File photo, Jack in the Box, at 6131 Greenback Ln. in Citrus Heights.
By Sara Beth Williams– A California-based national fast-food company announced plans last week to close between 150 and 200 stores nationwide.
Jack in the Box, a San Diego-based fast-food giant with over 900 restaurant locations in the state, announced it plans to close over 150 “underperforming” locations throughout the country, with up to 120 closing by the end of 2025, according to a company press release. Additional closures will take place in 2026.
The chain, offering burgers, chicken sandwiches, and curly fries, is the latest national retail chain to downsize amid inflationary pressures and high labor costs over the last several years
A list of specific locations that will shutter has not been released, but the majority of underperforming restaurants have “been in the system for over three decades,” the release said. The fast food chain is also considering a potential sale of the Del Taco brand, a Mexican fast food restaurant, which the company acquired in 2022. The closures are designed to “improve long-term financial performance.”
Citrus Heights currently has two operating Jack in the Box restaurants within city limits, one on Greenback Lane near the corner of Auburn Boulevard and one on the corner of Antelope Road and Sunrise Boulevard. Two more restaurant locations sit on the city’s border, with one location on the corner of Greenback Lane and Fair Oaks Boulevard in Fair Oaks, and another Jack in the Box location on Auburn Boulevard straddles the county line between Citrus Heights and Roseville, next to California Burger. The Jack in the Box on Auburn Boulevard lists a Roseville address.
Citrus Heights also has one Del Taco, located on Greenback Lane and San Juan Avenue.
The company said in its media release that proceeds from the sale of real estate holdings will be used to reduce its debt load. As of January, the company faced total current liabilities of more than $426 million.
Jack in the Box operates 2,200 restaurant locations, primarily on the West Coast. The first location opened in San Diego in 1951.
The Courte at Citrus Heights memory care center is located at 6825 Sunrise Blvd. // SB Williams
By Sara Beth Williams– The Courte in Citrus Heights has been listed for sale, according to commercial real estate site LoopNet.
The Courte at Citrus Heights is a 48-unit, 27,768-square-foot senior living community located on Sunrise Boulevard specializing in memory care, with an 87 percent occupancy rate according to the listing description. The facility opened in late 2016 after being approved in early 2015.
According to the listing, Hilco Real Estate Sales is accepting bids for the memory care facility until June 12 at 5 p.m. Central Standard Time. On-site inspections will be held by appointment only.
Bids should be submitted via email as a letter of intent, outlining the purchase price, earnest money deposit, and closing timeline, according to the listing brochure from Hilco Real Estate Sales.
A lawsuit was filed against the facility in January, in which Beyond Loan 5 LLC alleged a loan default. An amended motion filed Feb 12 in Sacramento County Superior Court against The Courte in Citrus Heights asked the court to appoint a receiver to manage the facility, with agreement from the borrower, according to the Sacramento Business Journal.
The suit states that a receivership would avoid formally foreclosing on the property, which could take several months, would “compel a quicker resolution, and would also ensure continued care of current residents at the memory care center.
According to the original suit filed on Jan. 22, Citrus Heights Memory Care LLC, based in Oregon, borrowed $8 million in May 2024 from Beyond Loan 5 LLC, the plaintiff in the suit. The loan was attached as a lien on the property.
Citrus Heights Memory Care paid “little” toward the cost of the $8 million loan and has also defaulted on an original loan, along with closing costs, for a total unpaid balance of more than $9 million, the lawsuit claims.
Management at The Courte in Citrus Heights said in a phone call in February they do not handle media inquiries and directed requests for comment to Frontier Senior Living.
A website for the Citrus Heights Memory Care no longer appears to be active but instead redirects parties to Frontier Senior Living, which manages the care center. A location search on the senior living management company’s website does not show a location for The Courte in Citrus Heights.
Frontier Management, located in Dallas, Texas, did not list any contact information other than a physical address.
By Sara Beth Williams– Citrus Heights Police arrested a 30-year-old suspect for homicide after he turned himself in to the Sacramento County main jail on Thursday.
