Appeal-Democrat

08/31/2024

Local boxing studio run by area pro in today’s Prospect magazine

08/31/2024

After being closed for over a month, the Star Bend Boat Ramp near Plumas Lake officially reopened on Friday just in time for Labor Day weekend.

The Yuba County Sheriff’s Office Marine Patrol performed an inaugural boat launch Friday morning to celebrate the ramp’s reopening and the completion of a sediment removal project two months ahead of schedule.

In 2018, Sutter Butte Flood Control Agency was selected to receive $5 million from the California Natural Resources Agency to conduct sediment management and invasive species removal activities within the Feather River. This agreement included $112,780 to supplement construction for sediment removal at the Star Bend ramp.

Starting on July 15, Yuba County Public Works removed approximately 2,000 cubic yards of silt and sediment from the ramp to restore use of the facility.

After being closed for over a month, the Star Bend Boat Ramp near Plumas Lake officially reopened on Friday just in time for Labor Day weekend.

08/31/2024

Growing up poor, Robert Ripley did not have access to great dentistry.

“We only went in when something bothered us and then it was a bad experience when we went,” Ripley said. “They really didn’t care about helping you. They just wanted to get you through so they got paid for it.”

Ripley said he was the kid they had to carry in kicking and screaming.

“I figured if I was more positive about it, being a dentist, I could make it so that kids don’t go through what I did. And it’s worked, I mean, it really worked out,” Ripley said.”There’s still children that have a hard time, but you try to show them some compassion.”

Growing up poor, Robert Ripley did not have access to great dentistry.

08/31/2024

With the Nov. 5 general election quickly approaching, area candidates are vying for seats on local government boards, including the Marysville Joint Unified School District Governing Board of Trustees.

Four seats on the district’s Board of Trustees are up for election this year. The incumbents are Board President and Trustee Area 1 representative Randy Davis, Trustee Area 2 representative Gary Criddle, Board Vice President and Trustee Area 3 representative Alisan Hastey, and Trustee Area 4 representative Doug Criddle. Non-incumbents are Stephan Fuhrer running for Trustee Area 1, Catherine Ewing and Ricardo Galicia for Trustee Area 2, Oliver Taylor for Trustee Area 3, and Trish Vega for Trustee Area 4.

The Appeal reached out to all Marysville Joint Unified School District (MJUSD) candidates to discuss their run for the school board. The following are candidates’ answers to pressing topics impacting the district. Doug Criddle, Garry Criddle and Taylor did not provide responses as of press time Friday despite multiple requests.

With the Nov. 5 general election quickly approaching, area candidates are vying for seats on local government boards, including the Marysville Joint Unified School District Governing Board of Trustees.

08/31/2024

Yuba-Sutter Transit will not be in service on Monday in observance of the Labor Day holiday, officials said. Because of the holiday, its administration office also will be closed. For more information, visit yubasuttertransit.com.

Yuba-Sutter Transit will not be in service on Monday in observance of the Labor Day holiday, officials said. Because of the holiday, its administration office also will be closed. For

08/31/2024

Blazer nation unveils new track and field surface. Alumni ceremony to be held between JV and varsity game tonight at Dean Miller Stadium.

08/30/2024

After more than two months since a fire ripped through the historic Hotel Marysville in Downtown Marysville, city leaders are still trying to figure out a way to quickly abate the dilapidated structure that officials say poses an immediate threat to the health and safety of residents.

To help achieve that goal, an administrative hearing has been planned at 9 a.m. on Sept. 6 at City Hall to decide if the structure is considered a “public nuisance” that is subject to abatement. The meeting will take place in the council chambers and is open to the public.

Already blocked by the courts to demolish the building on its own, the city has been putting pressure on the owners of the hotel, The Feather River Plaza LLC, to either demolish the building or move to shore it up so that traffic can again flow freely through the city and asbestos contamination concerns are severely lessened.

While the structure itself may not be at risk of immediate collapse – an aspect that has been communicated by engineers – the reported presence of asbestos has caused various officials to worry that the cancer-causing substance could seep into the city’s storm drains, possibly affecting area residents.

