By Sara Beth Williams– A man passed away from his injuries Monday night after being struck by a vehicle in Citrus Heights.
Citrus Heights Police responded to a traffic collision involving a vehicle and cyclist before 10 p.m. Monday night on Van Maren Lane near Mercedes Avenue and arrived to find a man on the ground. Sacramento Metro Fire District crews confirmed the patient was in critical condition when transported to the hospital. The victim later died at the hospital.
Citrus Heights Police said in a phone call Tuesday morning that the victim was an adult male. The driver remained on the scene and cooperated with police. Police confirmed that the driver was arrested for being under the influence, but said the incident is still under investigation.
Latest Citrus Heights Police Logs show an increase in vehicle violations and animal control calls, while showing a decrease in 911 hangups and homeless related incidents. Below is a summary of police logs from Dec. 12 through Dec. 18, 2024.
Animal control: 5 (up from 2)
911 hangups: 24 (down from 29)
Code enforcement: 14 (down from 20)
Traffic accidents: 38 (same as prior week)
Vehicle violations: 345 (up from 288)
Theft: 40 (up from 37)
Homeless-related: 17 (down from 25)
Vandalism: 4 (same as prior week)
Violent/threats: 24 (up from 16)
Disturbance: 105 (up from 84)
Suspicious circumstances: 199 (up from 185)
All incidents: 1414 (up from 1198)
Arrest logs can be viewed on the city’s website here. Full police activity logs can be viewed by date here:
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.
By Sara Beth Williams– The City of Citrus Heights says less than 30 percent of identified AirBnB’s and other short-term rentals in Citrus Heights are currently in compliance with city licensing and tax requirements.
In an effort to increase compliance, the city recently implemented a new online payment platform. According to the city’s website, the city began requiring all short-term rental locations to hold a business license in May 2022. The Business License for a short-term rental is $108 for the first year and is renewed annually. Applications for licenses can be submitted online through the city’s Business License Portal.
A short-term rental is defined as a residential dwelling, or part of a dwelling, that is rented out on a short-term basis for less than 30 days, such as a dwelling that is rented out on online vacation platforms like AirBnb or VRBO. Short-term rentals can include entire homes or apartments, private spaces within a home, or shared spaces within a home.
Transient Occupancy Taxes, or TOT, are commonly referred to as the “bed tax” and are also required by state regulation to be paid by operators of short-term rentals. Any accommodations where occupancy exceeds 30 days is exempt from TOT fees.
The city requires a 12 percent TOT rate of the rent charged to guests, based on the total revenue for the quarter. Revenue includes such fees as a nightly rate, late or early arrival charge, pet fee, cleaning fee and similar fees, but does not include refundable deposits.
Rather than being absorbed by the operator, TOT fees are collected by the owner from guests at the same time rent is collected. TOT payments are required to be paid by operators of applicable dwellings or businesses to the city quarterly.
“The implementation of this online platform represents the first step towards achieving greater compliance among STR operators,” the city said in an announcement last month, adding that “in the coming weeks,” city staff would be working proactively with non-complaint operators to address TOT remittance and licensing compliance.
The city’s online payment portal will ask for the total revenue for the period and automatically calculate the TOT amount due. TOT payments can also be mailed in using the TOT payment form found on the city’s website.
Christmas gifts were wrapped during a wrapping party by CHASEN members and volunteers and then distributed to children of families in need as part of the neighborhood group’s annual Giving Tree project. // Courtesy of Bill Shirley
By Sara Beth Williams– For four years, CHASEN, which represents Citrus Heights neighborhood areas 7, 8 and 9, has come together to give Christmas gifts to local children and families in need.
This year, CHASEN president Bill Shirley said 18 children were provided gifts, including children of families from Woodside K-8, Sunrise Pointe, and local churches in the area.
Shirley said CHASEN, which is a registered nonprofit, partners with Woodside K-8 as well as multiple local businesses, churches, and local residents in order to gather donations for the Giving Tree project.
“We have business relationships that are more than generous,” Shirley said, adding that one business donated $500. Other businesses, like Leatherby’s Family Creamery, have donated gift cards and coupons, Half Price Books also donated boxes of books, which CHASEN gave to Woodside K-8’s library.
Every year, in an effort to raise money for the Giving Tree project, local resident John Barth makes popcorn and hands out thousands of bags of popcorn to those driving or walking down Orelle Creek Court looking at Christmas lights during the holiday season. Donations for bags of popcorn are always voluntary, and no fixed amount is required.
