Original story, July 28
A 37-year-old Shingletown man was killed Monday evening when his pickup went off Highway 44 and crashed into a tree, the California Highway Patrol said.
The name of the driver is pending notification of next of kin.
The man was driving by himself west on Highway 44, east of Lisa Glenn Court in Shingletown, in a 1992 Nissan pickup about 7:35 p.m. The CHP said he was going fast when he went off the highway in a curve.
The pickup veered onto a north dirt shoulder before overturning in the westbound lane. The pickup continued west, went off the road and hit a pine tree. The CHP said the man wasn't wearing a seat belt and was ejected.
He died at the scene from injuries.
The CHP says it's undetermined if drugs and/or alcohol were a contributing factor in the wreck.
CHP: Driver suffers major injuries, arrested for DUI
The California Highway Patrol arrested a 30-year-old Shingletown woman on suspicion of driving under the influence after she drove into an embankment Sunday on Deschutes Road.
The woman suffered major injuries and was taken to Mercy Medical Center in Redding. The CHP said she wasn't wearing a seat belt.
The woman was going north on Deschutes Road in a 1994 GMC pickup between 50 to 55 mph about 3:20 p.m. The pickup drifted onto the dirt-and-gravel shoulder at Gaspers Road and the woman overcorrected, the CHP said.
The pickup went across both lanes of Deschutes Road and ran into a dirt-and-grass embankment on the west side of the roadway.
The driver also was arrested on suspicion of driving on a suspended license.
The cause of the crash is still being investigated.
Two killed in fiery Redding crash
Update, July 30
On Thursday, officials released the names of two men from Portland, Oregon, who died Saturday in a car crash. The men were identified as Timothy Andrew Vela, 24, and Jordin C K Bland-Anderson, 20, according to Shasta County's chief deputy coroner.
Two people are dead after a fiery crash off South Market Street in Redding, officers said.
Redding police Sgt. Mark Montgomery said the crash was reported at 1:06 a.m. Saturday in the 2100 block of East Street.
When officers got to the scene, Montgomery said they found a gray Ford Fusion — the only car involved in the crash — fully engulfed in flames and on its roof in the parking lot of a vacant business.
Once the flames were put out, officers found two unidentified people dead inside, Montgomery said.
Based on the evidence officers have gathered so far, Montgomery said it appears the driver was going north on South Market Street "at a very high rate of speed" and lost control at a slight curve in the road, hitting the raised center median between Pine and East streets.
The car then continued north until it hit a fence and the side of a business, Montgomery said.
There were no known witnesses, so officers are still unsure on some details, including whether the occupants were wearing seat belts and whether alcohol played a factor in the crash.
Anyone with information is asked to call RPD at 530-225-4200.
Hot weather opens door for West Nile virus activity in Shasta County
West Nile virus activity has emerged in Shasta County, the Shasta Mosquito and Vector Control District said Friday.
The positive tests came from samples of adult mosquitoes that the district routinely collects as part of its surveillance program.
"We anticipate continued temperatures that are conducive to mosquito production for the next few months, so it is imperative people take steps to prevent mosquito bites," said District Manager Peter Bonkrude.
Evidence of West Nile activity has been found every year since 2004, he said, adding that "when active transmission is found, the risk to our residents increases."
The district is asking that residents eliminate any potential mosquito sources on their property to help in the reduction of adult mosquitoes.
Those measures include:
Draining standing water that could become a breeding ground, including flowerpots, old tires and buckets
Using insect repellent and fixing holes in screens on doors and windows
Avoid activities at dusk and dawn
Dress in long sleeves and pants when mosquitoes are active
Many people who contract West Nile virus through the bite of an infected mosquito usually have no or mild symptoms. The symptoms can include a fever, headache, body aches, skin rash, and swollen lymph glands, medical officials said.
Men killed in dump truck crash ID'd
The Shasta County Coroner's Office has identified two men killed July 16 in a truck crash on China Gulch Road south of Redding.
The two were identified as Anthony Wolfgang Reckart, 27, of New Haven, Connecticut and Alexander Michael Cooper, 31, of Grass Valley, Nevada.
The driver and passenger were in a 2005 Ford F-550 dump truck that was carrying a large load of metal fence T-posts, the California Highway Patrol said.
The truck was going east at about 8:45 p.m. on China Gulch Road toward Canyon Road when it entered a sharp, right-hand curve.
The CHP said the driver lost control of the truck, which crossed into the other lane and overturned down an embankment on the north side of the roadway. The truck ended up on its roof about 50 feet down a ravine.
Both the driver and passenger were ejected and were found trapped under the truck's cab. The pair died at the crash scene, the CHP said.
The CHP is still investigating the crash but said in a news release that "alcohol is considered a factor, pending confirmation from the coroner's toxicology report."
