California

Judge dismisses criminal charges against California energy company in 2020 fatal wildfire

Published

2 years ago

May 31, 2023

Judge dismisses criminal charges against California energy company in 2020 fatal wildfire

REDDING, Calif. — A California judge on Wednesday dismissed all charges against Pacific Gas & Electric in connection to a 2020 fatal wildfire sparked by its equipment that destroyed hundreds of homes and killed four people, including an 8-year-old.

The utility also reached a $50 million settlement agreement with the Shasta County District Attorney’s Office, officials from both announced in separate statements.

The wind-whipped blaze began on Sept. 27, 2020, and raged through rugged terrain and small communities west of Redding, killing four people, burning about 200 homes and blackening about 87 square miles (225 square kilometers) of land in Shasta and Tehama counties.

In 2021, state fire investigators concluded the fire was sparked by a gray pine tree that fell onto a PG&E distribution line. Shasta and Tehama counties sued the utility, alleging negligence. They said PG&E failed to remove the tree even though it had been marked for removal two years earlier. The utility says the tree was subsequently cleared to stay.

Shasta County District Attorney Stephanie Bridgett determined that the company was criminally liable for the fire and charged the utility later that year.

Shasta Superior Court Judge Daniel E. Flynn disagreed, and in a tentative ruling ahead of a hearing Wednesday said prosecutors did not present enough evidence to show PG&E engaged in criminal conduct, according to the Sacramento Bee, which obtained a copy of the ruling.

The “tree was not a known risk prior to the Zogg fire, and there is no evidence to support the People’s claim in their opposition that it was,” the judge wrote.

A Pacific Gas & Electric employee sprays water on a burning telephone pole at the Zogg Fire near Ono, Calif., on Sept. 28, 2020. A Northern California judge on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, dismissed all charges against Pacific Gas & Electric for its role in the 2020 fatal wildfire sparked by its equipment that destroyed hundreds of homes and killed four people, including an 8-year-old child. Credit: AP/Ethan Swope

The utility said in a statement that under the agreement with Shasta County, which is subject to court approval, it will fund $45 million in contributions to organizations dedicated to rebuilding and assisting local communities. The company will also pay a $5 million civil penalty to the county.

“We stand behind our thousands of trained and experienced coworkers and contractors working every day to keep Californians safe. We feel strongly that those good-faith judgments are not criminal,” said Patti Poppe, Chief Executive Officer of PG&E Corporation.

Bridgett said her goal was always to take PG&E to trial and hold them criminally responsible but that Flynn’s tentative ruling changed her position and she agreed to a settlement that includes dropping all charges.

“I am unwilling to gamble with the safety of Shasta County,” she said. “I have a responsibility to the community and needed to secure what I can for all the citizens to prevent future wildfires, prevent future deaths and devastation, and to be as prepared as our county can be if another one occurs.”

A Pacific Gas & Electric employee sprays water on a... — A Pacific Gas & Electric employee sprays water on a burning telephone pole at the Zogg Fire near Ono, Calif., on Sept. 28, 2020. A Northern California judge on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, dismissed all charges against Pacific Gas & Electric for its role in the 2020 fatal wildfire sparked by its equipment that destroyed hundreds of homes and killed four people, including an 8-year-old child. Credit: AP/Ethan Swope

Last week, the California Public Utilities Commission approved a $150 million settlement between Pacific Gas and Electric Co. and the CPUC’s Safety and Enforcement Division over PG&E’s role in the Zogg Fire. As part of the agreement, the utility will pay $10 million as a penalty to California’s General Fund, and invest $140 million in shareholder funds in new wildfire mitigation efforts, officials said.

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California

Scientists document carnivorous squirrels in California who hunt voles : Short Wave

Published

2 hours ago

December 27, 2024

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Scientists document carnivorous squirrels in California who hunt voles : Short Wave

Squirrels are omnivores, eating nuts, fruit, small insects — and according to a study published in the Journal of Ethology — voles.

Sonja Wild, UC Davis

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Sonja Wild, UC Davis

Squirrels are omnivores, eating nuts, fruit, small insects — and according to a study published in the Journal of Ethology — voles.

Sonja Wild, UC Davis

Squirrels are on the hunt in the California Bay Area.

Their target: local voles.

In a study published in the Journal of Ethology, a group of California ground squirrels were found hunting, killing and eating a vole. Lead researcher and behavioral ecologist Jennifer Smith from the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire says her team witnessed this behavior in the twelfth year of a long term study.

The local vole population boomed this year. It was five to six times bigger than normal, Smith says the squirrels took advantage of that.

But this behavior is not new. “There’s been accumulating evidence of one or two events within a species of a red squirrel taking a sparrow,” she says, also noting, “They tend to go, try to take chickens.”

But these accounts have been thought to be one-offs, generally.

With this study, the squirrels’ entire process was captured via video — and shown to be a regular part of these squirrels’ behavior.

Listen to Short Wave on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.

This episode was produced by Rachel Carlson and Jordan-Marie Smith and edited by Rebecca Ramirez, Christopher Intagliata and Ashley Brown. Tyler Jones checked the facts.

