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  • Free hazardous waste drop-off set for April 8 in Citrus Heights

    Household hazardous waste. Photo by Luke Otterstad
    Household hazardous waste. Stock photo, Citrus Heights Sentinel

    Got some household chemicals or other hazardous waste you think might not be good to put in the trash or down the sink?

    On April 8, Citrus Heights residents will have the first of three opportunities in 2017 to dispose of hazardous items like paint, cleaning supplies, vehicle batteries and fluorescent light bulbs, at a free household hazardous waste drop-off event behind Sunrise Mall.

    The drop-off is sponsored by the City of Citrus Heights and Republic Services and is open to any Citrus Heights resident, as long as proof of residency is provided. A recent utility bill or photo ID is acceptable.

    Although many hazardous items will be accepted, a promotional website for the drop-off event states that ammunition, explosives, pharmaceuticals, radioactive material, household batteries, “home-generated sharps,” and used oil won’t be accepted. Some prohibited items for the drop-off — like used oil and household batteries — can be disposed of through Republic Services’ free weekly curbside program. (Learn more)

    Organizers say drop-off appointments are encouraged, but not required, and residents can call (916) 638-9000 for more information or to schedule an appointment.

    Future drop-off events will be held at the same location on June 10, 2017 and Oct. 14, 2017, according to the city’s online calendar.

    2017 drop-off event info:
    See website for more details
    Date: Saturday, April 8, 2017
    Time: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
    Location: 6041 Sunrise Mall Rd., Citrus Heights (In parking lot behind Macy’s Women’s)

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  • Sunrise Mall blood drive offers donors free State Fair tickets

    blood mobile, blood source
    A Blood Source “bloodmobile” out at Sunrise Mall during a blood drive earlier this year.

    In exchange for giving a pint of blood at a “bloodmobile” station at Sunrise Mall this weekend, donors will be able to redeem a free ticket to the California State Fair — part of the latest effort to help a local nonprofit boost blood supplies.

    Setting up four times a year in the Mall’s Elephant Bar parking lot, BloodSource relies on such blood drives to help achieve its goal of drawing about 700 pints a day to supply over 40 hospitals in Northern and Central California with blood, according to BloodSource Public Relations Manager Alexander Sigua.

    BloodSource uses a variety of promotional offers during their blood drives, with the organization’s most recent February drive offering two free tickets to a Sacramento Kings game. Staff said the previous drive drew more than 100 pints of blood in the first six hours, with “quite a few” pints coming from new donors as well.

    Although it can take about an hour to donate, BloodSource’s Gayle Graves said each blood donation helps save “at least three lives.”

    “So many times you’re asked to give money for so many different things,” Graves told The Sentinel during the past blood drive in February. “This doesn’t cost you a thing, it just costs an hour of your time.”

    The California State Fair will be held at Cal Expo from July 10 through 26. BloodSource says donors giving blood this weekend will receive 200 “MyBloodSource” points which can be redeemed online for a free ticket to the Fair.
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    Blood drive info:
    June 19-21, 2015
    When:
    Friday: 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
    Saturday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
    Sunday: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
    Where: Sunrise Mall (Elephant Bar parking lot)

  • STORM: Residents pile up on free sandbags

    Updated Dec. 11, 9:46 a.m.–
    “Load your own” sandbag locations in Citrus Heights have been busy this week, with shovel-ready residents stopping by through Wednesday to load up on free sand in preparation for heavy rains and high winds hitting the area this week.

    Citrus Heights residents fill up sandbags in preparation for storm. Photo by Luke Otterstad
    Delorean Walton, 29, helps his mom, Michele, fill up sandbags in preparation for a large storm expected Wednesday.

    “This is definitely going to be a lifesaver,” said 29-year-old Delorean Walton, who was out Tuesday helping his mom fill sandbags, saying they’ve had some close calls with flooding in the past. “It was nice they put the piles out here early.”

    Although free for Citrus Heights residents, volunteer Sarah Clement was on scene checking ID’s Tuesday, saying more than a few people were turned away for coming from outside the city limits.

    The first-time volunteer also said the “steady stream” of sandbaggers had been “remarkably kind” all day at the McDonald Field location.

    “Everybody’s been really nice and helpful,” Clement said, noting a man who returned to donate some cut-off traffic cones to help others funnel sand into the narrow bag openings. “A couple of people have even come and volunteered to help senior citizens load bags.”

    The City’s Management Analyst Regina Cave said due to weight considerations, residents will be limited to 10 bags for those with cars and small trucks — although she said larger trucks will be allowed to take more, if needed. She also recommended residents take a shovel along, as bags and sand at the two locations are provided by the City, but shovels aren’t guaranteed.

    Cave said the City is also urgently looking for volunteers willing to check ID’s and monitor supplies at the sandbag locations, as she said they currently do not have enough man-power to stay open after 5 p.m.

    Those interested in volunteering at the sandbag stations are invited to call (916) 727-4736. Other sandbag or storm-related questions should be directed to the general services main line at (916) 727-4770.

    <<Want to keep up to date on local news in Citrus Heights? Click here to sign up for our free Weekend Edition and get the top local news stories delivered to your inbox once a week>>

    <<For more storm-related tips, see story: “City gears up for storm; offers preparation tips for residents”>>

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    Citrus Heights sandbag locations and hours (December 2014):

    Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or until supplies run out (Update: Citrus Heights police tweeted an update Thursday morning saying that sandbag stations “will remain closed until further notice.” An employee at Lowe’s said their Citrus Heights location was also out of sandbags as of Wednesday evening, although other hardware stores may have bags in stock. Follow The Sentinel on Facebook or Twitter for local updates.)