Nonprofits receive grants to promote cultural opportunity
The North State Equity Fund announced Thursday that it has given out $21,000 in grants to six North State nonprofit groups "to spur positive efforts towards inter-cultural dialogue and equal opportunity."
The six groups that received $3,500 each were the African American Family and Cultural Center and Hmong Cultural Center of Butte County, both of Oroville; the Latino Outreach of Tehama County in Red Bluff, Native Roots Network of Redding, Shasta County Citizens Against Racism and the Stonewall Alliance of Chico.
The Equity Fund is a partnership between the United Way of Northern California, North Valley, the North Valley Community Foundation and Shasta Regional Community Foundation.
The aim of the group is to promote racial justice and social equity in the North State, according to a press release from the United Way.
The fund was established in June of this year after the death of George Floyd, who died while being arrested by Minneapolis police.
Each of the organizations involved provided $100,000 in seed money. Additional grants may be available for "organizational capacity-building and public forums that promote education, awareness and constructive dialogue," according to the United Way.
"We are excited, not only to provide funding to these six agencies that already do so much for the community, but for the opportunity to deepen relationships with the agencies in anticipation of working together on important projects in the future," said Larry Olmstead, president & CEO of United Way of Northern California.
Tax-deductible contributions to the fund can be made online at www.norcalunitedway.org or via check payable to UWNC, mailed to United Way of Northern California, c/o North State Equity Fund, 2280 Benton Drive, Building B, Redding, CA 96003.
Redding Rancheria to open 3rd health clinic
Redding Rancheria announced its third satellite health clinic will open in the city of Shasta Lake in September.
The new, 1,800-square-foot facility at 4174 Ashby Court will contain six exam rooms.
The Central Valley Health Care center in Shasta Lake will begin by providing primary and urgent care services for 2,000 new patients covered by Partnership HealthPlan of California and Medi-Cal, California's public health insurance program for low-income people.
In 2017, Redding Rancheria opened its Trinity Health Center in Weaverville, the county seat and population center of the county.
That clinic started out offering primary care, urgent care and behavioral health services to all Medi-Cal patients in the county. The tribe plans to eventually include Medicare patients and offer dental care, cardiology and more mental health services at the Weaverville location, Glen Hayward, executive director of health services for Redding Rancheria Tribal Health Services, said at that time.
The Weaverville clinic opened less than two years after the tribe launched a similar medical operation, Churn Creek Healthcare, in Redding on Churn Creek Road.
Redding Rancheria Tribal Health Systems' main location is in Redding on Liberty Street.
Power outage hits PG&E customers in southern Shasta County
Pacific Gas and Electric says 792 of its customers lost power a 7 a.m. Monday east of Cottonwood and southeast of Anderson.
The utility says the outage was caused by an equipment issue that knocked out electricity starting at 2:49 a.m.
Another 4,010 PG&E customers also lost power in the Anderson area at about 3 a.m. Monday morning. Power was restored at around 4 a.m., according to PG&E.
Two power outages hit Redding Friday afternoon
Update, 5:12 p.m. July 17
Two outages left Redding Electric Utility customers without power Friday afternoon.
Failed underground cables are blamed for both outages, although causes were still under investigation, REU assistant director of operations Ted Miller said.
REU staff "are isolating and troubleshooting" the area, he said.
The first outage occurred at 1 p.m. in the area around Bechelli Lane and Hartnell Avenue. Crews restored power at about 6 p.m.
The second outage occurred at 1:30 p.m. on Lake Boulevard in the area of Wright Drive. Miller said 1,256 REU customers were affected — an entire circuit.
As of 3 p.m. the number of customers was 980 and by 6:30 p.m., the number of customers affected had dwindled down to 40.
REU workers expected to have power restored to remaining customers around Lake and Wright by 9 p.m. Friday.
Utility customers can call REU's customer service line at 339-7200 for further information or to report outages.
Original story: Lake Boulevard power outage to last until evening
3:30 p.m. July 17
An outage in northwest Redding left Redding Electric Utility customers without power Friday afternoon.
REU repair workers are on the scene to fix a power outage affecting customers around Lake Boulevard and Wright Drive, according to two posts on REU's Facebook page. It is estimated power will be restored by 7 p.m. Friday.
The cause of the outage has yet to be announced, as well as how many customers are affected.
Two killed in dump truck crash on China Gulch Road
A dump truck crash on China Gulch Road killed two men Thursday night just southwest of Redding, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The 8:45 p.m. crash closed China Gulch Road for more than three hours as the CHP investigated what happened.
The driver and his passenger were in a 2005 Ford F-550 dump truck that was carrying a large load of metal fence T-posts, the CHP said.
