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Author: Sara Beth Williams

  • A series of grass fires sparks investigation by authorities

    By Mike Hazlip–
    Authorities are investigating two separate fires that broke out Friday afternoon, both near residential areas in Citrus Heights. 

    One fire was reported around 3 p.m. at the north end of Pitcher Street near Robert Circle in the Mitchell Village Park, records show. Witnesses at the scene reported seeing flames on both sides of a bridge over Arcade Creek that connects the residential neighborhood with a play structure and bike trails. 

    A few minutes later, another fire was reported near a SMUD station about a quarter mile north of the first fire, authorities said.

    Sacramento Metro Fire Battalion Chief Carl Jewell said the fires were between one to two acres each and that the fires were separate incidents. Both fires appear to be incendiary fires, according to authorities, although investigators were still working to pinpoint a cause Friday afternoon. 

    Local resident Erica Basson said she was home with her husband and their young child when the fire broke out.

    “I was taking a nap, and my husband woke me up and told me that our backyard is on fire,” Basson said, noting that fire crews were already on scene. “That side exploded a little faster than the other side, but they eventually got it. It’s kind of scary, there’s a lot of dry grass.” 

    Carmen Dickinson said she was staying with her sister who lives in the Mitchell Village housing development when she saw flames while out walking her dog. 

    “I spotted it from the walkway, and I texted my sister a video and said you might want to check this out, this doesn’t look normal, there’s a fire in the bush area,” Dickinson said. 

    Dickinson added that her sister called authorities and fire crews arrived just minutes later.

    The bike trails, parks, and play structures that are part of Mitchell Village were constructed as part of the KB Home development, according to previous reports by The Sentinel. Once completed, KB Home transferred the property to Sunrise Recreation and Parks District for ongoing maintenance, according to The Sentinel.

    It was not immediately clear if the metal bridge sustained any damage as a result of the fire. No homes were damaged, and no evacuation orders were given, Jewell said. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

  • Citrus Heights Planning Commission approves quick service restaurant site plan

    A new quick service restaurant could take the place of the former Marie Callander's. // SB Williams
    A new quick service restaurant could take the place of the former Marie Callander’s building which closed in 2019. // SB Williams

    By Sara Beth Williams–
    A Use Permit to allow a new quick service restaurant with drive thru along Sunrise Boulevard was unanimously approved by the Citrus Heights Planning Commission Tuesday.

    An application proposing the addition of a new 5,000 square foot quick service restaurant with drive thru submitted to city in January, was approved by a six-member Planning Commission on June 10. The proposal calls for the demolition of an existing vacant restaurant space at 5525 Sunrise Blvd., and the construction of a new drive thru restaurant, along with landscaping improvements including multiple shade trees.

    The site plan includes a two-lane drivee thru which can hold up to 27 vehicles in queue according to a traffic study conducted by the city.

    Related:  Civic Minute: What’s going on at Citrus Heights City Hall – Citrus Heights Sentinel

    5525 Sunrise Blvd. was the former site of Marie Callender’s, and the site has had significant issues since it’s vacancy, according to Sunrise Marketplace Executive Director Kathilynn Carpenter, who spoke to the Planning Commission on June 11 in support of the new plan.

    Carpenter explained that the Sunrise Marketplace and the current property owner of Marie Callender’s have tried to find a sit-down restaurant to fill the space for five years, going through three different brokers. Carpenter said the brokers “were really good brokers” but still no sit-down dining establishment could be found to take over the vacant space.

    Senior Planner Alison Bermudez with the Citrus Heights Planning Division emphasized that no user for the site has been identified, and before any construction would begin, the applicant must return with a design permit for review. As well, final landscaping plans will need to be submitted for review. Bermudez said a short wall will be required to parallel the drive thru lanes along Sunrise Boulevard as well as additional landscaping.

    A traffic study, which evaluated the worst-case scenario for traffic congestion, indicated that a northbound turn pocket on Sunrise Boulevard which allows vehicles to turn left onto Uplands, might need to be extended depending on the identified user, Bermudez reported. According to the city, the applicant has agreed to pay for a turn pocket extension if needed, and will secure a bond for the cost of the improvements. The city will retain the bond, then use or return the bond depending on the needs required once a user is identified.

    Additional arrows and pavement markings were also recommended following the traffic study, to help direct traffic flow in case of overflow from the drive thru lanes, Bermudez said.