    McDonald Field (at the corner of Old Auburn and Antelope Road).

    C-Bar-C Park (off Oak Avenue, just East of Fair Oaks Boulevard).

  • SATURDAY: Final Free Household Hazardous Waste Drop-off

    This Saturday, Citrus Heights residents will have a final free opportunity to dispose of hazardous items like paint, cleaning supplies, vehicle batteries and fluorescent light bulbs, at the last of three Household Hazardous Waste Drop-off events held in the city this year.

    CFL light bulbs. Photo by Luke OtterstadSponsored by Republic Services and the City, the drop-off is open to any Citrus Heights resident, as long as proof of residency – like a recent bill – is provided.

    The first event of 2014 was held in February, followed by a drop-off in June, with the third and final drop-off date being scheduled for October 18, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parking lot behind Women’s Macy’s at Sunrise Mall.

    Not all hazardous items will be accepted, including ammunition, explosives, pharmaceuticals, radioactive material, household batteries, “home-generated sharps,” and used oil — but some of these items can be disposed of through home and curbside collection.

    Although appointments are not required, residents are encouraged to call Republic Services at (916) 725-9060 for more information, or to schedule an appointment.

    A flier for the event can be viewed here.

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    Household Hazardous Waste drop-off
    Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014
    8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
    Sunrise Mall parking lot (behind Women’s Macy’s)

  • City to Give $10k in Used Tech Equipment to Local Nonprofits

    City to Give $10k in Used Tech Equipment to Local Nonprofits

    Following a recent technology upgrade, over $10,000 worth of computers and related equipment will be given away to local nonprofits and governmental agencies who submit a request by the September 26 deadline, according to the City of Citrus Heights’ Information Technology division.

    City LogoThe equipment – which the City says is all tested and working – became available after older equipment was replaced over the past year, resulting in over 200 laptops, desktops, servers and other electronics being declared “salvage,” and therefore eligible for what the City calls a “lottery-based” giveaway.

    To take part in the giveaway, interested organizations can review a list of available equipment online and submit a request to the City’s IT division, detailing which of the technology items are wanted, according to IT Systems Analyst Patrick Lew.

    After the submission period ends on September 26, requested items will then be distributed evenly between all qualified applicants, with items being held for pick-up for up to two weeks, according to Lew. In cases where there are several requests for one item, the lottery system will kick in and the winner will get the item.

    A statement on the IT department’s web page says the free technology equipment is given “first to non-profits and governmental agencies located in Citrus Heights and secondly to similar organizations that are providing services to Citrus Heights residents but are not located within our jurisdictional boundaries.” According to Lew, organizations meeting either of these requirements will qualify for the giveaway.

    Those interested in participating in the lottery can contact Patrick Lew via email at Plew@CitrusHeights.net, or by phone at 916-727-4729.

    A complete list of items available is located on the City’s website: http://www.citrusheights.net/Bids.aspx?bidID=10

  • Citrus Heights Teams Up with Non-Profits to Offer Free Cat Sterilizations

    Residents can trap cats and bring them in for free sterilization, using a humane trap available for rent from the City.
    Residents can trap cats and bring them in for free sterilization, using a humane trap available for rent from the City.

    Citrus Heights residents can now neuter or spay feral cats for free, thanks to a grant from PetSmart Charities that seeks to address cat overpopulation and nuisance problems throughout the city.

    “This grant and the pilot program affords residents who have cats, or are taking care of stray or feral cats, to do so in a way that saves lives and reduces nuisance issues associated with high concentrations of unaltered cats,” said Michelle Parker, program assistant for Citrus Heights Animal Services.

    The grant includes $105,950 to cover surgery and rabies vaccination costs for up to 2,200 cats over a two‐year period. Feral cats will have the tip of their ear removed while under anesthesia to visually indicate that they have been sterilized.

    The program has been met with success, according to Parker, who said about 200 cats were spayed or neutered in the first four months of the program.

    Margaret Cleek, secretary of the Residents Empowerment Association of Citrus Heights, said about 10 cats have been spayed or neutered in her area of the city, and she appreciates the “Trap-Neuter-Release” approach to nuisance cats – rather than the euthanasia route.

    Cleek said euthanizing feral cats can lead to a vacuum in the cat population of an area, which attracts more feral cats that aren’t spayed or neutered – and actually creates more of a problem. She believes the current program is the best way to humanely manage and stabilize outdoor cat populations.

    Animal Services is also seeking to educate about the problem of cat overpopulation, hoping to nip the problem early on.

    “It is critical to spay and neuter all outdoor cats as soon as possible,” said Parker, who mentioned that most people are unaware that female cats can become pregnant at just four months old, and can have as many as three litters of kittens per year.

    Animal Services also emphasizes that the “Trap-Neuter-Release” program is the best option for the City’s budget, as it’s cheaper to spay or neuter one cat, than to try and euthanize or catch a dozen kittens that can come each year from an unaltered cat.

    To take part in the program, a resident must apply for a sterilization voucher online from the Sacramento Area Animal Coalition or River City Cat Rescue, bring the cat in to a local veterinary hospital for surgery and vaccination, and then return the cat to the same area it was trapped in. Traps can be rented from the City for free, with a $50 refundable deposit, thanks to a donation of cages from Unleashed by Petco.

    For more information, residents are encouraged to contact Citrus Heights Animal Services at (916) 725‐7387, or by email at animalservices@citrusheights.net

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    On the Net:
    http://www.SacAnimal.org/
    http://www.RiverCityCatRescue.org/