McArthur Field, San Juan High School. // SB Williams
By Sara Beth Williams– San Juan High School will soon have its stadium remodeled, according to an update from the district.
San Juan Unified School District confirmed last week that a groundbreaking ceremony on a modernization project for the high school’s McArthur Field is tentatively planned for May 20. The project is being funded by the previous Measure P, which was passed in 2016, the district said.
San Juan Unified School District Director of Communication Raj Rai said planning began in 2022, and the construction project was recently approved at the February SJUSD Board of Education meeting. Stadium modernization will include a new synthetic track and field, two new tennis courts, a ticket booth, and a concession and restroom building.
McArthur Field hasn’t had any updates in 17 years, according to the district. The track and field was constructed over 75 years ago back in 1949, a press box with bleachers was added in 1950, and lights were added in 1984, Rai said.
ADA improvements were the last major updates made to the stadium in 2008, Rai said, which included an ADA-compliant path of travel, parking stalls, bleacher seats, and a concession serving window.
“San Juan Unified and San Juan High are very excited about this new project,” Rai said, adding that stadium upgrades have been shown to improve campus culture and establish a “strong sense of identity” for the school and students. Rai said a facilities page will be added to the district’s website soon, which will provide updates and progress on the project.
With the recent passage of a $950 million facilities bond measure in 2024, the district also has other updates planned for San Juan High, including upgrades to the high school’s science classrooms to “support 21st-century learning.”
Plans for the modernization and improvement of San Juan High’s stadium come on the heels of the construction of a new stadium for Mesa Verde High School, which had not had a stadium since its inception in the 1970s. The new stadium was completed in the fall of 2023.
File photo. A home on Locher Way remained un-repaired a year after being damaged by fire in 2021. The home has since been renovated. // M. Hazlip
Updated Feb. 24, 11:06 a.m.– By Mike Hazlip– A Citrus Heights woman who allegedly set fire to her own home in a 2021 incident was arrested again last week for a misdemeanor warrant, according to police.
Arrest records show 44-year-old Justina Daggett was arrested on Thursday, Feb. 13, after officers responded to a business in the 7800 block of Madison Avenue when she refused to leave the premises. Records show police responded to a Starbucks location at that address.
Police confirmed with The Sentinel Thursday, Feb. 20, that Daggett was also trespassed from the same location four days prior to the arrest.
The Sentinel previously reported that Daggett was identified by Sacramento Metro Fire District officials as the “homeowner and suspect” in a fire that heavily damaged a residence on Locher Way. The incident allegedly stemmed from an argument with a man identified as William Luna, according to the Davis Vanguard. Luna was in a relationship with Daggett, and he was inside the residence at the time of the fire. Daggett later plead “no contest” to the charges and was ordered to serve 60 days in jail and a year of probation.
Daggett was seen living in a damaged and inoperable vehicle parked in the damaged property’s driveway in August 2022. The city had the vehicle towed on April 6, 2023, citing a “lack of voluntary compliance and ongoing violations,” court records show.
Since her arson arrest, Daggett has had a string of other arrests in the last several years, on charges including trespassing and receiving stolen property.
The City of Citrus Heights appointed a receiver for the property in 2024 after more than 50 code violations, according to public records from Sacramento Superior Court.
Sale records on Zillow show the fire-damaged home later sold for $300,500 in June last year, and then re-sold for $540,000 in December 2024, after being renovated.
By Sara Beth Williams– The commercial real estate mogul seeking to amend the Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan will not be presenting his proposal to the Citrus Heights City Council this month.
According to an agenda packet released Friday covering agenda topics for the upcoming Feb. 26 Citrus Heights City Council meeting, Ethan Conrad, CEO of Ethan Conrad Properties, will not be presenting his amendment proposal to the Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan as he had initially anticipated doing, according to statements made to the council last month.
Previously, the presentation had been scheduled as a “discussion only” item twice, once on Nov. 15, 2024, and once on Jan. 22, 2025. However, the developer pulled the item from the agenda prior to both City Council meetings.
Following the release of the council meeting agenda on Friday afternoon, Conrad was not immediately able to be reached for comment, but he has been busy reaching out to local neighborhood areas throughout Citrus Heights regarding the proposal, which he calls “Sunrise Tomorrow Evolution.”
Conrad has proposed amending the Specific Plan to allow for light industrial uses, and at least eight quick-serve restaurants with drive-thrus, among other changes. Conrad has stated on multiple occasions that he is requesting the amendment to allow for “more flexibility for logical retail uses” in order to attract the tenants needed to establish an “economically viable, long-term solution” for the property.
The developer has also reportedly reached out to multiple Citrus Heights City Council members to meet personally to discuss plans for the future of Sunrise Mall, according to Mayor Jayna Karpinski-Costa. City Council member Tim Schaefer confirmed he has met with Conrad, but said he has not in “no way, shape or form endorsed his program.”
