
It was also determined at last night’s session there can be no “locked doors” for mental patients and that there are programs and places for mentally disturbed juveniles. …
— Enterprise-Record, April 10, 1974
75 Years Ago
Driver Tells How It Feels To Ride Collapsing Bridge
By George Farnham
“I heard a pop and a loud crack and then the bridge began to drop away.”
Thus Clarence E. Murral described his initial sensation when the Butte Creek Bridge collapsed under his nine-ton Peterbilt truck and trailer yesterday afternoon.
“I thought it was going sideways; then it straightened up, moved forward and pushed the truck in the same direction.
“I thought my number was up for sure at that time.
“No, I didn’t have much time to think. The moment it happened I was trying to get out of the cab and figuring how I’d get out of the water … all at the same time.”
Murral hardly got his feet wet, however. Though Butte Creek was flowing swiftly, the stream wasn’t high enough to wash over the roadbed which now straddles the creek.
A girder made only a slight dent of the cab of his truck, but if he had stopped 10 feet sooner this story might have been different. A twisted main beam might have at least pinned him in the cab and might have injured him seriously. He sustained only “a slight crick in the neck from the drop,” he said.
Murral attempted to smile as passersby and curious onlookers congratulated him on his narrow escape. But apparently he didn’t feel up to much smiling.
He acknowledged the greetings by nodding, then looking back into Butte Creek where his big Peterbilt rested, almost intact. Only two dents, on the cab and on the hood, marred its appearance. Its paint was hardly scratched and its company number, painted on each fender, stood out like a headline.
You guessed it — No. 13!
— Enterprise-Record, April 9, 1949
100 Years Ago
War Against Chico Chinatown Looms
Permanent Organization Aimed to Abolish Chinese Section to Be Formed on Wednesday
War has been declared on Chico’s Flume Street Chinatown!
First steps were taken last night by interested citizens to form a permanent organization, the aim of which is declared to be the ultimate abandonment of the district through legal or other means. Twenty citizens met informally at the home of Lewis Alsthorpe, Eighth and Flume streets, and discussed various phases relative to the Chinatown district and problems arising from its location. The meeting was held at 6 o’clock. …
The meeting last night was strictly informal and no action was taken, although persons who attended the gathering agreed that the consensus of opinion was to abolish the Chinatown district. What legal steps will be necessary to accomplish this purpose are not known at this time, it is said, but the first task before the permanent organization will be to secure legal aid in determining along what lines the organization will proceed.
The meeting last night, it is understood, is the outgrowth of a protest voiced to the city council at a meeting April 1, when residents sought to prevent purchase of a residential property near Seventh and Flume streets by Mrs. Chong Hi, prominent Chinese resident of Flume Street.
— The Chico Record, April 8, 1924
125 Years Ago
We Will Have A Telephone
Communication With Our Mountain Friends A Certainty
C. H. and Gus, Hintz returned to Centerville yesterday morning, having completed their canvas of the business houses of Chico, for the purpose of raising sufficient funds to erect the telephone line between this city and the near-by mountain districts.
… Mr. Hintz stated to an ENTERPRISE representative that he had been successful beyond his expectations, and he had nothing but words of praise for the business men of this city who had so willingly and liberally contributed to the fund.
But while the business men had given liberally to the enterprise, Mr. Hintz feels assured that in a very short time after the establishment of the line, the money contributed for its erection will again be in circulation in Chico, and will be one of the best paying investments that has been made by our merchants in many years.
Already a petition asking the Board of City Trustees for the privilege of erecting poles along the streets of Chico, has been filed with the City Clerk.
— Chico Weekly Enterprise, April 7, 1899
150 Years Ago
Must Observe The Sabbath
There appears to be a local reform movement in Oroville, amounting almost to a mania. The conviction of a person for gambling, and the innocent amusement of shooting at another, seems to have aroused the moral sense of some who have dwelt contentedly in darkness heretofore, and still further reforms are contemplated.
We understand that notice has been given the dry goods houses that they must close up on Sundays, or confront St. John Jackson with a jury from the Honcut. This will be rough on our merchant princes and second-hand clothing stores. The local option law is also spoken of as something that may spread its protecting wings over Oroville, and dispense with the useless calling of vending liquors in less quantities than one quart, It looks as though there might yet be hope for Oroville, if all the good resolves of its people are carried into practical effect.
— The Weekly Butte Record, April 11, 1874