    A restaurant owner whose restaurant is located near and shares a parking lot with the old Marie Callender’s building is concerned about the proposed demolition and construction of a new drive thru restaurant.

    In a letter submitted in March, Hector Alcazar, who owns El Tapatio Family Mexican Restaurant and Cantina, said that construction of a new drive-thru restaurant would result in “significant negative impacts” to his current business.

    “The current entrance to our parking area, which is shared by the neighboring property, serves as a vital access point for our customers,” Alcazar said, adding that closing or redesigning the entrance would lead to traffic congestion, and deter customers from visiting his and other nearby restaurants.

    Alcazar also expressed concerns about “limited parking” potentially resulting in “frustrated customers” ultimately seeking alternative dining destinations.

    A site map for the project shows a drive-thru with two lanes wrapping around the main quick-service restaurant building, then merging into one lane at the pickup window. The site plan also calls for the addition of 58 regular parking spaces, three ADA-compliant parking spaces, and 13 electric-vehicle-capable parking spaces.

    Bermudez said she felt the applicant “presented a really good project” with adequate landscaping that will help improve the frontage along Sunrise Boulevard, and that some areas are proposing more shade trees that exceeds the city’s requirements.

    Carpenter confirmed with The Sentinel that Steve Patterson and Patterson Properties, who is proposing the demolition of the site, hasn’t talked to or secured any businesses. Bermudez said during the meeting that the applicant plans to shop the approved site plan around for a user.

    Marie Callender’s Restaurant & Bakery closed its doors in August 2019.

  • New mural underway at Sylvan Corners

    Artist Amie Nowell began painting a new mural at Sylvan Corners in Citrus Heights, Wednesday, June 11, 2025. // SB Williams
    Artist Amie Nowell began painting a new mural at Sylvan Corners in Citrus Heights, Wednesday, June 11, 2025. // SB Williams

    By Sara Beth Williams–
    After years of vision and persistence, a new Citrus Heights Arts District is becoming a reality, beginning with the creation of a large-scale mural on the side wall of a business at Sylvan Corners.

    Spearheaded by Citrus Heights Arts founder Gigi Rayford, the new arts district and mural project is a vibrant step forward in defining the city’s creative identity, according to Rayford.

    “We’ve been working on this for about three years now,” said Rayford, who was first inspired to create an arts district after visiting a National Neighborhoods USA (NUSA) conference. Rayford also recently visited several arts districts in the Denver, Colorado area, following the City Council’s visit to Belmar Shopping District, and said visiting the 40 West Arts District was “phenomenal” and reminded her of Auburn Boulevard.

    The 40 West Arts District was once a vacant shopping center revitalized by the Lakewood West Colfax Business Improvement District. The arts district is located on U.S. Route 40 (Lincoln Highway)—an international highway that passes through Citrus Heights with a western terminus in San Francisco, California.

    The new arts district founded by Citrus Heights Arts, named CH40 Arts District, will begin at Sylvan Corners with another mural planned for one of DarkHeart Brewing’s walls, the brewery owner confirmed Wednesday. Rayford has plans for 11 large-scale murals total that will span along Auburn Boulevard, reaching the future gateway arch planned for the northern city limits.

    Amie Nowell, a local artist and founder of The Healing Palette, has been commissioned for at least two murals, Rayford said, and began painting the first on Wednesday. Nowell, who painted a 41-foot mural at the corner of Oak Avenue and Wachtel Way in Citrus Heights almost a year ago, returned from studying at the University of Hawaii to paint the first mural for the new arts district. Nowell said the mural should be complete by next week.

    “We’re building a legacy project here,” Rayford emphasized, adding that Citrus Heights Arts is covering the cost of most supplies needed. “We are building positivity, we’re building art, something that people can appreciate.”

    DarkHeart Brewing owner Cynthia Lee said the space in front of both DarkHeart Brewing and Ciro’s Pizza will be transformed with a shared patio, railing, a wall with greenery, and another wall with a mural painting. The anticipated timeline for the completion of the patio upgrade was not immediately known, but the space between the two businesses has already been updated with new patio furniture and restriping of the parking area as of Wednesday, June 11. A second phase of updating is expected at a later date.

    All 11 murals are expected to be completed by October, in time for Citrus Heights Arts’ annual Art Beat celebration.

