Latest local news briefs include Sutter’s new walk-in clinic opening on Sunrise Boulevard, Citrus Heights police making multiple arrests during their latest checkpoint operation, Regional Transit unveiling a new on-demand transit test program in Citrus Heights, local Christmas lights featured on TV, high winds knocking over a large tree, and more.
RT unveils on-demand transit test program in Citrus Heights
Seeking to stay competitive with the rising popularity of Uber and Lyft, Sacramento Regional Transit unveiled a new “microtransit” pilot program for Citrus Heights during Thursday night’s council meeting at city hall. RT’s Deputy General Manager Mark Lonergan told the council the program will focus on the existing City Ride service in Citrus Heights and will allow riders to download an app or make a phone call to book a ride the same day, rather than the current system which requires booking a day in advance.
Transit agencies have long-struggled with offering efficient services in suburban areas, but RT is hopeful its partnership with TransLoc to provide on-demand service will help improve service and efficiency where fixed-routes have struggled. “It’s a great opportunity to really try something at a very minimal cost that has a huge, huge potential to be a real game-changer in communities where, you know, traditional fixed-route frankly hasn’t cut the muster,” Lonergan said. If everything goes as planned, RT says the pilot program will launch in February of next year.
Christmas lights in Citrus Heights highlighted on CBS 13
Extravagant light displays on Orelle Creek Court in Citrus Heights made it on the region’s top 12 list for CBS’s “12 Daves of Christmas,” with reporter Dave Bender. A total of three segments were posted on CBS 13’s Youtube page last week, all highlighting Orelle’s array of light displays. The entrance to the court off Old Auburn Road is marked by a massive tree at the corner, lit by thousands of white lights each year, which the station reported takes one resident about 17 hours to put up. Other displays include nativity scenes, Star Wars inflatables, a walking minion, and new this year — a “Toys for the Troops Kids” drop-off area. (See videos: segment 1, segment 2, segment 3)
Frost announces new location, times for Citrus Heights community meetings
Mark your calendars for evenings on the third Thursday in January, March, May, September, and November. Sacramento County Supervisor Sue Frost, who represents Citrus Heights and surrounding areas at the county level, announced her 2018 community meeting schedule last week — along with the new time and location of 6 p.m. in the city hall conference room at 6360 Fountain Square Drive. Prior meetings were typically held mornings at Denny’s restaurant on Sunrise Boulevard, until the restaurant abruptly closed in July. Based on community input, the meetings have also switched from Friday morning’s to Thursday evenings.
Since being elected last year to replace former Supervisor Roberta MacGlashan on the county board, Frost has continued MacGlashan’s tradition of holding “community cabinet” meetings in various parts of the county as a way to communicate with constituents and answer questions.
CHPD makes multiple arrests during latest DUI checkpoint
Police Sgt. Kristopher Frey reported that a Dec. 15 DUI checkpoint operation in Citrus Heights resulted in 1,034 vehicles being stopped, with three DUI arrests made and two additional arrests made of vehicle occupants with outstanding warrants. Officers also issued a total of 20 citations, the majority being issued to unlicensed drivers or those with a suspended license. Seven vehicles were impounded, and another three were stored, according to police.
More briefly:
New Sutter Health walk-in clinic opens in Citrus Heights. Sutter’s new walk-in health clinic opened on Dec. 12 at 5406 Sunrise Blvd., in the new shopping center at the corner of Sunrise Boulevard and Madison Avenue. (See prior story for more)
New Citrus Heights mayor and vice mayor selected. The city council unanimously voted on Thursday to have Steve Miller serve as the city’s mayor for the next year, along with Jeannie Bruins as vice mayor.
Fox40: High winds knock over large tree in Citrus Heights neighborhood. See picture below
High winds knocked down this tree at (swear I’m not making these street names up) Butternut Drive & Mistletoe Way in Citrus Heights. @FOX40 pic.twitter.com/vK1aytKWfB
— Doug Johnson (@Doug_J_ohnson) December 16, 2017