The mayor said Thursday she declined to meet with Conrad despite multiple attempts on his part to do so, adding that it is “her policy” not to meet with developers privately, and that any conversations had, should be held in a public forum.
Conrad has already met with Neighborhood Area 1 Northwest, Neighborhood Area 5 (PONA), Neighborhood Area 7, 8, and 9 (CHASEN) in January, and Neighborhood Areas 3 and 4: (CHANT and Arcade Creek), and Neighborhood Area 11 (Birdcage Heights) earlier in February.
Below is a list of Neighborhood Areas at which Ethan Conrad Properties is scheduled to present later this month:
Neighborhood Area 2 and 6 (Rusch Park and Sunrise Ranch): A representative of the developer plans to present at the regular monthly meeting for CHATS on Tuesday, Feb. 25. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. and is held at Twin Oaks Baptist Church, at 7690 Twin Oaks Ave.
Neighborhood Area 10 (SOAR) A presentation is scheduled to take place on Monday, Feb. 24, in Area 10, according to SOAR’s president. The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. and will be held at Citrus Heights Sylvan Community Center at 7521 Community Drive.
Sharon Worthington, Citrus Heights– Sunrise Mall used to be thriving. Working at JCPenney for 14 years in the office, we were requested to park across the street at the Firestone parking lot because the mall parking lot was so crowded. Now… it’s a ghost town, and depressing to visit to say the least.
Look how thriving Birdcage is now with some activity year round. It didn’t used to be that way, either. We need another large gym in Sunrise Mall, as Chuze has created a lot of activity at Birdcage, as well as the anchor store Target.
Online shopping has taken away small business retail in so many ways, but we still love to meander through boutiques and book stores. Definitely need an entertainment venue…even if for live performances such as Old Fair Oaks created.
How about a competitive technology store. Technology is the rage now…and of course beautiful landscaping draws people, always, just to relax. No low income apartments, please. That’s just screaming for crime!
Is a “modified” Costco store interested? I remember how the Palladio in Folsom sat for years with beautiful empty buildings, waiting for an anchor store to show up. Then, the theatre came in, Chicago Fire Restaurant, Chicos, and a slew of great stores followed suit. Citrus Heights isn’t ready to “die” …it’s waiting for the right visionaries.
I know the trick is to get some interest in this…and the board has already thought of these venues, I’m sure, but it’s still worth it to give some ideas of what Citrus Heights needs and wants locally.
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Sentinel Staff Report– Latest police logs show an increase in homeless related calls, while showing a drop in vehicle violations. Below is a summary of police logs from Feb. 13-19, 2025.
Animal control: 8 (up from 7)
911 hangups: 30 (same as prior week)
Code enforcement: 32 (down from 33)
Traffic accidents: 29 (down from 49)
Vehicle violations: 252 (down from 324)
Theft: 27 (up from 26)
Homeless-related: 23 (up from 20)
Vandalism: 8 (up from 6)
Violent/threats: 27 (down from 28)
Disturbance: 93 (up from 92)
Suspicious circumstances: 184 (down from 191)
All incidents: 1,257 (down from 1,362)
Arrest logs can be viewed on the city’s website here. Full police activity logs can be viewed by date below:
The Citrus Heights Police Department notes that its logs “are not intended as a full and complete list of all police activity,” with some information not displayed for legal reasons, such as arrests of minors. As such, police advise that summary totals based on public logs may differ from weekly incident and arrest totals posted by police on social media.
The department notes on its website that: “All arrested suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty. Additionally, the original crimes, nature of offenses, and charges may be amended or dismissed as further information is made available.”
Editor’s Note: police log summaries are published with assistance from AI, but edited by humans. Please contact us if you spot an error.
2 JCPenney entrances were partially reframed with plywood following damage sustained from a truck that rammed through the entrances in December. // SB Williams
By Sara Beth Williams– Police have confirmed that the suspect who barreled through the JCPenney entrance at Sunrise Mall in December 2024 with a pickup truck is believed to be the same man who stole $91,000 in jewelry from JCPenney earlier in November 2024.
In an update to neighbors during a January Citrus Heights Seven, Eight, Nine neighborhood area meeting, Lt. Wesley Herman with the Citrus Heights Police Department Investigations Services Division said the department has identified Gregory Billman as the suspect who rammed a truck through the entrance of JCPenney early one Sunday morning in December.
Herman said while Billman was out on bail, he stole a pickup truck from a car dealership in Roseville, “drove it around for a little bit,” and then proceeded to drive to JCPenney, ram through the entrance, steal jewelry and exit through another entrance of the store with the stolen vehicle. The vehicle was later recovered outside the city by police, previous reports show.