Around 10:15 a.m. Thursday, police officers responded to Sacramento Metro Fire Station 21 on Greenback Lane following the report of a 28-year-old woman who had been stabbed, according to an April 24 press release.
Sacramento Metro Fire personnel provided emergency medical aid, and the victim was transported to a nearby hospital, where she later died from her injuries.
Investigators confirmed the victim sustained multiple stab wounds, which led to her death, police said. Officers identified the suspect as 30-year-old Kyron Jamar Mason from Sacramento and then located him at the Sacramento County Main Jail, where he turned himself in.
The victim and Mason had been in a dating relationship, according to the release, and she had recently been granted a restraining order protecting her from Mason, who had an extensive domestic violence history. Investigators found Mason was also the restraining party in multiple other restraining orders and had several previous domestic violence arrests in Sacramento County with other victims.
Earlier Thursday morning, Mason intercepted the victim at her place of work and then violently stabbed her multiple times while she was inside a vehicle in front of the address, according to the release. Sacramento Metro Fire officials confirmed that a patient arrived at Fire Station 21 with “traumatic injuries from a violent crime assault.”
Family transported her to the fire station where personnel provided medical aid before transporting her to the hospital.
Mason is currently being held at the Sacramento County Main Jail on murder charges. Records show he is ineligible for bail
Investigators say the investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information related to this crime can contact the Citrus Heights Police Department’s crime tip line at 916-727-5524.
Ethan Conrad’s request for an amendment to the Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan was rejected by the Citrus Heights City Council Wednesday, April 23, 2025. // SB Williams
By Sara Beth Williams– The Citrus Heights City Council chambers were filled to standing room only on Wednesday night at City Hall as the City Council deliberated the future of Sunrise Mall.
In a meeting lasting over four and a half hours, the City Council, dozens of community members, and Ethan Conrad, CEO of Ethan Conrad Properties, discussed the mall’s future, beginning with a presentation from the city, and followed by the presentation of an informal amendment request from Conrad.
Many public comment speakers at the council meeting echoed the community preferences that shaped the original Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan. While most residents and council members expressed no objections to the specific businesses proposed in Conrad’s plan, including The Home Depot, In-N-Out Burger, and Judi’s Cleaners, several noted that the locations outlined in Conrad’s updated site plan submitted in March did not align with the vision or intended land uses of the Specific Plan.
Some residents and community members, including former Citrus Heights City Councilmember Albert Fox and commercial real estate agent Tony Wood, supported working with Conrad to revise the plan or find a compromise. At least one business owner in Sunrise Mall submitted a written comment, stating, “Pushing this project back will mean the death of my small business.”
The original site plan released by Ethan Conrad Properties in late 2024, proposed constructing a The Home Depot at the far southeast corner of the Sunrise Mall property. The plan also included eight drive-thru restaurants along Sunrise Boulevard, including an In-N-Out Burger. The original plan did not include green space, open space, or housing.
An updated site plan submitted in March included six drive-thru restaurants instead of eight, a three-acre section designated for multi-family housing, an EV charging station, and a one-acre open event space on the northern side of the mall.
Community Development Director Casey Kempenaar stated during the city’s presentation that, during the creation of the Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan, the community strongly supported the inclusion of a central gathering space, a mix of retail, dining, and entertainment options, diverse employment opportunities, housing and green space. The plan also included flexible office space options.
Many community members, including residents who lived near the mall, multiple former City Council members, the Citrus Heights Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, and representatives from the Sacramento County Board of Education and Sacramento Area Council of Governments, encouraged the council to “keep the faith” and adhere to the original Specific Plan’s vision.
Conrad emphasized that market demand determines what can be developed on the site, adding that the current Specific Plan, though well-intentioned and beautiful, is not economically viable.
Conrad described The Home Depot as a potential “catalyst” to drive redevelopment of the entire site and also emphasized that without allowing for these types of uses, the mall property would remain undeveloped and “fail.”
“I can almost guarantee we’re going to have a vacant property there that belongs to Namdar that doesn’t care like I do, I do care, I live here, I want to make things successful,” Conrad said.
Wood, who currently represents the sale of Sunrise Rollerland, agreed with Conrad, stating that securing a national tenant like The Home Depot is an opportunity “most cities dream about.”