Once donations were gathered, CHASEN members and volunteers went shopping in early December and then spent last Monday wrapping gifts for kids. Gifts were delivered to Woodside K-8 on Tuesday, Dec. 17. Shirley said each child in a family is given about four gifts, including siblings who aren’t of school age.
Shirley said he plans to collaborate with other housing communities, such as local mobile home parks, and provide them with donations from local businesses that weren’t able to be used during the Giving Tree project.
“We enjoy doing it,” Shirley said of the project, adding that his goal as president of CHASEN is to serve his immediate community and build relationships with local community members such as businesses and schools.
CHASEN is also now collecting donations for 2025. Residents can donate to CHASEN by contacting Shirley through the city’s website. Cash and Venmo donations are accepted. The next CHASEN meeting will be held Jan. 21, 2025 at 7 p.m. at Foundation Christian Church.
By Sara Beth Williams– The Citrus Heights Police Department on Friday released drone footage from an officer-involved shooting that occurred in October.
Drone footage shows domestic violence suspect Justin Phillips atop the roof of a senior living facility near Sunrise Boulevard and Old Auburn Road during a standoff incident that occurred Oct. 21, 2024. Released footage, which is less than one minute in length, shows Phillips pacing on top of the roof near the edge and appearing to brandish a firearm erratically. Officers later determined that the firearm was a replica.
Police said Phillips pointed the firearm multiple times toward officers on the ground below, before officers engaged in gunfire and inflicted Phillips with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. An Oct. 22 news release reported that Phillips also made multiple threats to detonate an explosive device.
Three police officers were involved in the shooting incident. In accordance with department policy, the officers were placed on administrative leave during the investigation. No officers were injured during the incident, police said.
In the released video, police noted that the footage was “edited to show information pertinent to this Critical Incident Debrief.”
Earlier in the afternoon of Oct. 21, officers initially responded to a domestic violence call in the 7500 block of Tiara Way at 4:40 p.m. The victim, a woman, reported that her boyfriend, identified as 41-year-old Justin Phillips, had assaulted her and threatened her with a knife. Officers arrived to find the victim suffering from a head laceration. Phillips had fled the scene on foot before officers arrived, prompting a search of the area.
Later around 7:45 p.m., witnesses reported spotting Phillips near the 7500 block of Sunrise Boulevard. Phillips fled into a nearby senior living facility and made his way onto the roof. Police “engaged in dialogue” with Phillips, who was reportedly acting erratically and appeared to be “under the influence of a controlled substance,” according to the news release.
After two hours of negotiating with the suspect, police said a CHPD Crisis Negotiation and SWAT teams convinced Phillips to come down from the roof. Phillips allegedly continued to resist arrest, leading officers to use “less-than-lethal munitions and a police canine” to subdue him, police said. He was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, including a dog bite.
Sunrise Boulevard was closed at Old Auburn Road for several hours while police continued to investigate, according to witnesses and local news reports.
Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, Citrus Heights Police Department, Folsom Police Department, and Roseville Police Department were confirmed to be on scene assisting, according to one local news agency, who also reported that the senior living facility had been fully evacuated during the standoff.
Phillips, who was reportedly on parole for burglary and probation for drug-related charges, was booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail on multiple charges, including armed robbery, domestic battery, and assault with a deadly weapon.
Submitted by Barbara Donabedian– The family of Isaac “Ike” H Cornell Jr. of Citrus Heights is saddened to announce his passing at the age of 73.
The United States Marine Corps Vietnam Veteran Corporal Cornell “Corny” served his country honorably.
Retired engineer for Intel (Chandler, Az; Folsom, Ca) after many years of dedicated work. His hobby of driving stock cars brought him joy at Black Canyon Raceway, Az; Sacramento Raceway; Placer Speedway; (NASCAR Official) All American Speedway, Roseville.
He is survived by his loving wife of 45 years, Roberta, as well as his daughter, Barbara Donabedian (Ryan Donabedian); son, Chad Cornell (Madison Seaton); son, Rusty Cornell (Brittany Snelgrove); grandchildren, Tyler Ryan Donabedian, Logen Mead, Dakota Donabedian, Chad Aiden Isaac Cornell, PO3 Brody Donabedian (Allison Dunbar-Donabedian), Auriela Donabedian, Vincent Cornell; sister, Winifred Mansfield.
