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Chico State's independent student newspaper

The Orion

Chico State's independent student newspaper

The Orion

Chico State's independent student newspaper

The Orion

Angelina Mendez

All content by Angelina Mendez
Police arrest Nord Gardens shooting suspect

Police arrest Nord Gardens shooting suspect

Angelina Mendez, Staff Writer
May 5, 2020

Chico Police Detective Bureau arrested a shooting suspect the afternoon of Monday, April 27 following a homicide investigation regarding a shooting incident that occured on April 15th, according to a...

Police arrest carjacking suspect following crash

Police arrest carjacking suspect following crash

Angelina Mendez, Staff Writer
May 5, 2020

At noon on May 4, Chico Police Department officers received a report regarding a carjcking that had just occurred in the 1900 block of Esplanade in Chico, according to a CPD news release. The victim,...

Man found unconscious in McDonald's drive-thru

Man found unconscious in McDonald’s drive-thru

Angelina Mendez, Staff Writer
April 22, 2020

CHICO, CA — Employees working at the McDonald’s restaurant on Mangrove and Palmetto Avenue called officers from the Chico Police Department after they failed to wake up an unresponsive driver who...

Paradise Vice Mayor accused of sending inappropriate texts and photos to undercover officer

Paradise Vice Mayor accused of sending inappropriate texts and photos to undercover officer

Angelina Mendez, Staff Writer
April 15, 2020

Vice Mayor Michael Zuccolillo of Paradise, 41, turned himself into the Butte County Jail on April 14 due to allegations made by a sheriff's deputy claiming he sent nude photos of himself to a person he...

Stabbing on E. 19th Street and Locust Street

Stabbing on E. 19th Street and Locust Street

Angelina Mendez, Staff Writer
April 8, 2020

On Tuesday, around 11 p.m., Chico Police Officers responded to a report at a local medical facility regarding a stabbing victim who was involved in an altercation with an unknown male in South Chico,...

Empty Chico leads officers to discover stolen vehicle

Empty Chico leads officers to discover stolen vehicle

Angelina Mendez, Staff Writer
April 7, 2020

A Chico Police Officer completed a routine registration check on a green Honda Civic traveling eastbound on West 9th Street where the vehicle was discovered to be stolen on April 4, at approximately 11:54...

Robbery at CVS Pharmacy

Robbery at CVS Pharmacy

Angelina Mendez, Staff Writer
April 1, 2020

On Mar. 30th, at approximately 2:20 p.m., officers from the Chico Police department received a report regarding a robbery that occurred at CVS Pharmacy located at 1120 Forest Ave, according to a CPD news...

Chico Resident Dies in a Public Right of Way

Chico Resident Dies in a Public Right of Way

Angelina Mendez, Staff Writer
April 1, 2020

On Mar. 28th, at approximately 12:36 p.m., Chico Police Officers and medics responded to a report of an unconscious female who was not breathing near the dumpster at the Speedway Gas at 2501 Notre Dame...

Chico PD responds to home invasion report

Chico PD responds to home invasion report

Angelina Mendez, Staff Writer
March 17, 2020

On Feb. 29 at approximately 4:40 p.m., the Chico Police Department Dispatch Center received a report that there was a home invasion robbery that had occurred on the 500 block of El Reno Drive, according...

University Police investigating Esken Hall “hackings”

Angelina Mendez, Staff Writer
March 17, 2020

Students residing in Esken Hall made reports to University Housing that they were receiving strange phone calls and messages and their phones were being “hacked.” There have been 10 confirmed reports...

Chico PD confiscates firearm during traffic stop

Chico PD confiscates firearm during traffic stop

Angelina Mendez, Staff Writer
March 17, 2020

On March 1, at approximately 9:35 p.m., an officer from the Chico Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle near the intersection of East 1st Avenue and Terrace Drive that led to the confiscation...

Chico State Undergrad and Grad Students Compete in Annual Research Competition

Angelina Mendez, Staff Writer
March 14, 2020

Undergraduate and graduate students competed in Chico State’s 34th Annual Student Research Competition on Wednesday for a cash prize and one of 10 spots to compete statewide against other CSU students. “This...

