By Sara Beth Williams– The final votes have been counted in Sacramento County for the Nov. 5, 2024 Election.
As of the final voting count update on Tuesday, Dec. 3, the Sacramento County Voter Registration and Elections Office said 648,416 ballots were cast, with a voter turnout of 75.15%. A summary of results affecting Citrus Heights are listed below.
State/National:
In the 6th Congressional District, Rep. Ami Bera, a Democrat, beat Christine Bish, a Republican, with 57% of the vote with 165,408 votes in his favor.
In State Assembly District 7, Assemblyman Josh Hoover, a Republican, beat Citrus Heights Councilmember Porsche Middleton, a Democrat. Final vote tallies show Hoover ahead of Middleton by almost 16,000 votes, with 53% going to him.
San Juan Unified School District Board of Education
In Trustee Area 4, Nick Bloise won election with 48% of the vote. Catrayel Wood and Martin Ross trailed at 26% and 24% respectively.
Citrus Heights City Council:
In District 1, Kelsey Nelson received 63% of the vote with 4,155 votes in her favor. The remaining votes were split between Amie Burgundy Brown and Andrew Saunders.
In District 3, incumbent Tim Schaefer ran unopposed, with 100% of the vote going to him.
Bond Measures:
Measure P: San Juan Unified School District’s $950 million bond Measure P received 60% of the vote in favor, surpassing the required 55% in order to pass.
Measure O: The Sacramento Metro Fire District’s $415 million bond received 69% of the vote in favor, surpassing the required two-thirds support it needed to pass.
Sacramento Municipal Utility District Director,
In Ward 1, incumbent Brandon D. Rose received 65% of the vote, while candidates Robert Wichert and Chet Corcos trailed at 24% and 9% respectively.
San Juan Water District Board, Division 2
In Division 2, Pam Tobin received 50%, with Kenneth Miller at 37% and Asif Sheikh at 11%.
Citrus Heights Rotary Club representatives presented a shoe donation to Sylvan Middle School before Thanksgiving. L-R: Mark Duncan, Club Past President; Leah Churchill, Shoe Project Chair; Daren Canaday, Sylvan Middle School Staff. // Image courtesy, Bob Churchill.
By Sara Beth Williams– The Citrus Heights Rotary Club recently delivered 677 pairs of new shoes to 11 elementary, middle, and high schools in the San Juan Unified School District, and the Sayonara Youth Center in Citrus Heights.
This year marks the sixth year of the Rotary Club’s signature project according to a Dec. 1 press release. During that time, the Rotary Club has donated approximately 2,812 pairs of shoes to support students in need. School staff are responsible for identifying the student recipients. The Rotary Club has also furnished each school with Brannock devices enabling the staff to accurately measure students’ foot sizes, the release said.
“The Club’s fundraising efforts in the community coupled with grant support from the Rotary Foundation District Grants contribute to the year-to-year successes of this project with expenditures to date of $54,044,” the release said.
Bob Churchill, past president of the Citrus Heights Rotary Foundation said the Rotary International Foundation District Grants typically comprise 50 percent of the funds necessary for the shoe project each year. This year, over $11,000 in funds went toward the shoe donation project.
Each school is also provided with mini-grant forms which allow schools to apply for grants of up to $250, which can be used for other necessities such as socks, leggings, undergarments, clothing, additional shoes, and other items for students in need.
San Juan Unified School District Director of Communication Raj Rai said Wednesday that the district has had a longstanding partnership with the rotary club, adding that the recent donations will help “keep our schools stocked with shoes” for any students in need of a new pair.
The Rotary Club of Citrus Heights has been active for more than 60 years providing “Service above Self” throughout the community. Meeting information is posted online.
File photo, a Citrus Heights police SUV sits in front of a row of shopping carts blocking the glass doors of Target on June 3, 2020, following nationwide looting and protests that erupted after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, MN. // Mike Hazlip
By Sara Beth Williams– Citrus Heights City Manager Ash Feeney on Tuesday thanked residents for helping pass Proposition 36 and said the measure will help the city in “building a safer, stronger Citrus Heights.”