A new estimation indicates that the damage caused from the pickup truck ramming through the JCPenney entrances is at least $350,000, Herman said, adding that the estimated loss of jewelry was over $100,000.
Herman said Billman was arrested again on another warrant, and the Police Department is currently waiting on one more piece of evidence from the lab before officially submitting charges to the District Attorney’s office.
Arrest records show Billman had previously committed a felony while released on bail back in 2019 and has had a history of prior arrests on charges including possession of controlled substances, manufacturing a short-barrel gun, forgery, burglary, hit and run resulting in property damage evasion of a peace officer, and resisting arrest. Billman is from Auburn, California.
By Sara Beth Williams– The Citrus Heights Chamber of Commerce joined regional leaders in a “pivotal” roundtable discussion on Prop 36 last month, hosted by the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office and Sac Metro Chamber.
The forum brought together representatives from law enforcement, district attorney’s offices, health and behavioral services, county supervisors, chambers of commerce and business leaders, according to a newsletter from the Citrus Heights Chamber of Commerce. The goal of the roundtable was to “brainstorm and strategize” how to implement 36 effectively.
“These collaborative discussions highlight the importance of a unified approach in tackling the challenges that impact businesses and the community,” the Chamber wrote, adding that extra attention was given to addressing the fentanyl crisis and handling repeat offenders.
In a follow up post on social media, the Chamber said successful implementation of Prop 36 requires “collaboration” between businesses, law enforcement and the community.
The chamber said businesses “must take the initiative” by reporting any thefts to police. Without a report from the business, law enforcement can’t take any action against suspects.
The Chamber encouraged businesses to stay informed about aggregated theft polices and how they affect felony charges, and to continue to “engage” with the community, including joining roundtable discussions and supporting initiatives led by local authorities and organizations.
Local businesses can also access resources and information, and request a Retail Theft Initiative window cling, from the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office’s Prop 36 webpage, the city said in a business newsletter last week. Businesses can visit the district attorney’s page here for more information.
In November 2024, California voters approved Prop 36, a measure that increased penalties for certain theft and drug offenses. The initiative allows felony charges for individuals convicted of possessing specific drugs, including Fentanyl, and those who commit thefts under $950 if they have two prior drug or theft convictions. Prosecutors can now aggregate multiple thefts totaling over $950, resulting in felony charges instead of misdemeanors.
Prop 36 also introduces a “treatment-mandated felony” category, requiring individuals convicted of possessing illegal drugs to complete treatment or face up to three years in prison.
The proposition aims to address retail theft and drug trafficking, particularly involving fentanyl, by reversing parts of the 2014 Proposition 47, which had downgraded certain felonies to misdemeanors.
Supporters argue that Prop 36 enhances public safety and accountability, while opponents have expressed concerns about potential impacts on marginalized communities and increased incarceration costs.
While Prop 47 has been criticized for being lax on crime, supporters praised it for decreasing the prison population in California and allowing more individuals to access mental health and addiction treatment instead of facing incarceration.
DarkHeart Brewing was able to relocate to Citrus Heights in 2024 because of the Business Attraction Incentive Program. // SB Williams
By Sara Beth Williams– A newly unveiled Economic Development Work Plan approved by the Citrus Heights City Council has refined the road map for business recruitment and retention, informed by demographic data, local real estate assessments, and community feedback.
The five areas of focus include business attraction and development, business retention and expansion, small business support and innovation, marketing and placemaking, and organizational culture.
When it comes to attracting new businesses, the city lists several implementation steps, beginning with improving regulatory processes for businesses. According to the Economic Development plan, “burdensome processes” can delay any manner of projects, drive up costs and discourage both new businesses from coming to Citrus Heights, and local businesses from expanding.
Improving regulatory processes would start with streamlining city zoning and permitting and allowing Minor Use Permits for uses currently requiring Use Permits which would forgo the need for approval from the Planning Commission. Additionally, the city recommends updating the Land Use Table in the Zoning Code to include non-retail uses suitable for retail areas, and to allow the Community Development Director to approve uses that currently exceed use permit thresholds. The use must still be compatible with the surrounding area and not negatively impact the community, the plan states.
Secondly, in order to improve regulatory processes, the city intends to collaborate with partnering agencies and conduct an inventory of third-party agency regulations and processes. In doing so, the city hopes to review and reform regulations directly impacting business development and eliminate duplicative requirements.
“By reducing red tape, clarifying requirements, and streamlining approvals, Citrus Heights can create an even more business-friendly environment that supports growth and development,” the plan states.
The city also aims to “refresh its business recruitment strategy” by identifying and assessing high-target sites for development, creating strong partnerships with current property owners, and increasing outreach efforts through participating in trade shows and direct outreach campaigns.