Several council members emphasized the city’s past collaboration with Conrad, including approval of the Sunrise Montessori preschool and an electric vehicle charging station. However, they stated that the current informal proposal does not provide enough information and doesn’t align with either the General Plan or the Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan. Giving the green light on the proposal as is would require amending both plans.
Councilmember Kelsey Nelson acknowledged Conrad’s professionalism during the meeting, complimented his business experience and intelligence, and encouraged him to consider purchasing the remainder of the mall property and develop a plan aligned with the city’s vision. Middleton expressed similar sentiments and said she was “hopeful” Conrad could return with a new proposal.
Mayor Jayna Karpinski-Costa praised the Specific Plan and encouraged Conrad to review it thoroughly. She, along with other councilmembers, noted her support for the proposed businesses but suggested they be located elsewhere.
Vice Mayor MariJane Lopez-Taff questioned whether it was wise to “grandfather in” approvals for Phase 2, given the limited scope of specific redevelopment details and that Conrad does not yet officially own the 50 acres indicated in Phase 2 of the proposed site plan, which includes a portion of the property intended for The Home Depot.
Discussion continued past 10:30 p.m. as Conrad rebutted feedback from council and offering to request only The Home Depot and In N Out Burger as a compromise. At one point, Nelson expressed disappointment that Conrad hadn’t shown “humility” after receiving initial feedback. Schaefer, more direct, said Conrad hadn’t “heard a word that we’ve said.” Middleton stated that the proposal did not reflect a collaborative approach and criticized some of the language used by Conrad as “threats.”
Though the proposal was informal, the City Council voted unanimously to reject the proposal.
“We are not interested in amending the Specific Plan at this time,” Mayor Karpinski-Costa said before adjourning the meeting.
Citrus Heights Police taped off the driveway of Sac Metro Fire Station 21 Thursday morning as part of an active homicide investigation. April 24, 2025. // Mike Hazlip
By Sara Beth Williams– Citrus Heights Police are investigating a homicide that occurred Thursday morning, according to officials.
Sgt. Eric Dias with the Citrus Heights Police Department’s General Investigations Unit confirmed Thursday afternoon that the department is investigating a homicide related to a stabbing that occurred at a local fire station. Dias emphasized that there is no threat to the public at this time.
According to public police radio transmissions, officers responded to a local fire station on Greenback Lane in Citrus Heights after 10:15 a.m. Thursday morning and found a victim suffering from a stabbing. The victim was transported to the hospital from the fire station.
Sacramento Metro Fire District officials confirmed that a patient arrived at Fire Station 21 with “traumatic injuries from a violent crime assault.”
A Dodge Caliber was seen parked in the driveway of Metro Fire Station 21 on Thursday morning after 12 p.m. by Sentinel staff. A bloodstain and clothing were visible on the ground just outside the passenger-side door of the vehicle. Citrus Heights police had the area taped off, and officers were at the scene.
Over the phone, Dias did not confirm whether any suspects or persons of interest had been identified and that more information would be released by the police department soon.
Mike Hazlip contributed to this story.
*Update: An earlier version of this article incorrectly attributed a quote to Lt. Joseph Aguilar. He was not present at the scene and did not provide a statement. The quote has been removed.
Citrus Heights Police Chief Alex Turcotte presented the department’s annual report April 9, 2025. // SB Williams
By Sara Beth Williams– Among various increases in crime and enforcement activity, Citrus Heights Police Department data released this month shows more than 1,000 additional quality-of-life citations were issued in 2024, representing a 668 percent increase in citations for camping, trespassing, loitering, panhandling and related violations, compared 2023.
During a report presented to the Citrus Heights City Council on April 9, Police Chief Alex Turcotte credited the significant increase in quality of life citations and other statistics to the efforts of the department’s IMPACT Team who focused on enforcement related to blight and nuisance abatement, and beautification efforts throughout the city in 2024. The department also identified 16 chronic nuisance offenders who were referred for prosecution.