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California

Top 25 California high school boys basketball rankings (12/26/2024)

Published

10 hours ago

December 26, 2024

Press Room

Top 25 California high school boys basketball rankings (12/26/2024)

The week between Christmas and New Year’s Day is always revealing for the best boys basketball teams in California and final days of the 2024 calendar year should be no different.

The Damien Classic and Torrey Pines Holiday Classic always present a window of what is in store for the rest of the season and separates the contenders and pretenders. Next weekend at the HoopHall Classic West in Gilbert (Ariz.), Jan. 2-4, will also give the elite teams time to strut their stuff.

There are nine teams among California’s Top 25 still unbeaten at Christmas, a pretty high number, including top-ranked St. John Bosco, No. 6 Riordan and No. 8 De La Salle and No. 9 Montgomery.

Note: Only teams that play for a CIF State California title were considered for this rankings, thus eliminating Prolific Prep of Napa Christian, which can and will play for a mythical national title. Notes and rankings below from Southern Section teams supplied by SBLive’s Tarek Fattal.

The Braves win their Trinity League opener over Orange Lutheran without Brandon McCoy and Elzie Harrington. Christian Collins and Max Ellis led the way. Next up: Platinum Division in Classic at Damien.

Eastvale Roosevelt wins the 2024 Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas, beating Notre Dame Sherman Oaks in the final, 76-58. / Tarkanian Classic/X

Roosevelt wins the Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas, beating Notre Dame/Sherman Oaks in the final. Brayden Burries scored 26 points and Issac Williamson had 19.

Nik Khamenia notches 26 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in a convincing win over JSerra, a team expected to earn an Open Division berth.

Notre Dame suffers its first loss in the Tarkanian Classic final to Roosevelt despite Tyran Stokes scoring 20 points. Lino Mark played just four minutes in an attempt to play while injured. (TYRAN STOKES DEBUT)

Four more wins started with 90-65 blowout of defending state D2 champion Oakland Tech behind 33 points and 10 points from Tounde Yessoufou, and a combined 45 from Julius and Malcolm Price along with Gunner Morinini. Yessoufou is averaging 29.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.

Riordan top recruit Jasir Rencher helped lead the Crusaders to a Central Coast Section Open Division title in 2024. After a strong showing at the Section 7 event last weekend, the Crusaders are a team to watch in the Cali Live 2024 in Roseville this weekend. / Photo: Greg Jungferman

Won the Gridley Classic with wins over Branson (68-27), Clovis North (54-52) and previous No. 6 Salesian (52-51) thanks in part to tournament MVP Andrew Hilman (19 points). Texas Tech-bound Jasir Rencher and Irvine signee Nex Emeneke was also All-Tourney.

Carlton Perrilliat also added 11 rebounds in limited minutes.

Carlton Perrilliat swoops in for two of his game-high 22 points in Salesian’s lopsided win over Windward last spring at the at Cali Live 24 in Roseville. / Photo: Gary Jones

Pride lost their first regular-season game since 2022, 52-51 to Riordan, in finals of the Gridley Classic. Salesian missed two free throws with 1.2 seconds to play.

Win over Santa Margarita (61-57) to win the Vountour Classic was team’s most impressive. David Balogun, a rapidly improving 6-6 post, scored 29 to lead the way. Since then breathers over Mountain House (67-35), La Salle (76-26) and Sacred Heart Cathedral (79-39).

The Aztecs from San Diego won five games last week, including four at the Tarkanian Classic to take the Nike Division championship behind division’s Most Outstanding Player J.J. Sanchez, who had 22 points in the finals.

Eagles’ only loss comes this week to unbeaten NorCal power De La Salle, but bounces back with a win over Murrieta Valley.

Trailblazers beat Millikan 87-33 this past week.

The Lions get a taste of Open Division-level hoops in a 65-50 loss to Harvard-Westlake.

Redondo Union is picking up Open Division playoff buzz.

La Mirada forward Gene Roebuck is one of the top 2027 prospects on the West Coast. / Tarek Fattal

La Mirada has been idle since Dec. 14.

Coach Paul Tait is enthused by the play of sophomore point guard Dominic Loehle.

After lopsided win over St. Augustine (77-54), recorded tough wins over Sage Creek (75-66), Mission Hills (67-59) and La Jolla Country Day (80-68).

Monarchs have won five of their last six.

Pius went 2-2 at the Tarkanian Classic.

Jasone Crowe Jr. is averaging 37 points per game.

Had won four straight before losing 63-54 to Brophy College Prep of Phoenix Ariz. (63-54).

Quality win over Pacifica Christian of Orange County without Jeremiah Hampton was impressive. JJ Harris and Louis Bond impressed.

Canyon has won five straight. Brandon Benjamin averaging 30+ points a game.

Damien without big man Nate Garcia (injured).

Twelve straight wins isn’t a bad way to start the season. Defense a big key, holding opponents under 50 seven times, including three straight games limiting opponents to 49 in wins over Riverside poly (61-49), Salesian Los Angeles (93-49) and Wiseburn-Da Vinci (61-49).

Cougars last win came against Long Beach Poly on Dec. 14.

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