NORTH COAST, Calif. — Over the past several years, Humboldt County has endured devastating impacts from the opioid crisis, first with heroin and now fentanyl. 

The community continues to experience overdose and death rates among the highest in California.

In response, the Humboldt County Correctional Facility, or HCCF, developed a Medication Assisted Treatment, or MAT, program to provide opioid medications to incarcerated individuals struggling with addiction. 

While effective during custody, many participants declined to continue treatment after release, often leading to relapse and, tragically, overdose.

To bridge this critical gap, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office is launching a new initiative that will provide Sublocade, a long-acting monthly injection designed to support individuals as they transition from custody back into the community. 

Sublocade reduces cravings, blocks the effects of opioids, and significantly lowers the risk of overdose following release.

Until now, the high cost of Sublocade prevented HCCF from offering this treatment. Thanks to the advocacy of Sheriff William Honsal and his team, the Humboldt County Opioid Settlement Committee has approved $150,000 annually for the next three years to fund this life-saving program.

Beginning in October 2025, HCCF nursing staff will administer Sublocade injections to eligible participants in two priority groups:

• Individuals in the MAT program who are nearing release.
• Individuals with severe mental illness who struggle to maintain daily Suboxone treatment.

Sheriff William Honsal emphasized the importance of this new step forward.

“This voluntary program represents hope for those who desire help with their addiction,” Honsal said. “Too many lives in Humboldt County have been lost to fentanyl overdose. By providing Sublocade, we’re giving individuals leaving custody a real opportunity to break free from addiction and avoid overdose. This investment is about saving lives, protecting our community, and helping people rebuild their lives.”

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office said it remains committed to compassionate, innovative solutions that address the opioid crisis and safeguard the health and well-being of Humboldt County residents.

For more information about the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, please visit HumboldtSheriff.org. 

At the direction of Gov. Gavin Newsom, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, or Cal OES, approved the predeployment of 10 fire engines, 10 incident management personnel, two dispatchers, one handcrew, one water tender, one bulldozer and one unmanned aerial system with an operator.

These resources will be strategically predeployed to Nevada County for critical fire weather and red flag warnings, as well as San Bernardino County ahead of heavy localized rainfall and potential mud and debris flows for the Line and Bridge Fire burn scars. 

The National Weather Service has issued flood watches in Southern California, including portions of San Bernardino, Riverside and San Diego counties. 

Local fire agencies identify when conditions in their community may require additional resources and submit a request to the state for support. The staging locations and response assignments are coordinated by local officials.

These efforts ensure that resources are ready to respond quickly, minimizing the potential impact of new fires and other critical incidents. 

Newsom’s office said this proactive approach has proven to be a critical component of California’s emergency response strategy, reducing response times and ensuring resources are available when they are needed most. 

The preposition program is in addition to California’s Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid System, which remains available for emergency response support throughout the state.

Residents are urged to stay vigilant during this fire and weather event. Californians are reminded to:

• Prepare a wildfire action plan, including planning evacuation routes and packing a go-bag with essentials.
• Sign up for local emergency alerts to stay informed about changing conditions.
• If a roadway is flooded, Turn Around, Don’t Drown. 12 inches, or one foot of water, is enough to make a vehicle float.

For more information on fire safety and general preparedness, visit Ready.ca.gov. 

CHICO, Calif. — California State Parks has announced the official launch of the Reimagine Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park planning effort. 

This begins a community-centered process to reflect and shape the future of the park after an arson fire destroyed much of the mansion, an iconic Chico landmark, in December 2024. 

Planning process and outcomes

The planning effort will take place over the next 15 months and result in a vision plan for Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park. The vision plan will integrate extensive community, tribal and stakeholder engagement with technical feasibility and existing conditions studies to identify the best path forward for the park. 

The vision plan will summarize the condition of the remaining structure, explore and explain treatment options, as well as assess the feasibility of new interpretation, enhanced visitor experiences and more.  

Community engagement will be critical to the success of the planning effort. State Parks invites the public to participate in the Reimagine Bidwell Mansion effort to help shape the future of the Vision Plan. Learn more about how to engage and stay up to date below. 

Launch of the project website

The beginning of the Reimagine Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park project is accompanied by the launch of its official website, ReimagineBidwellMansion.org. 

This website will be the home for all updates, announcements, and engagement opportunities taking place as part of the planning effort. 

State Parks invites the public to visit the website to learn more about Bidwell Mansion SHP and the opportunities for future engagement. Be sure to sign up on the website’s homepage for the project’s email list to receive project updates in your inbox.

