Kohl’s in Citrus Heights is located at 6135 San Juan Ave.
By Sara Beth Williams– In the midst of retail closure announcements over the last year, Kohl’s in Citrus Heights has been spared from a list of more than two dozen store closures nationwide.
In a Jan. 9 press release, Kohl’s announced that 27 stores in “underperforming locations” will close by April 2025. 10 of the 27 locations listed are in California, including a store location at 1896 Arden Way in Sacramento.
Kohl’s in Citrus Heights is located at 6131 San Juan Avenue near the corner of Sylvan Road and San Juan Avenue. Another Kohl’s is located on Antelope Road a little over a mile outside of Citrus Heights. Both locations have been spared, and no other closures have been announced thus far.
“As we continue to build on our long-term growth strategy, it is important that we also take difficult but necessary actions to support the health and future of our business for our customers and our teams,” Kohl’s CEO Tom Kingsbury, said in the press release.
The Wisconsin-based retailer operates over 1,100 stores nationwide, and the list of closures accounts for less than three percent of its locations.
The first Kohl’s department store opened in Brookfield, Wisconsin, in 1962, according to the company’s website. There were 76 Kohl’s stores in the Midwest upon opening. Kohl’s.com launched in 2001.
Unhoused guests who wish to register for the Winter Sanctuary, can do so at Messiah Lutheran Church each night at 5 p.m. // SB Williams
By Sara Beth Williams– Beginning Jan. 12, the Citrus Heights Homeless Assistance Resource Team (HART) will host its ninth Winter Sanctuary, a free, temporary nightly program hosted at local churches offering emergency shelter for up to 25 unhoused guests during wet and cold weather.
For 2025, the program runs from Jan. 12 through Feb. 22 and is always seeking more volunteers, according to Citrus Heights HART representatives.
The Winter Sanctuary program operates annually with the help of hundreds of volunteers and area churches that agree to serve as host sites for a week at a time before the lodging rotates to another host site.
In years past, the program ran for longer stretches of time, homeless advocate Alfred Sanchez told The Sentinel last week, adding that the program has been cut to six weeks for 2025. Three years ago, the program ran from Dec. 26, 2021, through Feb. 25, 2022.
“It went from 10 weeks to eight weeks to six weeks,” Sanchez said, asking the question why are host churches dropping out of the program?
Kathilynn Carpenter with Citrus Heights HART said the program could use more volunteers. In January and February 2024, over 750 volunteers helped with welcoming guests, hospitality, sanitizing, and food safety, which represented a slight increase from 2023, according to annual press releases from Citrus Heights HART.
Volunteers from a wide range of organizations and businesses serve each year in a variety of capacities, including those from Dignity Health, Sunrise Christian Food Ministry, Sacramento Regional Transit District, Grace House Ministries, Starbucks, Laundry Love, Citrus Heights Police, homeless navigators, and many others. Volunteers from other churches often contribute to the Winter Sanctuary through offering meals, free services, and time spent with the guests overnight.
The 2024 Winter Sanctuary sheltered 73 guests over eight weeks. There were also two individuals who reunited with family, two who joined Grace House Ministries, an addiction recovery program, and one veteran and another guest who were connected to benefits at River City Recovery, according to Citrus Heights HART.
Guests who want to use the winter shelter can gather at Messiah Lutheran Church at 7801 Rosswood Drive each night, where they register and store their belongings for the night. Those registering must be 18 years or older. No drugs, weapons, alcohol, or pets are allowed. From there, individuals are taken by bus to the host church, where they are provided a hot meal, sleeping arrangements, and a to-go breakfast for the next morning.
Seven host sites are participating in 2025, including locations at Divine Savior Catholic Church, Celtic Cross Presbyterian, Foundation Christian Church, LDS Church Citrus Heights Stake, Holy Family Catholic Church, and Fair Oaks Presbyterian Church.
By Sara Beth Williams– Macy’s at Sunrise Mall has officially been listed among 66 impending store closures nationwide.
The Citrus Heights location is one of nine locations in California listed in a Jan. 9 press release, slated to close before spring. Other notable California locations closing include Macy’s stores in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Mateo, and Walnut Creek.