Additionally, the city intends to reestablish its Business Attraction Incentive Program, which expired June 30 of last year. The incentive program has already proven successful in bringing in targeted businesses that the community desires, the city said, using DarkHeart Brewing as an example. In June of last year, the City Council approved a request for DarkHeart Brewing to receive $86,869 in grant funds through the Business Attraction Incentive Program. The funds were used to help the business relocate to Citrus Heights from a location in unincorporated Sacramento County.
Reestablishing the incentive program involves actively recruiting businesses in “high priority sectors” such as restaurants and entertainment, through offering grants and other financial incentives, the plan states. The Business Attraction Incentive Program also involves identifying vacant and underutilized commercial properties and promoting them through focused marketing campaigns.
In continuing its efforts to increase support for small businesses, the city is proposing the launch of a Small Business Design Program, which would serve to help new and current businesses during the design phase of construction. The program would provide small businesses with subsidized consultations with professional designers.
The Economic Development plan also calls for the creation of a Development Processes Liaison Services role. The liaison would serve as a dedicated representative to guide businesses through development, permitting, and regulatory steps. According to the city, an existing full-time employee in the Economic Development and Community Engagement Department will shift into the liaison role.
Lastly, the city proposes conducting a review of existing business support materials to identify gaps and areas that could be improved. To help provide resources for businesses, the city hopes to create user-friendly checklists for common application processes, enhance the city’s website with tools and updated content on development services, and collaborate with businesses and brokers to ensure materials are “practical and comprehensive.”
The Economic Development Work Plan also lists goals and metrics to measure the success of the three-year plan. Goals listed in relation to business attraction and development include:
Increasing business occupancy by reducing retail vacancy from 12 percent to 9 percent and office vacancy from 14 percent to 10 percent by 2027.
Enhancing recruitment efforts by securing five new business commitments in priority industry sectors each year.
Improving coordination with third-party agencies to simplify development processes and reduce barriers to investment.
The full Economic Development Plan can be viewed in the City Council’s Feb. 12 meeting agenda packet here.
This is part of a series of articles on the city’s Economic Development Work Plan. Subscribe to The Sentinel to stay up-to-date on stories like this and other local news.
A vacant building formerly home to Rite Aid on the corner of Sunrise Boulevard and Arcadia Drive. // SB Williams
By Sara Beth Williams– A business specializing in off-road equipment and installation has dropped plans to open a location in Citrus Heights.
According to Sunrise MarketPlace Executive Director Kathilynn Carpenter, Off Road Warehouse is no longer interested in plans to occupy a vacant building located in the Citrus Town Center that was once home to Rite Aid.
Information posted to the Citrus Town Center website in January 2024 showed Off Road Warehouse was “opening soon,” but a date was not given. Following last year’s announcement, Carpenter confirmed the business had plans to occupy a vacant building adjacent to Party City.
On Monday, Carpenter said the off-road specialty shop had pulled back from expanding and plans to open in Citrus Heights were “off the table.” Carpenter said according to the broker, the company has plans to open a location in Arizona.
The city confirmed Tuesday the owner of the business decided not to pursue plans to open in Citrus Heights. The city did not indicate whether an “overlay ban” on automotive-use businesses within the bounds of Sunrise MarketPlace contributed to the owner’s decision to withdraw interest.
The Sentinel previously reported that the overlay ban was approved by the Citrus Heights City Council in October 2022. The ban came after a property owner submitted plans to build a car wash and gas station at the site formerly occupied by Marie Callender’s and China Buffet.
According to the company’s website, Off Road Warehouse first opened in 1973. The company lists five California locations and two Arizona locations. Additional locations are open in Nevada, Georgia, and Colorado.
Current warehouse locations offer equipment to upgrade four-wheel-drive vehicles from brands such as Yukon, Icon, Impact, and ARB, the company’s website shows. The business advertises protection for the vehicle along with tires, wheels, and lighting and electrical equipment. Upgrades to the drivetrain and suspension are also offered on the website.
By Sara Beth Williams– A local retailer had to be cleared by police officers before opening hours Thursday morning following a break-in overnight.
Citrus Heights Police officers were dispatched to Dollar Tree Thursday, Feb. 20, to follow up on reports that a door had been left ajar. After responding to the store around 8:30 a.m., police determined that the door had been pried open sometime around 1 a.m.
According to a phone call with police Thursday afternoon, camera footage from the store revealed one suspect, a white male wearing a black hoodie, acting as a lookout. A second suspect could not be identified by cameras. Police executed a search of the building but found no suspects inside.
Police determined that a commercial burglary had taken place overnight, but the amount of merchandise stolen was not immediately known.
Anyone with information is always encouraged to contact the Citrus Heights Police Department non-emergency dispatch at 916-727-5500.