The truck was going east on China Gulch Road toward Canyon Road when it entered a sharp, right-hand curve. The CHP said the driver lost control of the truck, which crossed into the other lane and overturned down an embankment on the north side of the roadway. The truck ended up on its roof about 50 feet down a ravine.
Names of both men will be released after their next of kin are notified by the Shasta County Coroner's Office.
'We Back the Blue' rally planned
The We Back the Blue Shasta group is planning a rally at 1 p.m. Saturday in support of the Redding Police Department.
"We've been wanting to do something locally to show they're not alone out there," said Brian Martin, president of We Back the Blue Shasta who's also a retired community service officer and former crime scene technician.
The hourlong rally will be in front of Redding City Hall, Martin said. The gathering is part of a nationwide event in support of law enforcement.
The group will have a 6-by-10 foot Thin Blue Line flag that people can sign. The flag will be presented to the Redding Police Department to hang in its briefing room, Martin said.
Supporters of We Back the Blue say they're the silent majority. In keeping with that theme, Martin said the goal is to show support without chanting. He encourages people to wear blue at the rally.
A live-streaming event is planned Saturday by the national Back the Blue group with a link on the local group's website.
We Back the Blue Shasta wants to have rallies in the future to show support for the Anderson Police Department, the Shasta County Sheriff's Office and the Redding-area California Highway Patrol.
Man rescued from Sacramento River
A man was pulled from the Sacramento River by authorities on Tuesday after he was seen floating down the waterway.
The incident began around 3:46 p.m. when multiple people told 911 dispatchers that a man was floating in the river, according to a Redding Police Department news release. Reports indicated the man was initially near the Sundial Bridge, and others said he floated south toward the Highway 44 bridge.
Multiple people tried to help the man but he refused, speaking incoherently and making no efforts to get out of the water, according to the release.
The man was ultimately pulled from the water by the boating safety unit of the Shasta County Sheriff's Office. Redding police took him to Shasta Regional Medical Center for treatment of hypothermia and a mental health evaluation, according to the release.
"The Redding Police Department and numerous other local public safety agencies have participated in several river rescues this year," read the release. "The Sacramento River is beautiful, but its waters are cold and swift. Proper safety precautions should always be taken when recreating on or near the Sacramento River."
The California Highway Patrol and Redding Fire Department also responded to the incident, according to the release.
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Whiskeytown closing some areas for hazard tree removal
National Park Service officials will be closing off areas around Whiskeytown Lake over the next couple weeks while crews remove hazard trees left over from the 2018 Carr Fire.
These are the areas that will be closed through July 22 this month:
Oak Bottom Beach and Picnic Point, closed from July 13 through July 15.
Brandy Creek Marina access road, 6 a.m. to noon on July 16. Vehicles will be allowed to drive through every ten minutes during those hours.
Whiskey Creek Boat Launch and Day Use Picnic Area will be closed July 20 through July 22.
The park service and its contractors have removed more than 11,000 hazard trees since the Carr Fire burned hundreds of acres in the recreation area, the park service said.
Hazard trees are burned or partially burned trees at risk of falling on roads, trails, beaches, and/or other park infrastructure, the park service said.
Riverfront Playhouse cancels 2020 season
Calling it a difficult decision, the Riverfront Playhouse theater group has canceled its 2020 season due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, board president Darryll Alvey said Tuesday.
"We can't risk people's lives just because we have to pay the mortgage," Alvey told the Record Searchlight.
Riverfront's 2020 season will play out in 2021 with "Clue" scheduled to be the first production in February, he said.
Last month, Alvey said Riverfront wanted to stage "Clue" this August, the first production in its new downtown Redding.
But much has changed with the pandemic since then.
In Shasta County, the number of confirmed cases has nearly quadrupled over the last month, from 44 on June 7 to 163 on Tuesday. This week, local health officials also reported the fifth death from the coronavirus, a woman in her 70s.
Riverfront's new theater, at 1950 California St., is the former RIOH building that Don Ajamian Construction with the help of numerous volunteers has transformed into a 150-seat performing arts venue. There's also a smaller space – Alvey calls it the Black Box stage – that groups will be able to rent out for live music, comedy night, or presentations.
The 150-seat main stage also can serve as a live venue.
In June, the Riverfront sign went up at the new theater.
Riverfront plays had been staged inside a small building on East Cypress Avenue for 40 years.
Missing Red Bluff woman may have been seen in Dunsmuir
A Red Bluff woman who was reported missing on July 1 may have been spotted in Dunsmuir over the Fourth of July weekend.
Jamie Lonsberry, 32, reportedly gave away several personal items and left her children in the care of another before disappearing, police said.
Lonsberry may have made delusional statements prior to her disappearance, authorities added.