The closure list includes a note stating that the Sunrise Mall closure includes “includes two boxes within the same location and therefore is counted as one location.”
According to Axios, clearance sales will begin in January and will run for approximately eight to 12 weeks for full-line and small-format stores. Clearance sales will begin in February and will run for approximately six weeks for furniture galleries and free-standing Backstage stores.
Prior to the Jan. 9 announcement, unconfirmed rumors of the imminent closure of Macy’s circulated online and in-store, with one employee in mid-December telling The Sentinel that all employees were told the store would close this spring, and that employees had been “encouraged” to transfer elsewhere. The Sentinel could not confirm an official closure date.
When asked about the possibility of Macy’s at Sunrise Mall closing, Sunrise Mall General Manager James Anderson Jr. told The Sentinel in a Jan. 7 email, “This type of information is not something we share publicly.” Sunrise MarketPlace Executive Director Kathilynn Carpenter said in December the store’s lease expires at the end of 2026.
In an email statement to The Sentinel in December, Macy’s Inc. Senior Director of External Communications Orlando Veras confirmed that the company anticipated closing over 60 locations “after the holidays.” No specific closure date was provided at the time.
Initially, the company announced in a third quarter financial earnings call in December that it planned to close 65 stores, an increase from the 50 locations it previously announced it would shutter by the end of the fiscal year.
The closures are part of a plan to eliminate roughly 150 “underperforming” stores over the next three years. The retail giant hopes the “Bold New Chapter strategy” will help “return the company to sustainable, profitable sales growth,” according to the press release.
Macy’s at Sunrise Mall has experienced several hardships in the last year, with multiple instances of reported retail theft and, most recently, water damage occurring inside Macy’s Men’s in mid-December due to a roof leak.
According to Citrus Heights Historical Society President Larry Fritz, the Sunrise Mall opened in 1972, and Macy’s Women’s joined the over 100 tenants after Liberty House closed in the 1980s. Later, after Weinstock’s department store chain closed at Sunrise Mall, Macy’s Men’s moved from its original location across the street to where it is currently located today.
The closure of Macy’s will leave JCPenney as the last remaining major anchor store at Sunrise Mall.
A vacant building once home to Boston’s Pizza Restaurant & Sports Bar at 5511 Sunrise Blvd. in Citrus Heights // SB Williams
By Sara Beth Williams– Multiple businesses are already preparing to take up residence in Citrus Heights or relocate to another building in the city. Below is a roundup of six business openings to keep an eye out for in 2025.
Starbucks at Stock Ranch: The City Council recently approved the construction of a new Starbucks at Stock Ranch Plaza across from Walmart on Auburn Boulevard. The coffee shop will be located about half a mile down the street from an existing Starbucks located at Sylvan Corners. Elizabeth Valerio from Valerio Architects told both the Planning Commission and the City Council that there are no plans to close the existing nearby Starbucks.
Montessori preschool: Late last year, plans for a Montessori preschool were approved for a vacant building near the Sears at Sunrise Mall. According to an update from the city last week, the permit for interior demo work has been issued, and construction work is underway. A permit for remodeling is pending.
Citrus Heights Food Truck Plaza: A long-vacant corner lot at the corner of Twin Oaks Avenue and Auburn Boulevard is slated to become a Food Truck Plaza according to the lot’s owner. Jagtar Singh said construction is anticipated to begin within a few months. Currently chain link fencing surrounds the property.
New Grocery Outlet possible: The vacant building in the Sunrise Village Shopping Center, once home to Rite Aide, may soon be home to Grocery Outlet. In a Jan. 6 update from the city, an architect representing Grocery Outlet has submitted for a Design Review Permit to remodel the exterior of the building for the future grocery store. The project is still under review.
Local restaurant relocation: In a Jan. 6 email, the city confirmed that they have “received inquiries from an existing local restaurant that has expressed interest in relocating” to the former Chandos Tacos location at Sylvan Corners. In a phone call with The Sentinel last week, Caravan Uzbek Cuisine confirmed that they are hoping to relocate but did not provide a timeline as to when. Caravan Uzbek Cuisine is currently located on the corner of Antelope Road and Sunrise Boulevard.
