Redding news roundup: Traffic moving again on I-5 after southbound crash
Update: 3:55 p.m.: Southbound Interstate 5 near Lakehead has fully reopened to traffic, according to the California Department of Transportation.Original post, 2:03 p.m.: Traffic is flowing in just one lane on southbound Interstate 5 near Lakehead after a travel trailer overturned, according to the California Department of Transportation. Traffic is also being diverted via ramps, Caltrans said in a Facebook post.Originally, all southbound lanes located 14 miles out of Lakehead had been blocked due to the accident that occurred about midday on Saturday.
Power restored, classes canceled Monday at Shasta College main campus in Redding
Monday, Oct. 24
3 p.m. Update: PG&E restored power to Shasta College's main campus in Redding and to homes in the surrounding area, but in-person classes at 11555 Old Oregon Trail are canceled for the rest of Monday, the college said.
"All in-person classes and normal operations will resume tomorrow," the college announced at 2:45 p.m.
Scheduled maintenance work caused the outage, Pacific Gas and Electric said.
1 p.m.: Shasta College classes in Redding canceled until power restored
Shasta College announced it closed its main campus on Monday due to a power outage.
Classes that take place at 11555 Old Oregon Trail in Redding are canceled until power is restored, the college announced at 12:50 p.m. Monday.
Online classes and those at all other Shasta College campuses — including the Downtown Health Science and University Center — are in session, the school said, and student services are still available at these sites.
Pacific Gas and Electric crews hope to restore power to the area around 4 p.m., the utility said.
Students and staff can check the campus website for updates after 3:30 p.m. at shastacollege.edu, according to a campus press release.
For more information, call campus safety at 530-242-7910.
— Jessica Skropanic
PG&E says no Shasta County customers facing possible power shutoffs, for now
Saturday, Oct. 22
The expected arrival of high northwest winds and low humidity prompted Pacific Gas & Electric to initially notify 2,600 customers in portions of Shasta, Tehama, Glenn and Colusa counties on Friday that the company might deenergize electric lines in their areas during a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) beginning Saturday morning to help prevent wildfires.
On Saturday, the company said in a statement, "because of dynamic weather conditions, PG&E has canceled or delayed de-energization of lines in some of those areas."
That includes the 268 PG&E customers in Shasta County that had been notified on Friday about a possible power shutoff, including 22 medical baseline customers who depend on power for certain medical needs.
PG&E said it serves about 36,600 electric customers in Shasta County.
The company said its meteorologists continue to monitor this weekend's weather event, which could bring a combination of high northwest winds and low relative humidity.
"It's a very fluid situation. We're looking at very, very micro-climates here," said PG&E spokeswoman Deanna Contreras on Saturday.
"Keep in mind, there still could be unplanned power outages due to the winds," she said, "so we still want our customers to be prepared for possible power outages, no matter what time of year.'
Customers can use an online address lookup tool to find out whether they are affected by the ongoing PSPS, as well as to obtain live updates regarding the status of the event at www.pge.com/pspsupdates.
Pink Sundial Resource Fair draws attention to breast cancer
Saturday, Oct. 22
Pink was the color of choice Thursday evening at the Sundial Bridge to promote breast cancer awareness.
Hundreds of people attended the 2022 Pink Sundial Resource Fair to see the bridge lit up in pink and view pink-themed activities.
Volunteers handed out calendars as booths sold Think Pink T-shirts and provided information on breast cancer. Pink hats, pink sunglasses and pink tutu dresses were all the fashion.
Youth cheerleaders performed on the lawn while at one corner, silk artists performed daring aerial acrobatics courtesy of Elemental Faery.
Organizers said they scaled back this year's observation, but there still were plenty of resource booths, food trucks and entertainment.
The Sundial Bridge will remain illuminated in pink through Sunday.
— Mike Chapman
Feds give $30M to Sites Reservoir project
Monday, Oct. 17
The proposed Sites Reservoir in Colusa County has received a financial boost from the Biden Administration.
The Department of Interior has announced that the project is getting $30 million from Biden’s infrastructure law.
The Sites Reservoir was among $210 million in projects that the federal government announced funding for on Monday.
California has committed about $875 million in bond money toward the Sites project and Congress allocated another $104 million.
The Sites Authority is eligible for up to $2.2 billion in loans from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and another $450 million loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Under plans endorsed by state, federal and local officials, the Antelope Valley in Colusa County would be flooded by the Sites Reservoir, a 14,000-acre, $3.9 billion lake that would take in water pumped from the Sacramento River and store it for agricultural and municipal use during dry periods.
— David Benda
Redding residents asked to take community survey
Monday, Oct. 10
Redding residents have a chance to weigh in about what’s working and what’s not in their city by participating in a community survey.
Data received will help city officials update Redding’s general plan and other city services. The general plan update is scheduled to be completed in 2023.
Residents can take the survey through Oct. 17. The survey was created by the National Research Center at Polco, which will analyze the results.
Some residents may have already received a postcard or a survey in the mail that asks for their participation. If you have but have not completed it, city officials are asking residents to do so using the details provided on the postcard or by submitting the paper copy by mail.