Feeney said in an email update sent out to residents that enhanced penalties under Prop 36 for various property and drug crimes go into effect starting Dec. 18 of this year. He said suspects connected to multiple thefts where the aggregated merchandise total meets a $950 threshold can be charged with a felony, and organized retail theft including “smash-and-grab” crimes will also be subject to harsher penalties.
Additionally, Feeney said repeat offenders will face “jail-eligible felony charges,” with state prison being a potential after a fourth conviction. Crimes causing over $50,000 in property damage will also carry stricter consequences, he said. Previously, under Prop 47, shoplifting of items valued $950 or less from a store was generally a misdemeanor offense.
The city manager also praised the Police Department’s ongoing Organized Retail Theft Initiative, saying it is “delivering results” and crediting it with a drop in retail theft.
“With targeted efforts and close collaboration between local law enforcement and businesses, we are seeing a decline in retail thefts,” Feeney said.
The Sentinel reported recently that Citrus Heights Police have recovered thousands of dollars in stolen merchandise from commercial burglaries, including the recovery of $91,000 in jewelry from JC Penney, and over $1,000 in stolen merchandise from Target in Citrus Heights on Dec. 3 during a retail theft blitz operation.
“These crimes affect businesses and disrupt the shopping experience for our community members,” Feeney said, adding that the successes of the Police Department in arresting thieves and recovering merchandise helps deter similar crime.
Retail theft has been a challenge throughout the county, according to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. Nearly 400 people were arrested and cited during a five-day retail theft operation in August, regional news reports said. According to Cal Matters, the Public Policy Institute of California found that reported shoplifting of merchandise worth up to $950 has soared 28% over the past five years.
Feeney also wrote that Prop. 36 will strengthen penalties for drug possession and emphasize rehabilitation for drug users by mandating treatment for repeat offenders, and offering support services like addiction specialists, shelter, and job training. The law also requires courts to warn those convicted of selling or providing illegal drugs like fentanyl and heroin that they could be charged with murder if the drugs provided were to kill someone.
Fentanyl has become a crisis, leading local and state leadership to establish the Fentanyl Addiction and Overdose Prevention Task Force (AB33) which was signed into law in October 2023, and other bills concerning controlled substances: such as AB367 and AB955. The US Drug Enforcement Administration has warned that there is “significant risk” of tampering by drug dealers who have been mixing fentanyl with other drugs including heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine, because of its lower cost.
Two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal, Feeney said during a recent State of the City speech, when he referenced a joint operation between the Citrus Heights Police Department and other law enforcement agencies that resulted in the seizure of nearly 350 grams of Fentanyl, along with the arrest of multiple suspects.
Drug users can have their offenses expunged for completing rehab programs under the new proposition, but refusal to participate may result in up to three years in jail, Feeney said.
Opponents of Prop. 36 have argued that it will lead to overcrowding of state prisons again, voicing continued support for the voter-approved Proposition 47 that passed 10 years ago and reduced penalties for certain crimes. While Prop 47 has been criticized as being lax on crime, its supporters have praised it for decreasing the prison population in California and allowing more individuals to access mental health and addiction treatment instead of facing incarceration.
Prop. 47 also required the state to calculate prison savings due to reduced incarceration and use funds for mental health programs, supporting crime victims, and other safety services. The savings amounted to $95 million in 2023, and over $800 million since 2016 according to the California Budget and Policy Center.
The Sacramento Bee reported that several members of the Legislative Black Caucus gathered at the Capitol on Aug. 19 to voice their concerns about Prop 36, saying the initiative would mean a “return to the bipartisan failures of the 1980s and 90s.” Opponents also argued that Prop 36 “wastes billions on prisons.”
According to the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) , increased penalties for certain crimes under Prop. 36 will lead to more prison sentences and will increase state criminal justice costs, “likely ranging from several tens of millions of dollars to the low hundreds of millions of dollars each year.” Additional likely cost increases of “tens of millions of dollars annually” are also expected at the local level, due to increases in jail and parole populations, as well as an increase in local court-related costs.
The proposition passed with over 68% support of voters statewide in November.
Individual suspected of retail theft caught on camera at Target on Sunrise Blvd. // Citrus Heights Police Department
By Sara Beth Williams– Citrus Heights Police arrested multiple suspects, including two juveniles, for theft after conducting a retail theft blitz operation at Target on Sunrise Boulevard on Dec. 3.