  • Frozen yogurt chain preparing to open in Citrus Heights

    Frozen yogurt chain preparing to open in Citrus Heights

    Pinkberry is expected to open mid-to-late June at Sunrise Village in Citrus Heights. // Sb Williams
    Pinkberry is expected to open mid-to-late June at Sunrise Village in Citrus Heights // Sb Williams

    By Sara Beth Williams–
    A popular frozen yogurt chain is expected to open in June at Sunrise Village in Citrus Heights according to an update from MerloneGeier Partners real estate group.

    In an email to The Sentinel, Tiffany Clement with MerloneGeier Partners said Pinkberry is expected to open in mid-to-late June. Pinkberry’s bright green signage could be seen on the front of a suite in between Teriyaki To Go and Sourdough & Co. with signs also posted on the front doors saying, “Now Hiring.” Chairs and tables could also be seen set up inside the shop.

    Sunrise MarketPlace Executive Director Kathilynn Carpenter confirmed that Pinkberry used to occupy a space next to Chipotle at 5855 Sunrise Blvd, on the corner of Sunrise Boulevard and Macy Plaza Drive in the Target shopping center. Carpenter could not confirm a closing date for the former location. According to Yelp reviewers, the former Pinkberry location opened in July of 2010.

    Jersey Mike’s Subs, which opened in 2023 according to the Sacramento Bee, is now the current tenant next to Chipotle.

    The frozen yogurt franchise surged in popularity in the early 2000s, but encountered difficulty with over-expansion and high competition from other frozen yogurt eateries, and the company closed several locations throughout the country beginning in 2015 according to multiple online reports.

    The new location of Pinkberry coming to Sunrise Village will join a cast of tenants including The Habit, Amazon Fresh, Starbucks, Club Studio, Olive Garden and See’s Candies.

  • Suspect apprehended after hit and run in Citrus Heights

    A suspect was arrested by CHPD for hit and run and DUI. June 10, 2025. // Courtesy of Citrus Heights Police Department
    A suspect was arrested by CHPD June 10 for hit and run and DUI. June 10, 2025. // Courtesy of Citrus Heights Police Department

    By Sara Beth Williams–
    A suspect involved in a hit-and-run crash was arrested Tuesday evening after fleeing the scene near Greenback Lane and Binet Drive, according to the Citrus Heights Police Department.

    Police said in a post on social media that officers responded to the vehicle collision shortly after the incident occurred and determined that one of the drivers had fled on foot. Thanks to quick-thinking community members who provided real-time updates on the suspect’s direction of travel, officers were able to coordinate a thorough search of the area.

    Assisting in the pursuit were air support and K9 Milo, who ultimately helped locate the suspect hiding in a nearby backyard. Officers took the individual into custody without incident.

    “We’re truly grateful to the members of our community who provided updates and the direction of the fleeing suspect’s whereabouts,” police said in a statement.

    Arrest records show Aleksandr Semenyuk was arrested on charges of felony hit-and-run, driving under the influence and resisting arrest on June 10. Sacramento Main Jail records show the suspect is still in custody on $80,000 bail.

  • Construction begins on Antelope Road

    By Sara Beth Williams–
    Construction began on Antelope Road on Monday June 9, according to an announcement from the city.

    Major construction is expected to take place on Antelope Road between Garden Gate Drive and Auburn Boulevard from June 9 until June 27, the city said. Construction work will focus on repairing worn-out pavement. Crews will be working Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. through June 27.

    Expect lane closures in one direction at a time, along with some traffic delays. Westbound work will come first, followed by eastbound work, the city said.

    According to an update from Citrus Heights General Services Director Regina Cave on various upcoming road projects, Antelope Road is expected to be resurfaced from Roseville Road to Auburn Boulevard in 2026, along with resurfacing of several other major and minor streets throughout the city as part of the city’s Three-Year-Pavement-Preservation program.

    The city’s recently drafted budget, presented in a special city council meeting on May 28, has allocated $4 million from the city’s general fund for both fiscal year 2025-26 and 2026-27 toward roads, according to an agenda packet released on June 6.

  • Two fugitives wanted in Crescent City shooting captured in Citrus Heights

    By Sara Beth Williams–
    Two men wanted in connection with a recent shooting in Crescent City were taken into custody Sunday afternoon following a coordinated law enforcement operation in Citrus Heights.

    The Citrus Heights Police Department confirmed Sunday in a social media update that officers located two suspects, identified as Russell Walters Jr. and Russell Walters Sr., hiding inside a residence near Antelope Road. After confirming the individuals’ presence at the location, Citrus Heights Police investigators obtained several warrants and deployed the department’s SWAT team to serve them.