Local Women in Government Panel to Honor the 19th Amendment

Local Women in Government Panel to Honor the 19th Amendment

Angelina Mendez, Staff Writer
March 5, 2020

On Feb. 26 four women with active roles in Butte County’s government and Chico State’s student government sat at a panel to honor the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment. The...

UPD Launches Anonymous Tip Tool

Angelina Mendez, Staff Writer
February 29, 2020

The University Police  Department launched an anonymous tip reporting tool for students and the community to use to report anonymous crime to the dispatch center on Feb. 12. The tip reporting...

Meriam Library at Chico State.

Police, students respond to sexual harassment in Meriam Library

Angelina Mendez
February 26, 2020

The University Police Department is currently requesting charges and building a case against the suspect that was allegedly involved in a sexual harassment incident that occured on Feb. 14 at the Meriam...

Midnight car chase down East Avenue

Midnight car chase down East Avenue

Angelina Mendez
February 25, 2020

The Chico Police Department received a call to assist a Chico Highway Patrol officer that had conducted a traffic enforcement stop on the Highway 99 off ramp near East Avenue in Chico on Feb. 23rd, at...

Curtis DeBerg's office door in Tehama Hall is left blank next to SAGE Global memorabilia. A plaque in honor of Sierra Nevada Brewing Company founder Ken Grossman is visible. It reads "SAGE commends the Ken Grossman/Katie Gonser Family for its commitment to helping teens create socially responsible businesses that address the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals."

Chico State professor under investigation for alleged misuse of university funds

Angelina Mendez and Jessie Imhoff
February 25, 2020

The nonprofit organization Students for the Advancement of Global Entrepreneurship (SAGE Global) is not active on Chico State’s campus since the start of the Spring 2020 semester following an internal...

Mountain Mike's Pizza robbed at gunpoint

Mountain Mike’s Pizza robbed at gunpoint

Angelina Mendez
February 21, 2020

On Feb. 9, the Chico Police Department received a report of a robbery at Mountain Mike’s Pizza located on 1105 West 5th Street, according to a news release by CPD. A white male suspect, dressed in...

Meriam Library at Chico State.

Student reports sexual harassment in Meriam Library

Angelina Mendez
February 20, 2020

Meriam Library contacted the University Police Department reporting a sexual harassment incident involving a female student and a male adult on Feb. 14 at approximately 10:30 a.m. The student reported...

A sign that reads “OMRON COLAB: This classroom & Laboratory made possible through the generous support of Omron Corporation. Dedicated February 10, 2020 California State University, Chico.”

Omron gifts $830,00 to upgrade Chico State’s Mechatronics Laboratory

Angelina Mendez, Staff Writer
February 19, 2020

Chico State’s administration and members from Omron Automation Americas gathered at Plumas Hall to cut the ribbon for the grand opening of Omron CoLab on Feb. 10.  The CoLab is a brand new collaborative...

48 year-old James Marshal and K9 Odin pictured along with items discovered in Marshal's vehicle. Courtesy of Chico PD.

K9 Odin discovers narcotics at traffic stop

Angelina Mendez
February 17, 2020

On Feb. 7, at approximately 9:56 p.m., a Chico Police Department Officer conducted a traffic stop near the intersection of Mangrove Ave and Manzanita Court, according to a CPD news release.  The...

Fire and Water Exhibit explores environmental change

Fire and Water Exhibit explores environmental change

Angelina Mendez
February 5, 2020

On Jan. 23, at 4:30 p.m., a new exhibit opened for students and the campus community at the Valene L. Smith Museum of Anthropology called ‘Fire and Water: Elements of Change’.  “We see the museum...

Chico State warns students about Coronavirus in California

Angelina Mendez
January 29, 2020

On Sunday afternoon, around 2 p.m., the WellCat Health Center sent out a campus-wide email notifying the campus community about the two confirmed cases of the 2019-novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Southern...

Outside picture of Whitney Hall

Man arrested after incident with Whitney Hall

Angelina Mendez
January 28, 2020

On Sunday evening, at approximately 11:44 p.m., the Chico State University Police Department received a report from University Housing Resident Advisors describing a male subject standing on the sidewalk...