New tenant at old Boston Pizza: A lease has been signed with a new tenant for Boston Pizza, a source with knowledge of the deal confirmed with The Sentinel. The name of the new tenant is expected to be publicly announced in the near future.
By Sara Beth Williams– Republic Services announced in a Jan. 1 mailer to residents that setting out piles more than 48 hours in advance of a Neighborhood Cleanup collection day could result in fines exceeding $100.
In an effort to address blight and scavenging concerns, the Citrus Heights City Council in November approved an amendment authorizing Republic Services to issue penalties to customers who place bulk items out for collection too early. Fines are the same amount as would be charged for “Improper Large Item Collection” penalties of $166.30, according to the flyer.
The council voted unanimously 3-0 to approve the amendment on Nov. 13. Councilmember Porsche Middleton was absent from the meeting, and the District 1 seat was still vacant at the time. No comment was made by council members about the item before passing it as a consent calendar agenda item during the council meeting.
According to a city staff report, fines will not be issued during the first four-month cycle. Between January and April, Republic Services will identify items placed out prior to the 48-hour limit without issuing fines and instead “provide education” to the resident and account holder. After the first cycle of collection services, Republic Services will then be authorized to issue “Improper Large Item Collection” penalties.
Currently, the Neighborhood Clean Up program allows residents to place out bulk items for collection three times per year. The dates of collection alternate between neighborhood zones throughout the city. Residents are notified seven days in advance through a door hanger and are currently allowed to put out materials early but are “encouraged not to do so more than 48 hours in advance,” according to the city.
Piles are limited to 10 cubic yards in size, or about 10 feet by seven feet by four feet, according to the flyer. Piles that are larger than 10 cubic yards may be subject to an Excessive Pile fee, which can increase depending on the quantity of materials in the larger pile.
A proposed site plan submitted to the city by Ethan Conrad Properties includes In-N-Out and a Home Depot.
By Sara Beth Williams– A prominent regional developer’s proposed amendment to the Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan is scheduled to be discussed later this month.
The city’s current 147-page Specific Plan was drafted after the city held several well-attended community workshops, and includes guidelines for future redevelopment of the nearly 100-acre mall property.
The proposed amendment was first scheduled to be heard in November, but the discussion item was withdrawn from the City Council agenda by the developer to be heard at a then-undetermined later date.
The amendment request, submitted by Ethan Conrad Properties, proposes the allowance of eight quick-service restaurants and drive-thru businesses, building and landscape materials sales, light industrial and storage uses, and automotive uses, as well as the removal of requirements for open space, according to the city’s Oct. 1 announcement.
The city is planning to hold a public meeting on Jan. 22, at 6 p.m. “to review and provide direction” regarding the amendment proposal. The meeting will be held at the Citrus Heights Council Chambers inside City Hall, located at 6360 Fountain Square Drive.
A site plan included in the developer’s proposal shows spots for six quick-serve national restaurants taking up largely vacant parking lot areas along Sunrise Boulevard, along with a seventh restaurant in the former Elephant Bar location. An eighth, quick-serve national restaurant is also shown being added along Greenback Lane. The site plan shows In-N-Out Burger listed as one of the future proposed tenants near the southern end of the property, while other restaurant tenants are not named.
The former Sears building is listed as “national tenant bowling/entertainment use,” and a Home Depot is shown in the southeastern corner of the property. The existing mall building appears to remain unchanged in the site plan. Conrad Properties reportedly controls around 71 acres of the mall property, which does not include the bulk of the existing mall building.
The proposal cites multiple sections of the city’s General Plan as justification for allowing the proposal, including the city’s goal to “Create an inviting and distinctive identity for Sunrise MarketPlace to promote its image as the City’s premier destination to shop, work, live, and play.”
In an email to The Sentinel, City Councilman Tim Schaefer noted the city’s existing plan for Sunrise Mall includes “a menu of concepts and projects that developers could choose from to stay within the scope of the EIR,” referencing a million-dollar Environmental Impact Report the city paid for in hopes of incentivizing and streamlining development.
Schaefer also noted that the EIR “does not mean that any particular concept or project is required.”
“It just means that if a developer wants to build something that is out of the scope of the EIR, the developer must pay for a new environmental study,” Schaefer added.