Preceded in death by father, Isaac H Cornell Sr.; mother, Marjorie Keller; sister, Susan Cornell.
*Publisher’s Note: As a free service to family members who have lost a loved one, The Sentinel publishes online obituaries of Citrus Heights residents or former residents at no cost. To submit an obituary, click here
A photo of Macy’s at the Sunrise Mall. // SB Williams
By Sara Beth Williams– Macy’s Inc. recently announced an increase in the number of stores previously expected to close, prompting questions as to whether the company’s Sunrise Mall location will be among those to close.
The company announced in a third quarter financial earnings call that it plans to close 65 stores this year, 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.”
In an email statement to The Sentinel Tuesday, Macy’s Inc. Senior Director of External Communications Orlando Veras confirmed that the company does expect to close roughly 65 locations this year “after the holidays” but said a final decision on specific locations has “yet to be made.” As well, no specific closure date was provided.
“Our Bold New Chapter strategy is designed to create a more modern Macy’s, Inc. and revitalize the Macy’s brand to enhance the customer experience,” Veras said, also adding that the company will close 150 locations throughout the next three years.
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 the store.
On Tuesday, an employee told The Sentinel one of the restrooms on the second floor of Macy’s Men’s flooded over the weekend, and a “deluge” of water leaked onto the first floor.
A small cordoned-off section just inside the Macy’s Men’s entrance with a large fan running in the background did not stop multiple shoppers from browsing and buying merchandise mid-day Tuesday. A sign positioned outside the entrance indicated to customers that the store was still open.
The employee said local Macy’s customers are “loyal clientele” who don’t want to travel to the Galleria in Roseville, and could not confirm if or when the store might close.
Sunrise MarketPlace Executive Director Kathilynn Carpenter said Monday that she had not received any confirmation as to whether Macy’s at Sunrise Mall will close, but said the store’s lease expires at the end of 2026.
U.S. retailers have announced more than 7,100 store closures through the end of November 2024, according to a CBS news report, representing a “69 percent increase” from the same time last year. 43 retailers have filed for bankruptcy protection so far this year, compared with 25 retail bankruptcies in all of 2023, according to data published from research firm CoreSight.
The company’s announcement of nation-wide closures comes amidst a recently proposed amendment to the Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan, a 147-page document with guidelines for future redevelopment of the nearly 100-acre mall property. The Sunrise Tomorrow plan was approved by the Citrus Heights City Council in 2021.
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, 2025 at 6 p.m. “to review and provide direction” regarding the amendment proposal to the Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan. The meeting will be held at the Citrus Heights Council Chambers inside City Hall, located at 6360 Fountain Square Drive.
Macy’s was established in 1858 and has been labeled as the “Great American Department Store,” with 740 stores operating coast-to-coast and online.
A home located at 7733 Glenn Ave. in Citrus Heights is listed for $865,000. // SB Williams
By Sara Beth Williams– A 2,200-square-foot home on Glenn Avenue originally listed for $950,000 has seen two recent price cuts, bringing its current price down to $865,000.
Located close to Mariposa Avenue, the home was built in 2017 and sits on just over half an acre, according to online descriptions from real estate site Zillow.
Photos show an open floor plan with a kitchen island and a master suite with walk-in closets. Outside, a wood fence surrounds the front yard, and a two-car garage can be seen, with a roll-up glass door opening to the back patio. A spacious backyard features a covered patio and fire pit. According to the listing, all applicable connections for water, gas, and electricity are available for an outdoor kitchen.
Online maps show Cripple Creek runs through the property. Photos show a lit bridge has been constructed across the creek to the adjoining land on the property. Listing Agent Terri Martinez said Friday that land beyond the bridge can be built on, however, new owners will need to verify with Sacramento County what portion of the land is buildable and what portion is located in a 100-year floodplain.
The home was listed for sale in the beginning of November 2024 at $950,000, then the listing dropped to $899,000 in mid-November, before dropping to $865,000 at the end of November.
Prior to the new construction, the property previously sold for $175,000 in February 2016 and then sold again in November 2016 for $97,000. Records show the property was listed for sale again in 2017 for $495,000, but didn’t sell until dropping in price to $455,000.
Google images from prior years show a vastly different property, with a chain-link fence lined with multiple trees and shrubs enclosing the front yard of a single-story house until 2016. Sacramento County Assessor’s office records show the home was built again in 2017.
