Fire and Ice Games celebrated a grand opening on Saturday, March 1, 2025. // SB Williams.
By Sara Beth Williams– A large crowd gathered for the grand opening of a new gaming shop in Citrus Heights on Saturday.
The shop opened in the same shopping center as Buffalo Wild Wings on Sunrise Boulevard across from the Citrus Town Center, situated between Purpose Built and Red Lobster. A long line of new customers stretched along the front of the building in anticipation of the store opening.
The gaming shop features walls of new and retro video games and cards for Magic the Gathering and more. The shop will also hold card tournaments, according to store flyers. with tables situated at the back of the store for game competitions.
The crowd cheered as owner Ryan Strobel and family cut the ribbon Saturday, March 1, alongside Citrus Heights Chamber of Commerce members, regional dignitary representatives from State Assemblyman Josh Hoover, Congressman Ami Bera, and Sacramento Supervisor Rosario Rodriguez. The Chamber’s Executive Director Sheri Merrick said the chamber was “absolutely over the moon” to have the new gaming shop located in Citrus Heights.
Following the ribbon cutting, Strobel expressed his deep gratitude to the crowd and the chamber, thanking everyone for their support.
“You come in here, you’re creating core memories with your kids, you’re reliving core memories with your best friends, your dads, your grandparents, that’s what it’s about,” Strobel said.
Fire and Ice Games is located at 6245 Sunrise Blvd,. Suite A, in Citrus Heights. Another Fire and Ice Games is located in Rocklin at 6688 Lonetree Blvd, Suite 100, which opened in 2021 according to the company’s Facebook page.
Citrus Heights City Council members and others join in recognizing resident Gertrude Irene Thomas for her 108th birthday, during the Feb. 27, 2025 City Council meeting. // Image source: Metro Cable 14
By Sara Beth Williams– The Citrus Heights City Council sang “Happy Birthday” to Gertrude Irene Thomas on Wednesday, in honor of her 108th birthday.
During the City Council meeting on Feb. 26, two days before Thomas’ birthday, Mayor Jayna Karpinski-Costa led the council and audience in a birthday song after reading a proclamation issued by the city. The wheelchair-bound centenarian was then joined by loved ones, city staff, and council members for a commemorative photo.
“Gertrude doesn’t hear so well, but she has all her mental faculties. Shouldn’t we all be so lucky?” the mayor said.
Thomas has been in the news more than once, with The Rio Linda News covering her 104th birthday. Thomas moved to Citrus Heights when she was 107.
Thomas was born in Roundup, Montana, on Feb. 28, 1917, in a little cabin in the hills, 18 miles from the nearest town. Thomas, one of six family members, grew up in a family of “dry farmers” who grew their own food, raised animals, and maintained a working farm.
In 1928, the family moved to Pullman, Washington, where Thomas graduated high school and college. Later, Thomas met her husband Floyd Thomas, and they married in 1937 in Oregon, built a home and raised five children.
In 1957 the Thomases moved to Rio Linda, where she lived until September 2024, when she moved to Citrus Heights. Her family has grown to 11 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, and
15 great-great-grandchildren, with another on the way, the city said.
The city’s proclamation reads in part, “Gertrude devoted her life to others, including volunteering for Operation Christmas Child, Union Gospel Mission in Sacramento, and working on election boards. She was a charter member of the First Baptist Church of Elverta, which her husband helped build, and an active member at the first Southern Baptist Church Rio Linda. She taught Sunday school for many years.”
The proclamation also states that Thomas’ secret to her longevity is to “love and serve the Lord and to be happy.”
Thomas continued a celebration on March 1 with family and friends during a birthday party at Brookhaven Care Home in Citrus Heights.
By Sara Beth Williams– A 34-year-old Citrus Heights woman pleaded guilty to a string of fraud charges in relation to an Unemployment Insurance Benefits fraud scheme according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Rochelle Pasley of Citrus Heights pleaded guilty last Friday to conspiracy to commit mail fraud, mail fraud, and aggravated identity theft, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced in a Feb. 27 press release.