For information on the Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan and proposed redevelopment plans, visit sunrisetomorrow.net. City Hall is located at 6360 Fountain Square Drive.
Ethan Conrad Properties’ full proposal can be viewed online here.
Sentinel Staff Report– The Citrus Heights City Council on Wednesday is slated to appoint new members to various boards and commissions, discuss an Impact Fee Study, and hear a report from the Citrus Heights Police Department regarding New Year’s Eve Enforcement. The Jan. 8 council meeting will be held at 6 p.m. at City Hall.
New appointments: As several Planning Commission and Construction Board of Appeals appointments have expired as of Dec. 31, the City Council will appoint new members to both the Commission and Board of Appeals. A total of four members will be appointed to the Planning Commission, two of which need to be appointed by Councilmembers Kelsey Nelson and Tim Schaefer. A total of three applicants are also slated to be appointed to the Construction Board of Appeals. The City Council will also confirm its appointments on various regional and local boards and authorities, agencies, commissions and committees for the next calendar year.
Multi-Modal Impact Fee Addendum: City Council will be asked to adopt an Addendum to the Multi-Modal Impact Fee Nexus Study in order to comply with new federal regulations passed in April 2024. Development Impact Fees are one-time fees paid by new development to fund the cost of providing municipal facilities to serve that development.
As part of the most recent City Impact Fee update in 2022, the Multi-Modal Impact Fee update established broad categories of land use types, according to a staff report. The “broad-brushed” approach isn’t specific enough to comply with federal guidelines. As a result of Sheetz v. County of El Dorado, the city is recommending an addendum to the Multi-Modal Impact Fee Nexus Study that will “ensure compliance” with the ruling, as new impact fees are levied on new development.
Citrus Heights Police Department reports: The Citrus Heights Police Department is scheduled to give two different departmental reports to the City Council. The first report will update the City Council on Animal Services Unit enhancements, and the second will be a report regarding New Year’s Eve enforcement.
Those wishing to make a public comment during the meeting can do so by attending the council meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 8 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.
Letter by Josh Jordahl, Orangevale, CA– I recently received a ticket in Citrus Heights for running a red light. While I take full responsibility for my actions and understand the importance of traffic laws, I was shocked to learn that the fine for this violation was $496. For me, and for many others, this amount is simply unaffordable.
To put this into perspective, this fine is equivalent to a full week’s paycheck—or more—for countless hardworking people. It creates a situation where a momentary mistake on the road can lead to financial hardship, forcing individuals to choose between paying the fine or meeting essential expenses like rent, groceries, or utilities. In some cases, this could result in debt or even further legal trouble if the fine cannot be paid on time.
I come from a different state where the fine for running a red light is $122.50—a fraction of what I had to pay in Sacramento. While I understand that traffic fines serve as a deterrent, the amount I was charged feels punitive, not corrective. It’s hard not to wonder if such excessive fines are more about generating revenue than improving road safety.
I urge Sacramento and California policymakers to reconsider the structure of traffic fines. These penalties should hold drivers accountable but also be fair and proportional to the offense…
No one should have to risk their financial stability over a single traffic violation. Let’s work toward a justice system that protects public safety without creating undue burdens for the people it serves.
*This letter has been edited for length. Our policy is to publish every letter that is received, as long as it is between 100 and 250 words. View our Letter to the Editor policy here. Submit your own Letter to the Editor for publication by clicking here.
By Sara Beth Williams– Citrus Heights Police on Saturday arrested two retail theft suspects after a 3-mile police pursuit down Greenback Lane.
Lt. Bill Dunning with the Citrus Heights Police Department said Monday that officers responded to a loss prevention call from Target in Citrus Heights before 5 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 4, in which three suspects were seen leaving the store with high-end electronics and other merchandise, without paying. The suspects then loaded the stolen merchandise into a U-Haul cargo van before leaving the parking lot.
Citrus Heights Police officers tracked and then began pursuing the vehicle, which resulted in high-speed police chase down Greenback Lane into the area of Foothill Farms, Dunning said. After three miles, all the suspects left the vehicle and fled on foot.