After more than two months since a fire ripped through the historic Hotel Marysville in Downtown Marysville, city leaders are still trying to figure out a way to quickly abate

08/30/2024

https://www.appeal-democrat.com/news/ycoe-readies-new-adult-and-career-technical-education-building-for-students/article_ecfad3d0-665d-11ef-a400-9b46a97bf92a.html

When the director of alternative education for the Yuba County Office of Education (YCOE), Ken Hamel, went through high school, you were either on the academic path, which was supported, or you were a shop kid, which he said was not really supported.

“Ironically, I had no interest in academics at all. I was interested in metal shop and auto shop and so I entered the auto body collision and repair trade and became a journeyman with that,” Hamel said. “And then after working in that trade for close to 20 years, I enjoyed it, but I was looking for something with more fulfillment. And I just happened to open the Appeal-Democrat back in 2002, and the charter school was looking for an automotive instructor.”

He ultimately took the job there – it was with Yuba County Career Preparatory Charter School.

“I really, really enjoyed it and I taught there for about 15 years,” Hamel said.

When the director of alternative education for the Yuba County Office of Education (YCOE), Ken Hamel, went through high school, you were either on the academic path, which was supported,

08/30/2024

https://www.appeal-democrat.com/news/american-red-cross-office-in-yuba-city-celebrates-a-revamp/article_189bfbc8-665d-11ef-ab8c-c35c35a83040.html

Before a recent office revamp, everything was dated in the American Red Cross’s Yuba City office, according to business operations manager Kim Kirby.

“We were in the 80s and it wasn’t working,” Kirby said. “I have to say, people would walk in and go, ‘Oh, this is your building.’ And now people walk in and go, ‘Wow – this is the building.’ We’ve got the museum together, so we can showcase what’s happened in the past. Sustainability – that was my key thing with this (revamp), and it’s just all got the same vibe. It feels bigger.”

Regional CEO Jacquelyn Clites said that volunteers utilize the space pretty much every day.

“And then we also have classes. We have training services here, so life-saving classes. So this really gives the community a space for us to make sure that we can have an impact here,” Clites said.

Before a recent office revamp, everything was dated in the American Red Cross’s Yuba City office, according to business operations manager Kim Kirby.

08/30/2024

https://www.appeal-democrat.com/news/cal-water-upgrades-water-infrastructure-in-marysville/article_efeb2f14-665c-11ef-9c97-ff881a2e0f94.html

California Water Service (Cal Water) recently completed a water infrastructure upgrade that will improve water supply reliability and fire protection for Marysville residents and businesses, according to officials.

Cal Water installed over 1,600 feet of new water main on A Street between 2nd and 4th streets in southern Marysville.

“Infrastructure improvements like this help Cal Water maintain a reliable water supply for both everyday and emergency needs and enable us to keep providing quality, service, and value to our customers,” Marysville District Manager Tavis Beynon said in a statement.

Installation of the new pipe took about four months to complete. Temporary asphalt has been applied until permanent paving is completed, which can be up to 30 days after project completion, officials said.

California Water Service (Cal Water) recently completed a water infrastructure upgrade that will improve water supply reliability and fire protection for Marysville residents and businesses, according to officials.

08/30/2024

https://www.appeal-democrat.com/news/yuba-county-sheriff-s-office-app-now-available/article_ce74930c-665c-11ef-9157-d74b1980ae4d.html

The Yuba County Sheriff’s Office can now be accessed through an app.

Officials announced on Tuesday that the YCSO Sheriff’s App is now available to download for residents to better connect with law enforcement and relay vital information to the public.

With the app, users will be able to review evacuation orders, incident alerts, look up inmates or s*x offenders, contact school resource officers, view area crime maps, or submit tips.

The Yuba County Sheriff’s Office website will still be available via desktop.

The Yuba County Sheriff’s Office can now be accessed through an app.

08/29/2024

Thank you Appeal-Democrat Editorial Board for bringing up the civil grand jury.