Turcotte said he was pleased to report that the department is almost fully staffed and back to pre-COVID levels, adding that the statistics presented “really reflect how much can be done” when staffing levels are higher. As of April 7, all but one position in the department had an applicant in process.
Turcotte said officers were encouraged to be more proactive in enforcement last year, noting proactivity and arrests rose by 68 percent, which he said reflected a strong emphasis on addressing the root causes of crime.
Drug-related offenses were also up 83 percent, which Turcotte attributed to more proactive policing.
“I do want to again say that we’re not seeing a dramatic surge in narcotics out in the community,” the chief said. “We have now a fuller staff and are able to be more proactive –we’re able to interdict these things a little bit more than when we were on our bare staffing minimums.”
Crime Category Report Turcotte shared a report snapshot of Group A crime category offenses tracked in the California Incident-Based Reporting System, which are broken down by: crimes against persons, crimes against property and crimes against society.
Crimes against property decreased by 1 percent in Citrus Heights in 2024, while crimes against persons increased by nearly 7 percent. The latter includes assaults, domestic violence, and assaults against police officers.
Turcotte noted that assaults on officers rose by 142 percent, from 26 in 2023 to 63 last year, but attributed the increase to the department’s increased proactivity and clarified that there was no corresponding increase in injuries to officers or suspects.
Crimes against society rose the most, by 77 percent, which puts the total increase in crime during 2024 at 15.8 percent in Citrus Heights. Turcotte again attributed the increase to proactive enforcement of narcotic violations from proactive contacts, weapons violations found during traffic stops, and additional drug paraphernalia located on persons.
“Without context that looks like a huge spike in crime,” Turcotte said. “It’s actually a very positive outlook from the proactive efforts we put in there.”
Other crimes
Animal-related calls for service increased by 665 in 2024, while animal reunifications dropped from 177 to 52. The department is optimistic that its new partnership with Bradshaw Animal Shelter, which began in September, will help improve outcomes in animal services. One of the department’s goals for 2025 includes emphasizing microchipping and pet licensing to increase the chances of reuniting pets with their owners.
Data presented shows animal cruelty cases rose by 150 percent, rising to 40 cases in 2024, up from 16 the prior year. Turcotte described the increase as “actually a positive,” citing improved education, training, and proactive enforcement made possible by higher staffing levels.
The IMPACT Team, which also includes a U.S. Postal Service task force detective and a K9 unit, seized $649,000 in drug-related currency, 10 firearms, 3 kilos of cocaine, 19 grams of fentanyl, and over 100 pounds of marijuana and other methamphetamines in 2024.
The Code Enforcement and Rental Housing Inspection Unit, which addresses issues like trash, debris, inoperable vehicles, neglected landscaping, and zoning complaints, saw a 127 percent increase in officer-initiated calls for service and a 92 percent increase in massage establishment checks.
Traffic Enforcement
The department also assigned a traffic officer to each high school as a primary point of contact for resources and youth engagement. One of the biggest complaints from schools was traffic congestion during pick-up and drop-off, along with traffic violators, Turcotte said. With traffic officers assigned to each high school, the department issued 119 additional traffic citations in 2024, including 73 citations in 2024 in the vicinity of Mesa Verde high school, up from 5 in 2023, and 52 citations in 2024, up from 32 in 2023 in the vicinity of San Juan high school.
Overall, traffic citations around all public schools in Citrus Heights increased by 66 percent. Citywide, traffic citations rose to nearly 4,500 in 2024, compared to 3,710 in 2023.
Arrests increased across the board, including for DUIs, felonies, and misdemeanors. Misdemeanor arrests jumped from 1,200 to over 2,000 in 2024. Turcotte noted that the department partnered with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (M.A.D.D.) to help educate the public about the dangers of impaired driving.
“Every DUI [driver] taken off the road is preventing a homicide and saving a life,” Turcotte said.
Goals for 2025
In 2025, the department reestablished its Problem-Oriented Policing (POP) unit, and Animal Services held a microchipping and vaccination clinic in March in partnership with Bradshaw Animal Shelter. The city confirmed in an email last week that more microchipping and vaccine clinics are planned.