Court documents show Pasley and Deshawn Oshaea Campbell, another Citrus Heights resident, “conspired to defraud” by filing fraudulent unemployment insurance claims with the California Employment Development Department (EDD) seeking Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits under the CARES Act between June and December of 2020. The defendants obtained identifying information of other individuals and used their identities to submit dozens of fake claims, according to the release. Many of the individuals whose identities were used were not residents of California, making them ineligible for benefits from EDD.
Fraudulent applications filed said that claimants had recently lost employment or were unable to find employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and used mailing addresses that were under control of Pasley, Campbell, or family and friends of the two.
According to the release, EDD approved more than 50 fraudulent claims and paid out more than $1 million in unemployment insurance benefits through EDD debit cards. Benefit cards were mailed out to the defendants, and defendants then withdrew and made direct purchases “all for their own benefit.”
Pasley is scheduled to be sentenced June 26, 2025, and faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of conspiracy and mail fraud, along with a mandatory, consecutive two-year prison term for aggravated identity theft.
Charges are still pending against Campbell and are only considered allegations “until and unless [Campbell is] proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt,” the release said.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, and the EDD Investigation Division took part in investigating the case against Pasley.
Citrus Heights Police Officers Sheldon Hansen, Christopher Edwards, and Hayden LaCurelle stood with loved ones, City Council members, City staff and Citrus Heights Police Chief Alex Turcotte for a photo after accepting Distinguished Service medals on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, // SB Williams
By Sara Beth Williams– Three Citrus Heights Police officers were awarded Distinguished Service medals during the Citrus Heights City Council meeting Wednesday night.
Citrus Heights Police Chief Alex Turcotte awarded three officers medals of Distinguished Service for displaying “remarkable composure under pressure” and praised the officers for their professionalism and commitment to public safety in the face of imminent danger.
Citrus Heights Police officer Hayden LaCurelle was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his actions in handling a situation involving a suspect armed with a knife, where he was alone for an extended period of time. Turcotte said LaCurelle showed “exceptional skill” in his ability to deescalate the situation, resulting in a peaceful resolution, preventing what could have otherwise been a tragic outcome.
Police officers Sheldon Hansen and Christopher Edwards were awarded medals for their actions in saving a disabled man from a structure fire in July 2024. Both officers entered a burning home and carried a wheelchair-bound man to safety, Turcotte said.
“I’m so impressed when we have heroes, and I know we have many heroes in the rank of our PD,” Citrus Heights Mayor Jayna Karpinski-Costa said following the award of the three medals. City Council members all around praised the police officers for their heroism.
“Medals are awarded to officers who distinguish themselves by performing well in a stressful situation that involves imminent danger to themselves or others, by using exceptional tactics and judgment,” Turcotte said, adding that the Distinguished Service Medal is the second highest medal police departments can bestow on officers.
The award includes a personalized medal, blue and white ribbon, and a certificate of recognition.
Smash Sacramento is located at 6412 Tupelo Drive, Suite A and B. // SB Williams
By Sara Beth Williams– A new business offering virtual reality escape games, paintball, “smash sessions,” axe throwing, and more, is now open in Citrus Heights.
Smash Sacramento’s new Rage Room is located off Antelope Road, on Tupelo Drive in Citrus Heights. Several packages are listed on the company’s website, beginning at $20 a person for axe throwing and increasing in price from there. Some packages can accommodate up to 50 people, and online registration is required.
A “Bad Day” package is $35 per person and includes access to a smash session where customers can smash small furniture and electronics and use a baseball bat. A “Bad Week” package costs $55 a person and allows customers to break windshields and a larger assortment of breakables. A “Bad Month” package costs $75 and allows customers to smash multiple windshields, large items, and a larger variety of smaller breakables.
Other seasonal packages include “Anti-Valentine’s Day,” for $100 per couple, a gel shooting range for $15 per person for 20 minutes, and virtual reality escape games for $35 per person.
The company’s website lists hours of operation as Monday through Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 2 to 10 p.m.