The Police Department announced on social media that the blitz operation resulted in the recovery of over $1,000 in stolen merchandise. The operation was conducted in partnership with Target Loss Prevention and the Folsom Police Department.
“We’re watching, and we have zero tolerance for theft,” police said on social media Wednesday, adding a warning to would-be thieves that their actions are being monitored and that incidents of theft will lead to “prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.”
Thursday, Citrus Heights Police Investigations Lt. Wesley Herman called the blitz operation “very productive” and said a total of three arrests were made during the operation. Two of the three males arrested were juveniles. Herman also alluded to another major organized retail theft case that is still under investigation, saying the crime involved “multiple players” using “multiple fraudulent means” to obtain a product.
Herman said the Citrus Heights Police Department regularly works with partnering agencies in different operations, such as California Highway Patrol and Folsom Police Department, saying that Citrus Heights has a “great relationship” with Folsom PD.
A house on Patton Avenue has been on the market for 120 days at $800,000. // SB Williams
By Sara Beth Williams– A single-story home in Citrus Heights near Mariposa Avenue and Twin Oaks Avenue has been on the market for $800,000 since August, while similar-sized homes continue to be listed at significantly lower asking prices.
Pricing history on the real estate website Zillow shows the 1,783-square-foot home, labeled as the “Patton Ranch Estates,” was listed for sale on Aug. 7, and hasn’t seen a price drop. The home was built in 1980 and is situated on almost half an acre, with three bedrooms and two bathrooms.
Aerial views of the property show a detached garage on the back of the lot. Sacramento Real Estate Appraiser Ryan Lundquist said the detached structure, along with the size of the lot, influence a property’s value. Online real estate site Trulia lists the size of the detached garage as 24 feet by 28 feet.
Along with two, 2-car garages, other features listed in the property description include room for RV parking, a wood stove and fireplace, a gazebo, and an above-ground hot tub.
Real estate agent Dave Silva reported in a phone call Friday that there has only been a couple of showings at the property, and that a price reduction would be “very beneficial,” but the current owner doesn’t want to lower the price.
“We give [the seller] advice, I research the market every day, but it’s up to them to ultimately decide what price they want to sell it at,” Silva said, adding that the owner has a lot of “emotional value” invested in the home and he always tries to meet owners where they are.
The median sales price in Citrus Heights was $511,000 for the months of October and November combined, according to Lundquist. Comparatively, the median housing sales price for October in Sacramento County was $550,000 according to Lundquist’s blog.
Other properties for sale in the area of Patton Avenue include another home on the same street listed for $600,000 with five bedrooms, three bathrooms, and 1,900 square feet. Another four-bedroom, three-bathroom home just down the street on Loleta Way is listed for $750,000, boasting 2,600 square feet.
Online real estate data shows that the $800,000 home has been on the market for over 120 days, while according to Lundquist, the average days on the market for homes is 28 days in Citrus Heights. Lundquist said higher-priced listings, such as the home on Patton Avenue, often need more time on the market.
Similarly, a home on Peter Ray Court was listed for sale in August and closed nearly two months later after an $11,000 price drop. Another $750,000 home on Glen Alta Way has been on the market for about two months. Another million-dollar listing in Citrus Heights has been on the market since July.
Lunquist says the ever-present question with such homes is: “Does it need more time on the market, or is the list price too high?”
As for the answer, “The market gets to decide,” Lundquist says.
The laser light shows could be seen from the corner of Sunrise Boulevard and Greenback Lane, with bright lasers shooting into the sky Friday evening. // SB Williams
By Sara Beth Williams– The typically near-vacant parking lots at Sunrise Mall were filled Friday evening as families and community members attended an annual laser light show and vendor market.
The Laser Light Show and Night Market hosted by Sunrise MarketPlace drew hundreds of people to the front of Macy’s, with bright lights and festive holiday décor. The event featured two laser light shows, an inflatable snow globe for kids, holiday-themed bounce houses, a car show with vehicles decked out in bright Christmas lights, arts and craft vendors, and kids’ carnival games and activities. Food and drink trucks were also on site.