K9 Odin and Kyle Silva-Larva

K9 Odin detects narcotics in traffic stop

Angelina Mendez
January 27, 2020

On Sunday evening, at approximately 10:20 p.m., a Chico Police Department officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle by the intersection of Pillsbury Road and Cohasset Road, said the CPD news release. The...

Ted Lidie showing his students what a shoulder halter looks like. Photo credit: Angelina Mendez

Free concealed carry class offered to women

Angelina Mendez
December 9, 2019

On Thursday evening from 5-9 p.m., the company Legal Heat and Chico’s Sportsman’s Warehouse hosted a free women’s concealed carry permit class. The class, rated highly online and described...

32-year-old Stephen Campbell. Image provided by CPD. Photo credit: Angelina Mendez

Suspect in September stabbing apprehended

Angelina Mendez
December 9, 2019

On Sept. 21 around 2:00 a.m., the Chico Police Department responded to a report of a stabbing near the intersection of West 3rd Street and Cedar Street.Police officers arrived and located a potential...

34-year-old Jeremy Underwood. Photo provided by CPD. Photo credit: Angelina Mendez

Man resists arrest at ampm store

Angelina Mendez
December 3, 2019

On Saturday afternoon, Chico Police Department officers were dispatched to the ampm store located on Esplanade. The police addressed a report that an AG Security Officer was involved in a physical fight...

Where a woman's body was found near 150 East Esplanade in the Lindo Channel.

Woman’s deceased body found in Lindo Channel

Angelina Mendez
December 2, 2019

On Friday around 2:30 p.m., Chico Police Department officers and Chico Fire personnel responded to a call of a body discovered in the Lindo Channel near Esplanade, according to a news release. A deceased...

47-year-old Leanne Mote. Photo provided by CPD. Photo credit: Angelina Mendez

Former medical employee suspected of embezzlement

Angelina Mendez
December 2, 2019

In August, the Chico Police Department was contacted regarding a substantial embezzlement case with involvement of an ex-employee who worked at a local medical practice, according to a news release. The...

32-year-old Gilberto Corona Mugshot provided by CPD.

Man arrested in shooting incident near child’s party

Angelina Mendez
December 2, 2019

On Friday evening, at approximately 5:18 p.m., the Chico Police Department had reports coming in regarding a shooting that occurred at a birthday party of a 6-year-old juvenile on the 600 block of West...

36-year-old David Bowers and K9 Aron. Photo provided by Chico Police Department. Photo credit: Angelina Mendez

Pick and pull burglar identified as night prowler

Angelina Mendez
November 18, 2019

On the morning of Thursday, Oct. 31, Chico Police Department 2019 Patrol officers responded to a call regarding a burglary alarm going off at Pick and Pull, located at 397 East Park Ave, according to...

The area where an evacuation took place due to a suicide threat on Saturday.

Suicide threat causes evacuation

Angelina Mendez
November 18, 2019

On Nov. 16 around 6 p.m., Chico Police Department officers responded to a call about a man with a gun that was threatening suicde on 1749 East Eaton Road. Upon arrival, the officers evacuated the uninvolved...

Students dropped by to hand over their cards to donate. The process was so easy and took less than one minute to do. Photo credit: Melissa Herrera

‘Swipe Against Hunger’ encourages students to donate meals

Angelina Mendez
November 17, 2019

Students who have available meal swipes on their student dining plan attended an event hosted by Associated Students at Sutter Dining Hall, "Swipe Against Hunger." On Nov. 14, AS Dining Services held this...

Ricardo Castrejon mugshot pictured and K9 Aron pictured. Photo provided by Chico PD. Photo credit: Angelina Mendez

K9 discovers meth in vehicle stop

Angelina Mendez
November 12, 2019

K9 Aron was awarded a second scoop of dog food for dinner after finding discovering methamphetamine paraphernalia in a vehicle in a conducted vehicle stop.On Nov. 9 at 1:50 a.m., a vehicle stop was conducted...

Chico State explains evacuation and safety plans

Angelina Mendez
November 10, 2019

On Tuesday, photos surfaced on social media showing that the phrase “There Shooting Wednesday” was scribbled on the wall of a bathroom stall in Meriam Library.Students were confused and began...