Smash Sacramento currently lists two locations in the Sacramento area, with one located in downtown Sacramento. One location was previously listed in Carmichael but has since closed, according to Yelp.
Management at the Citrus Heights location did not reply to a request for comment, but the Citrus Heights location is open to customers, according to recent announcements on the company’s social media accounts.
The Citrus Heights location is located at 6412 Tupelo Drive, Suite A and B.
A map shown in a Feb. 26, 2025, agenda packet for the Citrus Heights City Council shows the locations of recycling centers in the city.
By Sara Beth Williams– The Citrus Heights City Council on Wednesday opted to table banning any future recycling centers and instead favored enhancing current regulations on existing recycling centers.
Wednesday night, city staff presented to the council several recommendations regarding existing recycling centers in the city, continuing a discussion that began in September of 2024.
The recommendations included: requiring use permits for new recycling centers, instead of minor use permits, which would result in forcing a public hearing, requiring centers to be located in a Convenient Zone, which is within a one-mile radius of existing major retailers, as established by CalRecycle, requiring new recycling centers to be indoor-only, and allow for minor expansion of existing recycling centers.
Councilmember Kelsey Nelson favored combining all four recommendations, but several public commenters cautioned against establishing more stringent regulations, such as Use Permits or only allowing indoor-only recycling facilities.
One commenter cautioned the council against establishing Use Permit requirements specifically, stating that stricter regulations could prevent grocers in Citrus Heights from complying with new Senate Bill 1013.
Tim James, representing the California Grocers Association, explained that without a recycling center in a one-mile radius, the law requires grocers to either accept recyclables in-store, or they have the option to create a nonprofit dealer cooperative. According to James, a cooperative would allow multiple retailers to come together and develop more “creative” ways to provide recycling opportunities, such as mobile recycling options.
Councilmember Tim Schaefer and Vice Mayor MariJane Lopez-Taff agreed with James, and emphasized the need for further conversation with grocers, not just recycling center operators.
“I would much rather have the industry regulate themselves than me put out some new regulation,” Schaefer said.
Senior Planner Alison Bermudez with the Citrus Heights Planning Division said during a presentation to the City Council that, in order to address concerns raised about blight, the city took video surveillance of the local recycling centers 24 hours a day for a one-week time period in order to verify concerns.
Currently, Citrus Heights has four recycling centers: one on Zenith Drive, two on Greenback Lane, and one on Auburn Boulevard near Greenback Lane.
Following a review of video footage and concerns from the community, the city listed several concerns regarding recycling centers, including parking congestion and that centers were visually unattractive, which contributes to the “perception of blight.” Abandoned shopping carts were seen at centers, and as well, illicit activity was seen near recycling facilities outside of operating hours.
Nelson, along with Councilmember Porsche Middleton, emphasized that issues of blight needed to be addressed now, rather than later, and that regulations should be enhanced at current recycling centers, even while conversations are being had with grocers.
Bermudez said the city has met with current recycling center operators, and they have been “very willing to adjust procedures” to help address concerns regarding blight. In an effort to support the local businesses and the shopping cart ordinance, the city asked recycling centers to stop accepting recycling materials from customers who bring them via a shopping cart that belongs to a business.
“What happens is, customers will fill carts with recyclables and take it as close to the recycling center as they can, then they’ll unload the cart and make sure that they walk up to the center, leaving the abandoned carts around the edges,” Bermudez told the City Council.
Bermudez acknowledged several benefits to having recycling centers, including that centers provide jobs and business ownership opportunities and allow for community members to help improve the environment and put money back into the local economy.
“There has been an improvement since we started this conversation. I think all four centers that we have, have made improvements over the months,” Citrus Heights Mayor Jayna Karpinski-Costa said, while also acknowledging that the problem of blight still exists.
The council did not recommend changing the ordinance to require any new recycling center applications to be located within a Convenience Zone, as established by CalRecycle. Currently, there are 12 Convenience Zones throughout the city, according to Bermudez, with two more areas on the border of Citrus Heights and Fair Oaks that may become Convenience Zones in the future because of the establishment of new retailers. The city has four recycling centers serving only four Convenience Zones, according to a slideshow presented to the council by the Planning Division.