According to Red Bluff Police Officer Kevin Busekist, a woman matching Lonsberry's description was reportedly seen on Dunsmuir Avenue near Yaks on July 4 and 5 in a vehicle similar to Lonsberry's dark colored, older model SUV.
The person reported the sighting after seeing a post about Lonsberry on Facebook, said Busekist.
Lonsberry is 5-foot-1, has red and blue hair and a piercing in her upper lip. She was driving an older model, dark-colored SUV with the license plate number 7WFU214.
Anyone with information about Lonsberry's whereabouts can call the Red Bluff Police Department at 530-527-3131.
PG&E holding web meeting on fire season, shutoffs
Pacific Gas and Electric Company will hold a remote meeting this week to address the issues surrounding fire season in parts of the North State.
The public is encouraged to attend the meeting, which primarily centers on the utility's controversial public safety power shutoffs. In the shutoffs, PG&E turns off power to some customers to offset extreme fire danger affecting its aging equipment, in light of Paradise's deadly 2018 Camp Fire.
The meeting this week is for customers in Shasta, Tehama and Glenn counties. It's happening Wednesday from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. To access online, go to https://bit.ly/2XBVZ8M as early as 30 minutes before the start, or listen live by dialing 866-501-6088 and entering conference ID 5085536.
Per the utility, "Topics covered during the webinar will include improvements PG&E is implementing to make PSPS events smaller in size, shorter in length and smarter for customers, as well as local progress on key wildfire prevention work."
"The interactive webinar will provide an opportunity for customers to hear about work in their community, have the opportunity to ask questions of PG&E subject matter experts and share their feedback," the utility said in a press release.
The utility said it will have other remote meetings at least through August. For a schedule, go to www.pge.com/wildfiresafety.
Most have power restored after Oasis Road crash
4:45 p.m. UPDATE
Redding Electric Utility says it has restored power to everyone except for seven customers in the area of Oasis Road and Lake Boulevard.
REU says it hopes to have power fully restored by 1 a.m.
A crash on Oasis Road that took out a power pole originally cut power to 736 customers early Friday afternoon.
Power has been restored to many of the Redding Electric Utility's customers who lost power earlier this afternoon in the Oasis Road area.
The outage is still affecting 270 customers. Full restoration was expected by 2:45 p.m., REU said on social media.
A power outage in the area of Oasis Road and Lake Boulevard left 736 customers without electricity early Friday afternoon.
Redding Electric Utility said on Twitter a crew is working on restoring power by 2:50 p.m.
The outage follows reports of a crash on Oasis Road that sheared off a power pole.
Traffic lights weren't working at the intersections of Oasis and Lake, and Lake and Tamarack Drive.
Motorists can expect traffic controls in the area.
Now United says it will launch second flight to San Francisco on Monday
In an example of how quickly things can change for airlines amid the COVID-19 pandemic, United Airlines now says it will bring back a second Redding-to-San Francisco flight starting Monday, Airports Manager Jim Wadleigh said.
On Thursday, Wadleigh said United was going to hold off on launching the second flight until at least August. But on Friday, Wadleigh said he received confirmation that the carrier will bring it back Monday and continue it through at least August.
For more information, go to the Redding Municipal Airport website at https://bit.ly/31huGE8.
United pushes back restarting service to LAX to at least fall
Scheduled to restart its Redding-to-Los Angeles service in early August, United Airlines has pushed back the relaunch date.
The carrier also won't add a second flight from Redding to San Francisco until at least August, Redding Airports Manager Jim Wadleigh said Thursday. United had planned to add the second flight this Monday.
"With COVID-19 hanging about and even on the rise, like everyone, we are seeing the possibility of changes to come and the possibility of it affecting air service once again," Wadleigh said in an email to the Record Searchlight. "A lot of businesses and citizens of our community have been greatly affected. We remain hopeful that through good practices and a little bit of luck, we will see the 'health' of our community and economy return to normal."
Due to the coronavirus, United in April eliminated two of its three flights to San Francisco and cut its one daily flight to Los Angeles.
Wadleigh said he expects United to bring back the service to Los Angeles in the fall, but he did not have a date.
Redding School District campuses will close on Fourth of July
A popular spot to watch the city of Redding's annual fireworks show, the Sequoia Middle School grounds will be closed on the Fourth of July.
The Redding School District announced that all of its campuses will be closed Saturday for safety reasons.
"Our campuses are usually a gathering spot for many in the Redding community to watch the fireworks show. This year due to the City of Redding cancelling the Freedom Festival we are also closing our campuses for safety reasons," the district posted on Facebook.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the city called off the Freedom Festival, an event that typically draws thousands to the Redding Civic Auditorium.
However, the fireworks show is still happening at 10 p.m.
Correction: An earlier version of the United Airlines story should have said the carrier won't be adding a second flight to San Francisco until at least August.
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