The laser light shows could be seen from the corner of Sunrise Boulevard and Greenback Lane, with bright lasers shooting into the sky. The light shows featured multi-colored lasers and flashy digital images of Christmas characters displayed on a jumbo screen to the backdrop of upbeat Christmas music. Attendees gathered to watch the light shows as they filled the night sky.
The inaugural Laser Light Show launched in 2017 and was initially conceived as an event that would create “instagramable experiences” according to Sunrise MarketPlace Marketing and Special Projects Manager Lisa Cordell. The laser light show had to be postponed for two years throughout the pandemic and then returned again in 2022.
Over time, the event evolved to include a “night market” along with the original laser show, in collaboration with Kauai’s Night Market, which introduced “specialty vendors” offering crafts, toys, and various products, Cordell said.
A screenshot from the city’s project map shows an application for a proposed EV dealership has been withdrawn. // CitrusHeights.net
By Sara Beth Williams– A proposal for a new car dealership that would have occupied a portion of the former Big Lots building on Auburn Boulevard has been withdrawn, according to the city.
According to a Nov. 17 update, plans for a new electric vehicle dealership in Citrus Heights have been withdrawn. The city said in a statement that the applicant requested to withdraw the application.
“The applicant stated the clients (AV Investments LLC) were unable to secure an extension of the purchase agreement with the current property owner,” the Planning Department said via email on Wednesday, referencing why the applicant chose to withdraw the application.
The proposed dealership would have been located in the former Big Lots building, adjacent to the abandoned Studio Movie Grill project. The former site of Kmart, which was once planned to become a Studio Movie Grill, is also currently under review to become a church.
Plans submitted to the city show that the applicant was requesting to amend the land use table in the Gateway District portion of the Auburn Boulevard Specific Plan to permit new auto sales and rentals. The proposed project sought to convert the large vacant building into a new electric vehicle sales and service dealership, documents state.
The Auburn Boulevard Specific Plan was adopted in 2005 and was intended to “guide the revitalization and enhancement of Auburn Boulevard between Sylvan Corners and Interstate 80,” according to the city. The almost 2-mile stretch of roadway was once part of the Historic Lincoln Highway, otherwise known as State Highway 40.
The Specific Plan includes four areas: the Gateway District, the Lincoln 40 District, Rusch Park District, and Sylvan Corners Village Square District. The proposal had sought to amend the Gateway District portion of the Specific Plan, according to the city.
A home on Karen Rae Court in Citrus Heights won an award in the city’s best lights contest in 2022. // CH Sentinel
By Sara Beth Williams– The city’s 2024 “Best Lights in Citrus Heights” contest is now accepting nominations through Saturday, Dec. 7.
The City of Citrus Heights announced the opening of nominations for the annual Christmas lights contest earlier this week and has listed several categories for consideration.
The 2024 categories for this year’s event have been updated slightly, compared to last year. Three popular categories are returning, including Griswold, which recognizes the brightest and most impactful display of shining lights, Holiday Village, which celebrates the best-decorated block or neighborhood, and Santa’s Favorite, which honors the house or display with the most outstanding overall appearance and decoration.
Two new categories for nominations have been introduced this year, including Snow Globe, which highlights the biggest and brightest inflatable display, and Sleigh the Theme, which celebrates the display that tells the best cohesive story or presents a clear theme. The category of Winter Wonderland, which recognizes the chilliest display of icicles, white lights, and wintry themes, is similar to last year’s Jack Frost category, but has been expanded to include “wintry themes.”
Last year’s winners included six houses throughout the city: a home on Creekcrest Circle won the Griswold award for the brightest display of shining lights, a home on Celestial Way was awarded the best multi-house display on the same street or neighborhood, and another home on Moss Oak Avenue won the Hollywood Holidays award for best use of popular Christmas/Holiday characters. Additionally, a home on Rinconada Drive was recognized for having the best decorated tree in a yard or outdoor space, another home on Cross Drive won in the Jack Frost category for best use of chilliest display of icicles and white lights, and a home on Ansbrough Drive won in the Santa’s Favorite category for best overall appearance or theme.