According to Bermudez, the city has one recycling center for every 21,000 residents, which is “way more” than the neighboring jurisdictions, in terms of the size of the city’s population.
The council directed staff to continue the conversation regarding any potential new recycling center options with local grocers. Schaefer opted to do nothing else at all, but the four remaining members also asked the city to address and enhance current regulations and assist existing recycling centers in accessing necessary funds to modernize facilities.
By Sara Beth Williams– A Sacramento County Sheriff’s deputy was arrested on Sunday by Citrus Heights Police for DUI, disorderly conduct, and resisting an officer. Jail records show he was released the same day.
Citrus Heights Police said Tuesday a suspect who was identified as a Sacramento County deputy, was arrested on suspicion of DUI and other charges, according to local news reports. It’s unclear when the suspect was identified as a Sacramento County Sheriff’s deputy.
Citrus Heights police log records show police responded to the 8200 block of Mariposa Avenue just after 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 23 to investigate suspicious circumstances prior to an arrest being made. Arrest records show Kevin Lloyd was arrested at Mariposa Avenue on Sunday for being under the influence of alcohol and drugs, resisting or deterring an executive officer and loitering with the intent to commit a crime.
According to video from KCRA, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office has opted to not file charges as of Wednesday, citing the need for further investigation. The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the deputy is with the agency and is on administrative leave.
By Sara Beth Williams– The Citrus Heights City Council on Wednesday will hear presentations on proposed zoning ordinance amendments for recycling centers, youth in government programming, FlashVote survey results on code enforcement, and a traffic signal control cabinet art program.
The council will also be asked to approve a grant to the Art of Living Foundation and appointments to the Sacramento Groundwater Authority. The City Council meeting will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 26, at 6 p.m. at Citrus Heights City Hall.
Consent Calendar Items: The Quality of Life Committee is recommending the City Council approve a grant to the Art of Living Foundation in the amount of $7,500 in order to fund and host a Citrus Heights Yoga Fest. The community event will be a free, one-day event promoting health, wellness, and community, and is tentatively scheduled to be held in May at Van Maren Park. The event is expected to draw over 1,000 people from Citrus Heights and surrounding areas.
In December, the Citrus Heights Water District Board of Directors approved several appointments and is requesting the City Council confirm the submitted appointments of Caryl Sheehan to serve as a representative on the Sacramento Groundwater Authority with Raymond Riehle appointed as the alternate.
The City of Citrus Heights has been designated as the appointing body for elected representatives from the Citrus Heights Water District to serve on the Sacramento Ground Water Authority, according to the city. Sheehan has served on the CHWD Board of Directors and SGA Board since 2014. Riehle has served on the CHWD Board of Directors since 2015. The appointments are for a one-year term.
Recycling Centers: The City Council is scheduled to hear a discussion on the current regulations for small recycling centers as well as proposed zoning ordinance amendments for consideration.
According to the staff report, while the city has made “significant efforts” in addressing blight through the Beautification Crew and Shopping Cart Ordinance, challenges persist around small recycling centers. Despite operators’ efforts to maintain their spaces, observations show that areas surrounding these centers often experience littering, abandoned shopping carts, increased service calls, and other blight-related activities, the city said.
The discussion is a continuation of the item, which was scheduled to be discussed in September 2024 but was postponed.
Youth in Government: The council will hear a presentation on developing programming to engage local youth in local government, in partnership with the San Juan Unified School District.
Over the last several months, city staff have collaborated with San Juan Unified School District staff and Citrus Heights principals regarding the objective, according to the agenda. The report will outline findings and provide further recommendations for implementation to the council.
Traffic signal art: The City Council will hear a presentation on implementing a traffic signal control cabinet art program, stemming from an objective listed at a March 2024 strategic planning meeting. The city has, since incorporation, made efforts to incorporate art and history into public spaces.