Memory sharing tool

For nearly 150 years, park visitors, students, educators, workers, volunteers and the local community have formed deep connections to the mansion and the stories it holds. State Parks invites the community to share their memories and stories of the park via the Memory Sharing Tool on the project website. Your memories will help to shape the park’s future and ground the planning effort in a shared past.  

This is the first step in a larger engagement process that will include additional opportunities to share your experiences and contribute ideas for the park’s future. Future engagement will be announced and facilitated through the project website. To submit your memories, visit the website and click on the ‘Share Memories’ tab from the homepage. 

Background of Bidwell Mansion

Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park  in Chico, has stood as a symbol of Chico culture and heritage since the mid-19th century. The mansion was the home of John and Annie Bidwell, prominent Chicoans who made important contributions to the region’s political, economic and social landscape. 

The mansion and surrounding gardens were acquired by California State Parks in 1964, entering the California State Parks System as Bidwell Mansion State Historical Monument. 

For over 60 years, the mansion has opened its doors to the public, sharing the life and legacy of the Bidwells and the cultural history of the region. 

In December 2024, the mansion was the target of an arson that razed much of the building to the ground. 

In the immediate aftermath of the fire, the urgency to investigate and apprehend the arsonist was matched by the outpouring of grief from the Chico community. State Parks immediately recognized the need to develop a thorough and robust planning effort to evaluate the existing conditions at the park, engage with the local community and reimagine the future of the park.

SHASTA COUNTY, Calif. — Shasta County announced its official designation as California's 15th Charter County, a milestone that county officials said empowers that community with greater local control and flexibility to serve all residents.

This achievement reflects the dedication of Shasta County’s residents, leaders and advocates who worked tirelessly to secure this status. 

As a charter county, Shasta County can now tailor its governance to better meet the unique needs of our vibrant region, fostering innovation, economic growth and community-driven solutions.

“We are proud to finally join the ranks of California’s Charter Counties,” said Kevin Crye, chair of the Shasta County Board of Supervisors. “This designation strengthens our ability to shape a brighter future for Shasta County while preserving our values and priorities.”

The transition to charter county status marks a new chapter for Shasta County, promising enhanced local decision-making and opportunities for progress. We look forward to building on this momentum to create a thriving, resilient community for all.

Shasta County’s current charter is available here.

A survey seeking feedback to evaluate options for future amendments and changes to the charter can be found here.

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday issued an emergency proclamation for Calaveras and Tuolumne counties to assist in recovery from the recent TCU Lightning Complex Fires.

The fires burned over 13,000 acres and destroyed or damaged over 100 structures and homes, including 50 homes in the historic town of Chinese Camp.

The emergency proclamation authorizes the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services to provide assistance to Calaveras and Tuolumne counties under the California Disaster Assistance Act, among other provisions.

NORTH COAST, Calif. — Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley on Tuesday announced that she has charged a Stockton man with six counts of murder for a Sept. 7 vehicle crash.

Haley charged Norberto Celerino, 53, in connection to the crash that resulted in the death of six passengers and critical injuries to two people, including himself.

In addition to murder, Celerino — who also goes by the names Norberto (Beto) Celerino Villalva, Grabien Martinez and Roberto Savaringo-Diabla — faces six felony counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and a felony count of DUI causing injury with two or more prior DUI convictions, recorded in San Joaquin County on Aug. 22, 2020, and Sept. 20, 2024, Haley’s office reported.

Celerino also has a third DUI conviction on his record that was not included in Tuesday’s complaint as it is older than 10 years and cannot statutorily be used to enhance the current charges, officials said.

Celerino faces several special allegations including inflicting great bodily injury with a deadly weapon, in this case, a motor vehicle); great bodily injury; that the crimes involved violence, cruelty, viciousness or callousness; that the crimes demonstrate an increasing level of seriousness compared to previous crimes; that the defendant was on probation and had prior poor performance on probation.

It is alleged that on Sunday, Sept. 7, Celerino was driving under the influence of alcohol when he crashed the vehicle he was driving into a tree along Pope Valley Road, killing six passengers and causing severe injuries to himself and another passenger.

California Highway Patrol officers and Napa County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene and Celerino and the surviving passenger were transported to regional hospitals, where they continue to receive treatment for their injuries. 

Police arrested Celerino on suspicion of the above charges and administratively booked him into the Napa County Department of Corrections. 

On Tuesday afternoon, Napa County Deputy District Attorney Katie Susemihl appeared in court on behalf of the People for Celerino’s arraignment. 

The court continued the case for further arraignment while the defendant is treated at the hospital, Haley’s office reported.