I agree that any year is a “mixed bag” as far as participation goes. Based on my experience with the Sutter County and Yuba County civil grand juries, it is everyday citizens coming together to improve local government through transparency and increased public awareness. Having trained civil grand juries in the northern part of the state, I can safely say that our counties provide better reports than our similarly-situated neighbors.

That being said, I was also disappointed with the reports that came out from the 2023/24 year for our two counties. I agree that biases have no place in the civil grand jury, and yet we all have our own biases in some way or another. In training, juries are encouraged to only spend time (and taxpayer money) to create reports that have meaningful findings and recommendations as well as positive reports when trying to dispel myths in the community.

I think the election integrity report may have been one of the latter. Elections have been a recurring theme throughout the state in many counties, including Contra Costa County which has a population of about 1.2 million.

Thank you Appeal-Democrat Editorial Board for bringing up the civil grand jury.

08/29/2024

In an effort to maintain the safety of students and staff, Virginia School in Wheatland recently received new communication tools that will allow it to better handle situations that arise in an environment that mostly includes those with special needs.

After it received a grant award of $32,416.75 last year from Yuba Water Agency, the Yuba County Office of Education (YCOE) purchased more than 70 two-way radios. According to Virginia School Principal Courtney Coburn, all staff members received the new devices after training on them took place earlier this month.

"For our staff, what this has done is this has allowed them to have real-time communication during the school day to help with ensuring all students get their needs met during the day and everybody is safe," Coburn said.

The Virginia School serves special education students from ages 3 to 22.

In an effort to maintain the safety of students and staff, Virginia School in Wheatland recently received new communication tools that will allow it to better handle situations that arise

08/29/2024

After a major contribution from Grocery Outlet in Yuba City, the Yuba-Sutter-Colusa United Way recently reported that about $15,000 was raised this year for the annual food drive organized by the nonprofit.

In total, $15,530 was collected for the local United Way’s Cash for Food Drive. Because of its association with Grocery Outlet in Yuba City, $10,815 came from the store’s annual Freedom from Hunger promotion.

“This amount is highly gratifying but is only a drop in the bucket when it comes to providing funds to feed thousands of people truly in need during these difficult economic times,” Executive Director of Yuba-Sutter-Colusa United Way Bob Harlan said in a statement. “The rising costs of food, rent, utilities and other daily needs have a record number of families struggling to make ends meet each month.”

After a major contribution from Grocery Outlet in Yuba City, the Yuba-Sutter-Colusa United Way recently reported that about $15,000 was raised this year for the annual food drive organized by

08/29/2024

The Sutter County Board of Supervisors approved a $2.6 million independent contractor agreement with Woodard & Curran on Tuesday to retain compliance with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.

The act allows local agencies to customize groundwater sustainability plans to their regional economic and environmental needs, and mandates that a groundwater basin be managed by a sustainability agency.

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A new 40-mile-per-hour speed limit will likely be imposed on Berry Road in Rio Oso in the coming months.

The Sutter County Board of Supervisors introduced an ordinance on Tuesday that would establish the new speed limit should the board choose to adopt it on Sept. 10.

Sutter County Development Services has reportedly received numerous complaints of speeding along the rural and residential street. The segment is approximately 0.78 miles long, and most of the through traffic travels from Highway 70 before turning into Mark Hopkins Avenue to access Nicolaus. Residents often travel this road on foot in the evening and have animals that can wander onto the roadway, county officials said.

The Sutter County Board of Supervisors approved a $2.6 million independent contractor agreement with Woodard & Curran on Tuesday to retain compliance with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.

08/29/2024

A Marysville man was sentenced Tuesday in a federal court to nearly three decades in prison for his involvement in the s*xual exploitation of a child and distribution of child po*******hy, federal officials said.

After pleading guilty on May 30, 2023, 51-year-old Brent Hooton of Marysville was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to serve 27 years in prison for his actions, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert said.

Court documents show that “Hooton produced three images of a severely autistic child who was under the age of 12 engaged in s*xually explicit conduct” in May 2021. He then shared those images on a free instant messaging mobile application with an undercover FBI agent.