Turcotte said plans for 2025 also include remodeling and upgrading the Telecommunications Center and evaluating Operation Retail Theft grant-funded technologies to improve public service delivery.
The department also hopes to continue to develop property crime reduction strategies, enhance code enforcement transparency. and continue its focus on chronic nuisance offenders, including evaluating the possibility of a Citrus Heights Community Prosecutor Program.
Spencer’s Sunrise Mall location has closed, as of April 21, 2025. // SB Williams
By Sara Beth Williams– National retailer Spencer’s has closed its Sunrise Mall location.
Spencer’s manager, Daniel Cornwell, told The Sentinel in March that the location’s last day of operation would be April 20. On a visit to the store on April 21, Sentinel staff found the location shuttered.
Spencer’s locations in the Galleria Mall and at Arden Fair Mall are still expected to remain open. Another Spencer’s recently opened in Elk Grove as well, Cornwell said.
Cornwall cited multiple reasons for the closure, including the lack of foot traffic, lack of active redevelopment, and other closures of mall businesses. Cornwell, who has been at the Spencer’s location in Sunrise Mall for ten years, will likely move to the Arden location, he said.
Regarding other staff members, Cornwell said he wasn’t positive about whether other employees will be transferred and that will depend on available space at other locations.
Spencer’s’ closure comes on the heels of several other major retailer closures, including Hot Topic, Macy’s, and Party City, which all closed in March. Fabric retail giant Joann is also going out of business, having announced it will close all 800 store locations this year. Joann in Citrus Heights is still open as of press time, with signs advertising 30 to 70 percent off store merchandise.
Spencer’s specializes in trending pop culture and unique graphic tees, body jewelry, décor, and more, and has existed for over 75 years, according to the company’s website. Spencer’s began as a mail-order company in 1947 and later opened its first retail store in 1963 at New Jersey’s Cherry Hill Mall. The company now has over 670 locations throughout the United States and Canada.
Everlast Dental has blocked one of its driveway entrances. // Josiah Otterstad
By Sara Beth Williams– A reckless driving incident has prompted a local dental office to take action to “ensure the safety” of their patients.
In a letter from Everlast Dental obtained by The Sentinel staff dated April 10, the dental office located on Sunrise Boulevard and Oak Avenue announced plans to “limit access through the Oak Avenue entrance” of the parking lot due to a reckless driving incident that occurred on the prior Wednesday, according to police incident logs.
In its letter to patients, the office stated that they have experienced several incidents of reckless driving in the parking lot, including drivers speeding and cutting corners.
“Most recently, a driver attempted to cut through the lot, lost control, and struck the handicapped rail where our patient entered and exited the front door,” the dental office wrote, adding that they did report the incident to the Citrus Heights Police Department. Police logs show a reckless driving incident was reported to have occurred around 11 p.m. on Wednesday, April 9 at the corner of Oak Avenue and Sunrise Boulevard.
Several days after the announcement by Everlast Dental, a red rope with a “Do Not Enter” sign could be seen by Sentinel staff stretched across the Oak Avenue driveway entrance into the business’s parking lot. The Sunrise Boulevard entrance to the business remains accessible.
Everlast Dental management did not respond to a request for comment.
A real estate investor has submitted an informal proposal requesting an amendment to the Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan. // Luke Otterstad
By Sara Beth Williams– The Citrus Heights City Council is expected to hear a presentation from Ethan Conrad Properties regarding an informal amendment proposal requesting changes to the Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan.
In a staff report, the city said Ethan Conrad Properties, who owns a portion of the south side of the mall property, approached the city in 2024 requesting amendments to the Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan to allow for uses “beyond the current vision and intent” of the approved plan.
“The Specific Plan Amendment Initiation Request does not qualify as, nor does it forgo, a formal application for a Specific Plan Amendment,” the city wrote in the staff report, adding that the process for obtaining feedback and direction from the City Council was offered to “facilitate early and consistent collaboration.” The review process does not constitute any formal action by the council, and the result will be neither an approval nor a denial of the proposed project.