    As the suspects attempted to flee the residence, they were apprehended by perimeter units stationed nearby, according to authorities.

    The operation was the result of close collaboration between Citrus Heights Police and the Crescent City Police Department. In a statement, Crescent City Police Chief Richard Griffin expressed his gratitude to the Citrus Heights investigators and SWAT team for their cooperation in safely executing the search warrant.

    Griffin also extended appreciation to the allied agencies in Del Norte County that played roles in the initial investigation and follow-up efforts related to the shooting, which occurred near a local Safeway in Crescent City.

  • Real estate market softens in Citrus Heights, but no crash predicted

    real estate sign, file photo
    Real estate sign, file photo // CH Sentinel

    By Sara Beth Williams–
    Home prices in Citrus Heights have remained relatively flat, mirroring broader regional trends, according to Sacramento-based real estate appraiser and housing analyst Ryan Lundquist. But there are signs of change, and there are conflicting views between buyers and sellers of what the future of the housing market may hold.

    In a recent blog post, Ryan Lundquist compared the current market to the famous flick, “Back to the Future,” saying, “Sellers are stuck in the past and buyers are living in the future.”

    While final data for median or average home price in Citrus Heights for April and May 2025 wasn’t immediately available, Lundquist confirmed in an email that activity has been cooling.

    “There has been increased uncertainty lately in the housing market in light of economic uncertainty, and that has led to fewer buyers getting into contract,” Lundquist said.

    That uncertainty is reflected in the growing gap between active listings and closed sales. In May 2024, there were just 52 active listings on the market in Citrus Heights. This year, that number has jumped to 90, which isn’t a historically high number but is still significant in a market where buyer activity has dropped.

    Buyers, Lundquist said, are living in the future, “expecting 2007 vibes,” while sellers are still stuck in the past, thinking it’s 2021.

    In another blog post, Lundquist addressed buyer concerns of a possible housing market crash like the crash that occurred in 2007 and 2008. In comparing the market of 2007 to the market of 2025, Lundquist explained that while there are signs of the market softening, the supply in 2025 is nothing like the supply in 2007.

    In 2007, the housing supply reached over 10,000 in the county. So far, stats do not show nearly as much inventory as in 2007, according to Lundquist’s blog.

    Homes throughout Sacramento and surrounding counties are taking longer on average to sell because there are fewer buyers, Lundquist said. When fewer people are making offers, homes tend to linger on the market longer, softening pricing power.

    In an email to The Sentinel, Lundquist said Citrus Heights mirrored Sacramento County during the years of 2007 through 2009, presenting similar numbers of sales of distressed properties, which were either bank-owned sales or short sales. Where the county reported 84 percent of sales as distressed properties in the first quarter of 2009, Citrus Heights reported 84.7 percent of sales as distressed properties.

    “In short, what happens in the county is what happens to Citrus Heights,” Lundquist said. “All ships rise and fall with the tide in real estate.”

    Lundquist said while the current local market is also softening, like the rest of the region, he noted that Citrus Heights has outperformed the rest of Sacramento County in some key areas.

    “It’s taking about ten fewer days to get into contract compared to Sacramento County as a whole,” Lundquist said. “And at the lower price points, Citrus Heights is more competitive, with a higher percentage of homes receiving multiple offers.”

    County-wide, Lundquist said there is also still strong competition for properties that check all the boxes for price, condition, upgrades, and location, however there is weak competition for overpriced homes.

    One chart on his blog post showed an average of 3.9 offers on homes priced below $400,000, compared to an average of 2 offers for houses priced between $400,000 and $500,000. The chart also shows 1.8 average offers on homes priced between $1 million and $1.25 million and on homes over $1.5 million, and 1.7 average offers on homes priced between $600,000 and $700,000 and on homes priced $800,000 to $1 million. There are also many listings which received zero offers.

    Lundquist emphasized, though, that the market is “not crashing right now” and that it’s too early to build a doom narrative on only one month of preliminary data from May.

    Lundquist told readers to expect a follow-up with final statistics from May to be released in mid-June on his blog.

  • New barbershop open in Citrus Heights

    New barbershop open in Citrus Heights

    Pressure Barbering Company and Salon owner Nyeron Jefferson stands in his new barbershop which celebrated a ribbon cutting Friday, June 6, 2025. / SB Williams
    Pressure Barbering Company and Salon owner Nyeron Jefferson stands in his new barbershop which celebrated a ribbon cutting Friday, June 6, 2025. / SB Williams

    By Sara Beth Williams–
    A new high-end barbershop celebrated a grand opening on Friday at Sylvan Corners in Citrus Heights.