Last year there were no nominations for a “Jingle All the Way” musical-animation category, which did not return for this year, according to the city’s website.
To nominate a home or group of homes for the contest, visit the city’s Best Lights in Citrus Heights page. Nomination close Dec. 7 and voting for the best lights display will open Dec. 9. Awards are given out the week of Dec. 17.
A Google Maps image with a red dotted line, indicating which road closures will directly impact Citrus Heights residents during the California International Marathon on Sunday, Dec. 8. // SB Williams
By Sara Beth Williams– Several key road closures in Citrus Heights will be in effect during the upcoming annual California International Marathon, which is set to take place this Sunday, Dec. 8.
According to a list posted on the Sacramento Running Association’s website, several intersections and roads are scheduled to be closed at specific times throughout the marathon event. Below is a list of closures impacting Citrus Heights.
Oak Avenue from Kenneth Avenue (mile 5) to Fair Oaks Boulevard will be closed from 6:55 a.m. to at least 8:45 a.m.
Fair Oaks Boulevard will be closed from Oak Avenue (mile 6) south to Madison Avenue from at least 6:50 a.m. to between 9:30 and 10 a.m. This includes the intersections of Greenback Lane and Madison Avenue (Between mile 7 and mile 8)
The marathon road closures will also affect major roads and intersections from Folsom to downtown Sacramento, including Folsom-Auburn Road, J Street, L Street, and Capitol Mall.
Officials confirmed with The Sentinel Tuesday that traffic control will be conducted by the California Highway Patrol.
The Sacramento Running Association notes online that the list of exact closure times are based on a 3-minute-per mile pace for the first racers, and approximately a 13:44 min-per-mile pace for the slowest runners.
For up-to-date road closure information and closure avoidance the association recommends using the WAZE app, which has partnered with the California International Marathon.
For detailed route information visit the Sacramento Running Association’s website to find an interactive map of the marathon route here: Course Information.
New toys can be dropped off at the Rusch Park Community Center through Dec. 20. Toys benefit NICU patients at Sutter Hospital. // SB Williams
By Sara Beth Williams– Several community organizations in Citrus Heights are seeking donations in the month of December for children and families this holiday season.
Coat Drive: The Citrus Heights Homeless Assistance Resource Team and the Underground Clothing Connection are holding a coat drive this winter in an effort to collect coats for children from preschool through high school.
The nonprofit announced on social media that the store is looking for new and gently used coats for children in preschool through high school and is accepting donations at the Underground Clothing Store on Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on the first Saturday of each month from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Underground Clothing Connection serves children who are unhoused or are in transition between homes. The store is located inside Sunrise Mall.
Donations of new and used coats can also be dropped off at the Sunrise MarketPlace office during the week. For more information on where to donate and what time, visit Citrus Heights HAR’’s Facebook page.
Toy Drive: Sunrise Recreation and Park District is accepting donations of brand-new, unwrapped toys for NICU and PICU patients at Sutter Hospital in Roseville. Donations can be dropped off at the Rusch Park Community Center, which is located at 7801 Auburn Blvd., between Dec. 2 and Dec. 20.
Family Gifting: The Citrus Heights Police Department is holding its 16th annual Family Gifting Event. The deadline to nominate a family ended Dec. 2, but the department is still seeking donations of non-perishable food items, cleaning supplies, personal hygiene items, new unwrapped toys, gift wrap, and gift-wrapping supplies.
Donations can be dropped off in the Citrus Heights Police Department Lobby during normal business hours, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. until Dec. 17. Gift cards and monetary donations will also be accepted and can be dropped off or mailed to the Citrus Heights Police Department with attention to the Holiday Cheer Coordinator.
Anyone with questions, or who would like to adopt a family or make a donation, can email ohc@citrusheights.net or call (916) 727-4988.
Toys for the Troops’ Kids: The annual toy drive which collects toys that go to children of military families will begin collecting donations of new toys and gifts on Saturday, Dec. 7 through Saturday, Dec. 21. Donations can be dropped off at the corner of Sunrise Boulevard and Greenback Lane in the parking lot between Sprouts and Panera Bread between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. daily, through Dec. 21. Volunteers are also needed to help at the donation site. For more information, visit the nonprofit’s Facebook page.