By the end of Phase 2 of the Auburn Boulevard Complete Streets Project, the city’s inventory will include 63 signal controller cabinets, 60 signal service enclosure cabinets, and two signal communication cabinets, all of which would be made available for artwork wrapping in the proposed Art Program. The city also has two controller cabinets and two service enclosure cabinets located on freeway on ramps at Antelope and Interstate 80. The General Services department will attempt to coordinate with the California Department of Transportation to permit the cabinets for inclusion in the program.
Survey Results: The city recently conducted a FlashVote Survey in mid-February that asked residents to provide observations and opinions on how well code enforcement is being handled in commercial areas and neighborhoods throughout the city. The Economic Development and Community Engagement Department is slated to give a presentation on the survey results.
Those wishing to make a public comment during the meeting can do so by attending the council meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 12 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– A motorcyclist led police on a high-speed, miles-long chase through Citrus Heights and Roseville in the early hours of Monday morning before he was finally apprehended in Granite Bay.
Pursuit of the motorcyclist, later identified as Floyd Janssen, began just before 2 a.m. on Feb. 24, following an attempted traffic stop, according to Sgt. Dave Jones with the Citrus Heights Police Department. The motorcyclist failed to yield to police and flew down Auburn Boulevard onto Old Auburn Road with police in hot pursuit, according to police radio transmissions.
Air support was called in to take over the pursuit, Jones confirmed. The chase lasted almost 20 minutes and air support tracked Janssen as he veered north out of Citrus Heights, then continued east down Douglas Boulevard through Roseville and on into Granite Bay. Janssen’s speed increased to at least 110 miles an hour as he continued to evade police.
With the help of air support, officers finally located and apprehended Janssen on Sheba Court in Granite Bay, according to arrest records. Jones said Janssen was in possession of hard drugs, which makes him a candidate for Prop 36.
Janssen, 36, was arrested on a list of charges, including felony evasion and wanton disregard for safety, resisting arrest, driving with a suspended license, driving a motorcycle without the right license classification, possession of drug paraphernalia and burglar tools, and possession of hard drugs. Janssen also has a long history of over a dozen prior arrests, records show, dating back to 2018.
Janssen was booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail on $307,500 bail and is due in court on Feb. 26.
Cans used for sorting recyclables are stacked up at Ivan’s Recycling center on Zenith Drive, Sept. 24, 2024. // SB Williams
By Sara Beth Williams–
The Citrus Heights City Council this week is scheduled for a second time, to hear a discussion and recommendations surrounding local recycling center ordinances.
The upcoming discussion is a continuation of a discussion that was originally slated to be held back in September 2024. The item was pulled from the agenda, and postponed to be heard at a future date at the beginning of a Sept. 25 meeting.
According to a staff report released last Friday, while the city has made “significant efforts” in addressing blight around the city through the Beautification Crew and Shopping Cart Ordinance, “challenges persist” around small recycling centers.
“Despite operators’ efforts to maintain their spaces, observations show that areas surrounding these centers often experience littering, abandoned shopping carts, increased service calls, and other blight-related activities,” the city said.
Currently, Citrus Heights has four recycling centers: one on Zenith Drive, two on Greenback Lane, and one on Auburn Boulevard near Greenback Lane.
The ban on new recycling centers was previously proposed during an Aug. 13, 2024, Planning Commission meeting, which also included the proposal of several other ordinance amendments and updates.
A local recycling center owner who spoke during the public hearing portion of the Planning Commission meeting in August expressed concern that a future ban on new recycling centers would not allow for the addition of new, high-tech recycling centers to be established locally.
In a third round of voting, after significant confusion among the Commissioners, Chair Natalee Price and Commissioners Marchelle Flowers, Kelsey Nelson, and Andrew Van Duker voted in favor of passing the motion originally made by Flowers, which approved all other proposed amendments to the Zoning Code but excluded a proposed ban on new recycling centers.
Those wishing to make a public comment during the meeting can do so by attending the council meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 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. See the full agenda packet online.
City Hall is located at 6360 Fountain Square Drive.