    Pressure Barbering Company and Salon held a grand opening celebration and ribbon cutting on Friday, June 6, in Citrus Heights, complete with music, 50 percent off haircuts, and kids’ activities, including a bounce house.

    The barbershop specializes in luxury grooming needs and custom haircuts, according to the shop’s online profiles. The shop’s owner, Nyeron Jefferson, said he has been open officially since April 2 and that the grand opening celebration on Friday was “awesome.”

    Jefferson said he previously worked for another shop before deciding to open up his own business, and that he has drawn many of his previous clients to the new barbershop through using an online booking service. Jefferson also confirmed that stylists maintaining their own bookings through online booking services has been an ongoing trend and that all of the hairstylists working for his company also bring in clients through booking service platforms.

    “I envisioned something dope when I was inside those walls,” Jefferson wrote on Instagram in May, adding that he worked seven days a week for nearly a year to accomplish opening his own shop.

    The interior of the new barbershop has several stations, each with gold and black salon chairs, and in place of standard shelving for salon products and tools, each station has a multi-tiered black and silver tool bench where stylists store their supplies. The waiting area boasts several black armed chairs, a bench, and a brick fireplace with a flatscreen TV atop the mantel.

    “I made this IG so that my kids could look back and see what their father created and see the steps I took and use it as inspiration to do what comes natural to them,” Jefferson wrote on the company’s Instagram while promoting the upcoming grand opening.

    The barbershop offers student discounts, senior discounts, craft cuts, shaves, fades, and tapers, and emphasizes “upscale atmosphere, exceptional service.”

    Pressure Barbering Company and Salon is located at 7034 Sylvan Rd., in the same parking lot as Wonderful Chinese. Hours online are listed as 9 a.m. to 6p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

  • Citrus Heights Police release body cam footage of officer-involved shooting

    A still image from body cam footage released by Citrus Heights police of an officer-involved shooting from April 21, 2025, showing a suspect holding a 7 in. knife while an officer demands he drop his weapon. // Citrus Heights Police Department.
    A still image from body cam footage released by Citrus Heights police of an officer-involved shooting from April 21, 2025, showing a suspect holding a 7-inch knife while an officer demands he drop his weapon. // Citrus Heights Police Department.

    By Sara Beth Williams–
    The Citrus Heights Police Department has released body camera footage from an officer-involved shooting that occurred on April 21, 2025.

    Shortly after 10:30 a.m. on April 21st, 2025, Citrus Heights police officers responded to reports of a male armed with a knife who was threatening bystanders in a busy shopping center off Lichen Drive in Citrus Heights.

    The shopping center was busy with heavy pedestrian and vehicle traffic, according to the critical incident report shared on June 4. Officers arrived and located the subject, who was still armed with a knife. Authorities said when officers attempted to contact the subject, he ignored verbal commands and then ran toward one officer with a knife still in his hand.

    The police officer fired his weapon, striking the subject. As per department policy, the officer’s name was not released during the officer-involved shooting investigation.

    Body camera footage released Thursday by the department shows one officer approaching in a patrol vehicle, exiting the patrol vehicle, and engaging the suspect, who held a large knife in his hand. The officer held the suspect at gunpoint and commanded the subject to drop his weapon. Instead, the suspect ran toward the officer, who could be heard firing his weapon.

    The officer’s arm partially blocked the suspect as shots were fired. Once the arm fell away from the camera, video footage shows the suspect seated on the ground and the knife lying several feet away. According to the report, the knife blade measured 7 inches.

    John Angel Marmol Elias, arrested April 21. 2025. // Citrus Heights Polie Department.
    John Angel Marmol Elias, arrested April 21. 2025. // Citrus Heights Polie Department.

    Officers rushed in to start first aid just after the shooting, according to authorities. The suspect, later identified as 28-year-old John Angel Marmol Elias, was transported to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Throughout the investigation, officers determined that Elias had also attempted to carjack a driver at knifepoint.

    Elias was arrested on charges of assault with a deadly weapon, carjacking, brandishing a deadly weapon, and criminal threats.

    No officers were hurt in the incident, police said. The body camera video released by Citrus Heights police can be seen here. Viewer discretion is advised.