Federal officials said that after a warrant search of Hooton’s phone was initiated, agents found that Hooton had distributed s*xually explicit images of the child victim to at least six other users on the messaging application. He also distributed at least four images of other children engaged in s*xually explicit conduct.

A Marysville man was sentenced Tuesday in a federal court to nearly three decades in prison for his involvement in the s*xual exploitation of a child and distribution of child

08/28/2024

I've grown up here, in this small town. I feel like I know everybody, and I think most people know me.

It's a Republican stronghold with just a dash of Democrat, independent and Tea Party leanings sprinkled in – and that's OK.

I know why lots of people here in the Yuba-Sutter area voted for former President Donald Trump. He was considered to be “successful" and by that, he made money. He's white, and he talks a lot like that guy at the bar. He campaigned on the promise to bring back jobs, stick it to those who are keeping the average guy down. He talks like he's gonna kick ass (whose exactly it is, I'm not sure) and he's about as religious as most of the people I grew up with – meaning lots of talk of religion without much actual participation or behavior.

We tend to, in a small town, view the gay people we like as “our" g**s – as long as they don't act too gay or s*xual. We have "our" Black folk – as long as they act just like us and don't cause any trouble or act too "Black." We praise ourselves for not being actively hostile to Sikhs or Hmong. To their face, anyway, because most of us are nice. Aren't we nice?

I've grown up here, in this small town. I feel like I know everybody, and I think most people know me.

08/28/2024

After the first week of the prep football season, the Sutter Union High football team remains in a familiar spot: 1-0 following a 24-0 shutout over Argonaut on Aug. 23.

The Huskies sit an area-best top-40 in MaxPreps’ Sac-Joaquin Section full poll, published twice-weekly through the season. Ryan Reynolds’ team heads to Pocatello, Idaho on Friday for its first meeting with Kimberly High in a dome. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m., and the game is a part of the annual Rocky Mountain Rumble that Reynolds said Sutter finally gets to participate in.

Over the years, Reynolds has given his program many college-type experiences early in the season, where the program heads to a different state to compete. It is made possible through fundraising, Reynolds said, and it is an experience the players never forget.

Under Reynolds’ watch, Sutter has competed in Texas, Utah, Oregon at Autzen Stadium and now Idaho, where the Huskies will line up against a team that is one of the best in the state. Kimberly (0-1) is a top-10 4A school and ranked No. 42 in the state of Idaho, according to Tuesday’s MaxPreps’ weekly rankings.

After the first week of the prep football season, the Sutter Union High football team remains in a familiar spot: 1-0 following a 24-0 shutout over Argonaut on Aug. 23.

08/28/2024

Three-time defending Northern Section Division V champion East Nicolaus High girls volleyball is perfect on the season, winning its first three matches of 2024, and sits a familiar No. 1 in the section in Tuesday’s MaxPreps’ twice-weekly computerized poll.

The Spartans have swept two of their first three opponents leading into a home match late Tuesday against Williams, out of Colusa County.

East Nicolaus is home again today at 6:30 p.m. and will be in Yuba County Sept. 4 to take on Marysville (2-4), out of the Sac-Joaquin Section.

East Nicolaus, a small school based in south Sutter County in an area known to locals as Trowbridge, sits just outside the state’s top-25 at No. 31 on Tuesday. Rankings are typically updated twice-a-week by MaxPreps.com and do not poll coaches, sportswriters or fans in the model.

Three-time defending Northern Section Division V champion East Nicolaus High girls volleyball is perfect on the season, winning its first three matches of 2024, and sits a familiar No. 1

08/28/2024

The Marysville Art Club has a long history – it started in 1913.

The club began when a painter didn’t have a space to display her work, and afterward, a group of women decided to form the Marysville Art Club.

"In 1913, they didn't have electronics, TV, none of that. Women couldn't even vote," President Charline Gonder said. "But they could gather and share niceties, I'd guess you'd say."

Currently, the group has over 100 members, including men and women. According to Gonder, members' ages range from about 35 to 99.

"We have a very diverse group," Gonder said. "Every type of person is in our group, every type. From the mayor, he belongs, all the way to (the) little lady who people think she's homeless but she's not."