Sacramento County Sheriff’s deputies assisted in establishing a perimeter, and a helicopter with the Sacramento Police Department assisted during the pursuit and eventual capture of two of the three suspects, including the driver.
38-year-old Jamar Jasper and 26-year-old Tyler James Periman were both arrested Saturday. One suspect in the retail theft remains at large, police said. The total amount of merchandise recovered is estimated to be $2,000.
Both suspects were arrested on felony burglary charges as well as willfully resisting or delaying a peace officer. Jasper was also charged with reckless driving and evading police along with possession of narcotics. Both men remain in custody in the Sacramento County Main Jail with court dates pending for Jan. 7.
A bar graph shows data in percentages collected from three years of Blight Management/Community Image FlashVote surveys. Data courtesy Meghan Huber, Director, Economic Development & Community Engagement, City of Citrus Heights. Percentages are rounded to nearest tenth. Chart created by Sara Beth Williams
By Sara Beth Williams– FlashVote survey results from the last three years reveal an increase in positive sentiment from Citrus Heights residents regarding the city’s overall management of blight.
Citrus Heights Economic Development and Community Engagement Director Meghan Huber recently shared with The Sentinel data from community image and blight abatement FlashVote surveys from 2022, 2023, and 2024 and said based on the data that residents are “noticing and appreciating the progress we’ve made.”
With three consecutive years of surveys, Huber said the city is now able to provide “benchmarking statistics” that highlight ongoing progress.
According to Huber, there was a three percent increase in sentiment in overall blight management rating from 2022 to 2023 and a four percent sentiment improvement from 2023 to 2024.
2022 survey data shows 7.5% of participants felt blight was being managed terribly, and 22 percent reported management as being handled badly, while almost 39 percent said blight management was “ok” and 22 percent felt management of blight was good.
In a 2023 survey, five percent felt blight management was terrible, and 21 percent of participants felt it was being managed badly. 44 percent said management was “ok,” and 22.6 percent reported management of blight as good.
2024 saw the most improvement in residents’ perception, according to the survey results, with 26.6 percent of participants reporting blight management as good, and 3.5% reported management of blight as excellent. 6.5% reported blight management as being handled terribly, 13.5 percent said blight management was bad, and 45 percent reported management as “ok.”
In addressing takeaways from the combined survey results, Huber said more awareness and activity regarding reporting blight have been increasing, and all reporting methods increased in use from 2023 to 2024. In 2024, a combined 27 percent of participants reported using at least one method to report blight, compared to 20.8 percent in 2023. Residents are able to report blight to the city through email, on the city’s website, over the phone and via text, and through the SeeClickFix app.
“The results show growing community engagement and confidence in our efforts, especially in key areas like Sylvan Oaks, while also acknowledging areas for continued improvement,” Huber said, adding there is a five percent margin of error for the data.
In September, General Services Director Regina Cave reported to the City Council that the Beautification Crew, which manages blight throughout the city, has averaged about 275 service calls per month in 2024, compared to 235 per month in 2023. Cave said online reporting availability has been a factor in allowing the crew to address blight in a timely manner.
Since December 2022, the city’s Beautification Crew has addressed over 5,000 service requests according to Cave.
The city was recently awarded the Helen Putnam Award of Excellence from the League of California Cities during the last City Council meeting on Dec. 11, which recognized Citrus Heights’ Beautification Crew for collecting over 79 tons of debris in its first year.
“This recognition reflects City Council and staff’s dedication and our community’s collaboration to make Citrus Heights cleaner, safer, and more vibrant,” Huber said, adding that the city is “excited to build on this success.”
Each survey on blight and community image for the last three years recorded roughly the same amount of participants, with 388 recorded participants in 2022, 377 in 2023, and 384 in 2024. Participants in FlashVote surveys are Citrus Heights residents, Huber said, adding that residents use their address to sign up. Huber said because the FlashVote is not sent to specific populations of people but sent out to everyone who wishes to sign up, the survey results provide “statistically valid data” because there is no polling or favoritism involved.
The city occasionally sends out FlashVote surveys to seek feedback from residents on local issues, which are 48-hour-only surveys that are emailed to local residents who voluntarily sign up. Residents who wish to provide feedback to the city can subscribe to FlashVote surveys here.