The real estate investor initially anticipated presenting the proposal to the City Council in November, but the presentation was postponed once, and then again in January. Representatives with Ethan Conrad Properties spent January and February presenting the plan to all Citrus Heights neighborhood area groups with the intention of gathering more community feedback.
Following feedback obtained during community outreach, Ethan Conrad Properties has amended its originally submitted site plan, removing a number of proposed quick-service drive-thrus that were initially planned to be built along Sunrise Boulevard between Greenback Lane and Macy Plaza Drive.
The new site plan, submitted to the city on March 28, 2025, still proposes the construction of a Home Depot, an In-N-Out, and two other unnamed quick-service restaurants, along with a bowling or entertainment venue. A small open event space area has been added to the site map on the northern side of the mall, behind the former Macy’s Men’s store, along with an EV charging station and a section dedicated to multi-family housing.
The proposed amendment applies specifically to the portions of the property owned or under contract to be owned by Ethan Conrad Properties and would affect approximately two-thirds of the mall site, in two phases, according to the staff report. The primary focus of the submitted application is Phase 1, encompassing approximately 25 acres of the former Sears site. The project application does not include the JCPenney property, Red Robin, or the Antioch Street LP property, which currently houses US Bank.
According to the city, the previous owner of Sears, Seritage Growth Properties, was a “significant stakeholder” in the development of the Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan and embraced the community’s vision, including the proposed mix of uses, housing typologies, and the plan’s “Five Big Ideas.”
After Seritage divested most of its real estate holdings across the country, including the Sears property in Citrus Heights, in November 2022, Ethan Conrad Properties purchased the Sears portion of the Sunrise Mall site. According to the city, the requirements of the Specific Plan, including land use restrictions, were “clearly communicated” to Ethan Conrad Properties prior to the purchase.
All community comments submitted to the City Council prior to the previously anticipated presentations in November and January, along with several additional comments from March and April, have been attached in the city’s staff report.
Along with including dozens of community comments, the city included in the staff report a detailed list of considerations for the City Council to review. These include potential environmental impacts and the possible need for an additional environmental review, state housing requirements, risks to grant funding, consistency with the city’s General Plan and the Specific Plan, timing, public infrastructure needs, and overall public benefit.
If the City Council chooses to direct the applicant to initiate a formal amendment request, the project would be subject to a formal review process, including compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). However, if the applicant does proceed with a formal amendment proposal, there is no guarantee that the request will later be approved, the city said.
Those wishing to make a public comment during the meeting can do so by attending the council meeting on Wednesday, April 23, at City Hall, at 6 p.m., or by submitting a written comment beforehand using the city’s website. The deadline to submit comments online is 4 p.m. on the day of the meeting.
City Hall is located at 6360 Fountain Square Drive.
By Sara Beth Williams– The Citrus Heights Police Department released new details regarding an officer-involved shooting that occurred Monday between a Citrus Heights Police officer and a man threatening people with a knife.
On Monday, April 21, shortly after 10:30 a.m., Citrus Heights Police officers responded to reports of a male armed with a knife threatening people in the shopping plaza off Lichen Drive and Antelope Road, according to an April 21 press release. After locating the subject, later identified as 28-year-old John Angel Marmol Elias, the officers engaged with the suspect in an attempt to “deescalate” the situation.
“Elias began running toward an officer with the knife still in his hand. One Citrus Heights Police Officer fired his duty weapon, striking Elias,” the news release confirmed, adding that after the suspect was disarmed, officers provided medical aid and then Elias was transported to the hospital with “non-life-threatening injuries.”
After investigators discovered that Elias had attempted to carjack a victim at knifepoint in the parking lot just prior to officers arriving on scene, Elias was subsequently arrested on charges of attempted carjacking.
The Citrus Heights Investigation team, along with investigators from the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, are investigating the officer-involved shooting according to the media release. Per department policy, the officer involved in the shooting has been placed on paid administrative leave and their identity will not be released at this time while the incident is under investigation. No officers were injured as a result of the incident.
This continues to be an active investigation, and additional charges are likely to be filed, police said. Anyone with information about this crime, or any Citrus Heights crime, is encouraged to contact the Citrus Heights Police Department Crime Tip Line at 916-727-5524.