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08/28/2024

Former Yuba City Mayor and Councilmember John Buckland officially announced his candidacy for the Yuba City City Council District 5 seat.

Having previously served on the city council from 2010 to 2018, Buckland said that his hopeful return will be run on a “renewed commitment to ensure responsible fiscal management” for Yuba City and protecting financial interests of businesses and the public. Yuba City officials are gearing up to present Measure D, a 1% general sales tax measure, to voters in the Nov. 5 election, which will generate over $17 million annually to fund vital road maintenance and public safety services, if approved.

Outspoken critics of local sales tax measures claim that jurisdictions such as Yuba City should be doing a better job managing their finances and that cuts in personnel or other areas could make up for financial shortfalls. Buckland believes that this push for a ballot measure is the result of irresponsible spending, and he aims to counter this if elected.

“I have spent over 55 years here and care deeply about the future of Yuba City. We must maintain a strong public safety stance, which is why I am concerned about the current state of our city’s finances,” Buckland said in a statement. “When I left the city council six years ago, the city had a balanced budget, and we were living within our means. Currently, the city is proposing a sales tax measure, asking taxpayers to contribute more of their hard-earned money to offset what I believe is the result of irresponsible spending. This is not the Yuba City I know and love, and it’s time for accountability.”

Former Yuba City Mayor and Councilmember John Buckland officially announced his candidacy for the Yuba City City Council District 5 seat.

08/28/2024

Yuba County home care workers recently ratified a tentative union contract with the Yuba County Board of Supervisors, which will put caregivers on track to earn nearly $20 per hour by 2027, if approved.

According to SEIU Local 2015, one of the largest long-term care workers unions in California, the new contract will raise standards for approximately 1,230 In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) workers who provide long-term care to more than 1,310 older adults and people with disabilities across Yuba County.

SEIU Local 2015 members providing IHSS services across Yuba County voted unanimously to approve the tentatively agreed upon union contract in an effort concluding on Aug. 22.

If fully approved by the Board of Supervisors, the new contract will include a $1.71 increase to IHSS providers’ wage supplement, bringing wages to $17.40 an hour by November 2024 and creating a path to $19.86 by January 2027. It also includes regular access to free personal protective equipment and a $3,000 investment toward training and education.

Yuba County home care workers recently ratified a tentative union contract with the Yuba County Board of Supervisors, which will put caregivers on track to earn nearly $20 per hour

08/27/2024

UPDATE: On Wednesday, the Sutter County Sheriff's Office identified the deceased woman in this incident as 38-year-old Catalina Aceves of Live Oak.

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A man and woman are dead after what the Yuba City Police Department described as a murder-suicide incident that may have taken place in an apartment off Stabler Lane.

According to officials, the Reno Police Department requested a welfare check on a woman who may have been connected to a man who was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound at a casino in the northwestern Nevada city.

Officers from the Yuba City Police Department then responded to an apartment in the 1400 block of Stabler Lane per the request by the Reno police. When officers arrived and then entered the apartment, they located the body of a deceased woman, officials said.

“Our initial investigations suggest that this is a murder-suicide,” the Yuba City Police Department said. “The deceased woman and man have been identified, but the names are currently being withheld until their families can be notified. The relationship between the two people and the circumstances leading up to the event are currently under investigation.”

A man and woman are dead after what the Yuba City Police Department described as a murder-suicide incident that may have taken place in an apartment off Stabler Lane.

08/27/2024

There were more than 200 entries submitted for the 2025 Sutter Buttes Calendar photo contest, according to Babs Cotter, who is on the board for the Sutter Buttes Regional Land Trust. The photos capture the essence of the small mountain range.

Michael Hubbart, president of the Sutter Buttes Regional Land Trust Board, said he lives on the north side of the Sutter Buttes – a place he has called home for about 45 years. Describing what it’s like to live there, he said it is a secluded hideaway and overall, just a great place to be.

“All of the magic and mystery of the Buttes is all around,” Hubbart said. “(It) can be ominous, because it isn’t usually welcoming and it’s very remote.”