Residents who have not received a mail correspondence are asked to take the survey online by going to https://www.cityofredding.org/departments/community-survey.
The survey is anonymous, but a valid email address and zip code must be entered to complete it. Residents can only take the survey once.
— David Benda
Things to do: Antique tractor show this weekend
Friday, Oct. 7
The Nor-Cal Antique Tractor and Engine Club will host a show of antique vehicles from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday at Nash Ranch at 10925 Old Oregon Trail in Redding.
The exhibit includes antique tractors and farm equipment. It is being held in conjunction with the Nash Ranch Pumpkin Patch.
Admission is free; parking fee is $4.
For more information call 530-597-2253 or 530-515-5914.
— Jessica Skropanic
Free flu shots coming to Redding in drive-through clinic
Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2022
The Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency will offer flu shots at its annual drive-through vaccination clinic from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday at its facility at 2650 Breslauer Way in Redding.
Standard flu shots are free.
The clinic will also offer the Fluzone High-Dose flu vaccines for people ages 65 and older, and the Flublok flu vaccine with no egg protein. Each costs $68 or is free with Medi-Cal or Medicare Part B.
After a flu shot, people's bodies usually require about two weeks to produce antibodies to fight influenza, according to an HHSA announcement. Because it takes time to work, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend getting a flu shot by the end of October — before the height of flu season.
Related:Flu may be coming back with a vengeance, experts say, and children could be at risk
The Shasta County Public Health Clinic also gives free flu shots at locations in Redding. For an appointment call 530-225-5591 or sign up at myturn.ca.gov.
For more information on flu shots and other vaccinations, go to ShastaShots.com or call 530-225-5591.
— Jessica Skropanic
Crash at I-5 interchange injures two Anderson men
Oct. 3, 2022
An Anderson man suffered major injuries and his passenger had minor injuries from a crash into a tree that happened about 7:35 p.m. Saturday in Redding.
Driver Matthew G.J. Detrant and his passenger, Colton L. Brown, both 22 and from Anderson, were in a 2015 Mazda 6 going south on the transition ramp from eastbound Highway 44 to southbound Interstate 5 at “an unknown high rate of speed,” the California Highway Patrol said.
While taking a right-hand curve, the CHP said Detrant made an unsafe turning movement and the car went off the paved east roadway edge.
The Mazda went out of control in a southerly direction on the east dirt-and-grass embankment where its left side struck a tree, the CHP said.
Both Detrant and Brown were taken to Mercy Medical Center for treatment. Both had been wearing seat belts.
“Alcohol does not appear to be a factor to this collision,” the CHP said.
— Mike Chapman
Man from Jamaica dies in Highway 299 crash
Oct. 3, 2022
A 30-year-old driver from Manchester, Jamaica, died Saturday in a single-vehicle crash on Highway 299 east of Junction City in Trinity County.
The California Highway Patrol says Damario Williams was driving a white Chevrolet Suburban about 4 a.m. when he apparently went off the highway east of Slattery Gulch Road.
A passing motorist notified Trinity River CHP officers of the crash and when officers arrived to investigate, they found the Suburban off the roadway and overturned on its roof.
“Williams was found to have been ejected from the vehicle and suffered fatal injuries as a result of the crash,” the CHP said.
Williams wasn’t wearing a seat belt, the CHP said, adding that “Drugs and/or alcohol have not been ruled out as a possible contributing factor to the cause of this crash.”
The CHP is asking anyone who witnessed the crash or has more information, to contact Officer Barto at 530-623-3832.
— Mike Chapman
Redding observes National Night Out with block parties Tuesday evening
Oct. 3, 2022
National Night Out will be observed in Redding on Tuesday evening with various neighborhood block parties.
City of Redding officials and members of the Redding police and fire departments will visit the gatherings from 6:30-9 p.m.
The block parties usually get underway between 6-7 p.m. and feature barbecues, ice cream socials or potlucks.
The city says National Night Out is meant to:
- Heighten crime and drug abuse awareness
- Generate support and participation in local anti-crime efforts
- Strengthen neighborhood spirit and police/community relations
- Send a message to criminals, letting them know neighborhoods are organized and fighting back
Redding observes the alternative date for National Night Out because it's too hot in August.
This map shows participating locations: https://bit.ly/nightoutrpd
— Mike Chapman
BLM lifts fire restrictions in eastern Shasta and Siskiyou counties
Oct. 2, 2022
With the arrival of cooler fall weather, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management has lifted some campfire restrictions in eastern Shasta and Siskiyou counties.
The lifted restrictions means campfires are again allowed in some BLM-managed campgrounds in the eastern portions of the two counties. Campfire permits are still required for campfires, the BLM said.
The latest in fire restrictions also apply to BLM-managed land in Lassen, Modoc and Plumas counties.
Permits are available online at www.readyforwildfire.org/permits/campfire-permit.
A 5-foot-diameter area cleared to bare soil is required around all campfires, along with overhead clearance to prevent fires from spreading to nearby grass and trees, the BLM said.
Anyone building a campfire should also have a round-nose shovel on hand to make sure fires are completely out before leaving a campground, officials said.
— Damon Arthur