Martinez called the home “stunning” on the inside and said the current owners have done a lot of work on the home since 2017, including redoing the flooring inside and improving the back patio. Martinez confirmed the home was rebuilt completely in 2017 and purchased by the current owners afterward. The owners did not use the home as a vacation or short-term rental home, Martinez said.
Although the median sales price in Citrus Heights is $511,000 and the average sales price is $519,000 for the months of October and November combined, according to Sacramento Real Estate Appraiser and housing analyst Ryan Lundquist, several houses in the area are hovering in the $700,000 to over $800,000 range.
Another four-bedroom, three-bathroom house on Buckhaven Way is currently listed for $760,000. The property was originally listed for $799,000 in October but experienced two price changes before settling at $760,000. Another 2,500-square-foot home on Maddie Mae Lane just listed for $850,000 in early December. Another 2,600-square-foot home on Glenn Alta Way listed for $750,000 has been on the market for 70 days, well above the 28-day average.
The house on Glenn Avenue has been on the market for 44 days.
By Sara Beth Williams– DarkHeart Brewing is almost ready to open in Citrus Heights.
The brewing company, which is preparing to open at Sylvan Corners next to the new Bear Paw Outlet store, posted on social media that the “wait has seemed eternal.” A Dec. 20 post indicated that the business is waiting for final clearance and anticipates fully opening on Monday, Dec. 23.
“No guarantees but looks good so far,” DarkHeart wrote on social media Friday. Earlier posts from a week prior indicated that the company was waiting on final approval from the fire department.
In past updates, the brewing business has shared photos of the interior of their new location, as well as photos of available merchandise and information on membership plans.
“We are at crunch time. Merch and gift cards are available…We will make arrangements to get you what you need to make this Christmas extra special,” the company wrote online.
The small business brewing company, owned by Rick and Cynthia Lee, was previously located in Sacramento for almost five years according to their website, and was unexpectedly forced to close “due to circumstances beyond their control.”
During a City Council meeting earlier this year, the Citrus Heights City Council voted unanimously to approve $86,000 in Business Attraction Incentive grant funding, which was used to help DarkHeart Brewing establish itself in its new location. In a presentation to the City Council Economic Development and Community Engagement Director Meghan Huber said the small business “checks all the boxes” in respect to grant program eligibility requirements.
Huber said the owners “truly have a heart for community” and described their business as “award winning.” She also said the business has a loyal following of customers in house and on social media.
DarkHeart Brewing owner Cynthia Lee told the council she and her husband have put their “heart and soul” into building not just a building, but a community, and said their previous location held weddings, celebrations of life and fundraising events.
Brewery owners weren’t available for comment before press time on Saturday. The new brewing business is located at 7110 Auburn Blvd.
From left to right: Newly seated SJUSD Board President Ben Avey, Vice President Tanya Kravchuk Board Clerk Manuel Perez, and Trustees Zima Creason, Nick Bloise, Abid Stanekzai, and Pam Costa. // Screenshot taken from Dec. 17, 2024 meeting video
By Sara Beth Williams– In a significant development for Citrus Heights, several members of the San Juan Unified School District Board of Education who represent portions of Citrus Heights were selected to take on positions of higher leadership on the board during a Dec. 17 board meeting.
Board member Ben Avey, who represents Trustee Area 6, was unanimously elected to be president during the meeting, replacing Pam Costa. The board also unanimously nominated Area 5 Trustee Tanya Kravchuk as vice president and Area 7 Trustee Manuel Perez as board clerk.
According to the San Juan Unified School District’s website, the clerk’s responsibilities include completing financial statements for the trustees, running payroll every two months, completing school budgets, maintaining detailed accounting records, attending all board meetings, and keeping detailed records of minutes.
Board member Zima Creason was initially nominated by Costa to serve as vice president, and subsequently as clerk, but both nominations did not receive a second from other board members.
Nick Bloise, who represents Trustee Area 4, was also sworn in as a new board member, alongside newly elected Area 1 Trustee Abid Stanekzai and Costa, who won re-election as Area 2 Trustee last month.
Trustee Areas 4, 5, and 6 have a portion of their representation boundaries covering some of Citrus Heights, while Trustee Area 7’s boundaries are entirely within the city limits of Citrus Heights.
Since 2022, the seven-member board has now seen five new members join its ranks. Creason and Costa have served on the board the longest of all current board members, with Costa elected in 2012 and Creason in 2018. The board expanded its ranks from five to seven in 2022, and also transitioned to by-trustee-area elections.