The sunrises and sunsets are beautiful. And Hubbart even wrote a book that details the history of the landmark called “Images of America, The Sutter Buttes.” There are copies of the book available for purchase at the Sutter County Museum in Yuba City, where a temporary exhibit that celebrates and shares the work of photographers chosen for inclusion in the 2025 Sutter Buttes Calendar exists.

There were more than 200 entries submitted for the 2025 Sutter Buttes Calendar photo contest, according to Babs Cotter, who is on the board for the Sutter Buttes Regional Land

08/27/2024

Originally an idea spawned during a family barbecue, Compa’s Mixes eventually grew into a mobile business run by two Yuba City residents who are looking to expand within the Yuba-Sutter region and perhaps beyond.

Saturday was the start of the growing process for Yuba City’s Jon Cruz and Vince Rodriguez when they set up Compa’s Mixes at the corner of 3rd and D streets in Downtown Marysville for the Marysville Taco Festival.

Compa’s Mixes was initially a stop at Marysville’s Thursday Night Market – and still is today, according to Cruz – but one of the brainchildren of the business felt it necessary to build a larger audience.

The Marysville Taco Festival, organized by Marysville’s own Wally Alvarado, has slowly started to gain more traction and attention from locals and out-of-towners. This year’s edition covered D Street, between 3rd and 5th streets, and had about 19 vendors and informational booths lining both sides of the event.

Originally an idea spawned during a family barbecue, Compa’s Mixes eventually grew into a mobile business run by two Yuba City residents who are looking to expand within the Yuba-Sutter

08/27/2024

The “Big-Little Game” was back for the first time in 15 years and it featured two of the oldest schools in the Yuba-Sutter area.

For the first time since 2009, Yuba City High football lined up across Marysville on Friday night at War Memorial Stadium on the Marysville High School campus to kick off the 2024 prep football season.

The Honkers claimed the first bragging rights in the rivalry renewed with a 47-19 win, opening the season 1-0 heading into its home-opener this Friday against Rosemont.

Jordan Martinez, Yuba City’s senior quarterback playing in his first Big-Little Game, engineered three first-half scoring drives as the Honkers built a 20-0 lead at halftime, and then fired a 33-yard dart later in the third quarter to help further open it up, pushing the score to 33-6.

“Yuba City is very physical and came ready to play,” Marysville head coach Will Claggett said. “It was clear this game mattered to them and they wanted to win it.”

The “Big-Little Game” was back for the first time in 15 years and it featured two of the oldest schools in the Yuba-Sutter area.

08/27/2024

Lettuce not beat around the bush – the 5th annual California Taco Fest and Car Show is nacho average festival. Like a hard taco, it will be held. Held at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain in Wheatland on Sunday.

“The taco festival is about culture – it’s diversity, it’s about bringing family and fun and music together,” according to an administrator for the festival, Rose Mary Avila.

Focusing on the beloved taco, but also representing lots of different kinds of foods, there will be a diverse array of food vendors in attendance. The event expects to have about 20 food vendors in attendance.

“Our goal is to create a destination, a food destination. And that’s the whole purpose of the food festival. And we want the Hard Rock to be the taco destination area for tacos, right? For the whole state of California. That’s why it’s called the California Taco Fest,” according to the event’s executive, Vince Zermeno.

Lettuce not beat around the bush – the 5th annual California Taco Fest and Car Show is nacho average festival. Like a hard taco, it will be held. Held at

08/27/2024

Residents on Saturday could see several pyrotechnic devices and fireworks set off from an area in Beckwourth Riverfront Park as a training and safety seminar is held at the expansive grounds in Marysville.

According to the company Devastating Pyrotechnics, between 3-10 p.m. on Saturday the company will be conducting its annual team training and safety seminar.

“This will be a hands-on training seminar for our crew, so we will be setting off pyrotechnic devices and fireworks,” the company said in an email. “Please take any precautions needed as there will be bright bursts of light and loud noise. This training seminar is closed to the public. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding.”

Residents on Saturday could see several pyrotechnic devices and fireworks set off from an area in Beckwourth Riverfront Park as a training and safety seminar is held at the expansive