Police Blotter: Multiple child endangerment reports and more

Police Blotter: Multiple child endangerment reports and more

Kimberly Morales and Angelina Mendez
November 9, 2019

University Police Call Type: Disturbance Tues, Oct 29, 5:29 p.m. 500 Block of W 2nd St. Call received for a complaint of a possible alcohol-related crime around the Bell Memorial Union. Upon...

Senior Planner Mike Sawley giving presentation to Chico City Council on General Plan 2030 and Municipal Code. Photo credit: Angelina Mendez

Chico City Council considers proposals for housing, downtown access

Angelina Mendez
November 7, 2019

Chico City Council's Tuesday meeting remembered Camp Fire victims and discussed Chico's General Plan for 2030. Mayor Randall Stone opened the meeting with an official declaration of November being Youth...

Orchards expanded far within the farm. Photo credit: Melissa Herrera

Growing new crops after the Camp Fire

Angelina Mendez
November 6, 2019

Chico State departments and students have teamed up with Chico residents to begin regrowing crops and participate in the regenerative process, following the Camp Fire. After being named after Camp Creek...

The location on the 3100 block of The Esplanade where a man was pursued and cornered by police.

Police corner man suspected of stealing partner’s vehicle

Angelina Mendez
October 29, 2019

Police pursued a man Sunday who was reported for stealing his girlfriend's car and driving under the influence. On Sunday afternoon, Chico Police Department (CPD) officers responded to a reported domestic...

Off-campus dorms’ poor security causes concern

Angelina Mendez
October 27, 2019

Several students have reported attempted break-ins, lower safety precautions, and thefts at Chico State's University Village.UV is a university–owned, gated, suite-style community near campus. Since...

Photo credit: Angelina Mendez

‘Chicoween’ gives students the creeps

Angelina Mendez
October 27, 2019

Chico State’s infamous Chicoween festivities are spreading excitement and fear among students.Chicoween refers to the time when students celebrate Halloween with candy, parties and crime. Although...

42 year-old Marcus Atunez mugshot. Provided by Chico PD. Photo credit: Angelina Mendez

Man arrested after violent encounter with police

Angelina Mendez
October 22, 2019

On Saturday afternoon, a Chico Police officer responded to a call from the Tower Mart located at 110 E. Park Avenue about a transient man urinating on the wall outside of the shop. The officer arrived...

Pizza Riot's "Sunflower" creation. Image provided by Pizza Riot's Instagram.

Pizza Riot introduces new location for vegan pizza

Angelina Mendez
October 18, 2019

In early November, a new vegan-style restaurant named Pizza Riot located on Walnut St and 2nd St. will open to the city of Chico.Chico State students can now enjoy the fresh plant-based and organic non-genetically-modified...

Loafer Creek Campground during the daytime. Image provided by California's Best Campgrounds Photo credit: Angelina Mendez

Scheduled burn at Loafer Creek

Angelina Mendez
October 14, 2019

Firefighters from Butte County conducted a control burn at Loafer Creek Tuesday near Lake Oroville. The purpose of the burn is to improve natural habitat and rangeland, and to reduce hazards, according...

University Police Department located on the corner of Chestnut St and W Second St. Photo credit: Angelina Mendez

University Police works to serve campus, despite understaffing

Angelina Mendez
October 8, 2019

With a tight staff and high demands, University Police Department is working to address a variety of safety concerns at Chico State. UPD is located next to campus and states its mission as “to provide...

Associated Student's meets on Thursday morning. Their first agenda item is about Custom and Border Patrol's presence at the Career Fair. Photo credit: Ricardo Tovar

Students, campus respond to Border Protection presence at Career Fair

Angelina Mendez and Ricardo Tovar
September 28, 2019

U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) officers were invited to Chico Sate’s career fair on Wednesday, to the shock of many students. After an initial flurry of confusion, panic and frustration faded,...

This video was shared by GSEC on their Instagram page showing two border patrol officers in the BMU Wednesday.

Border patrol officers appear at career fair

Angelina Mendez
September 25, 2019

Students were dismayed and fearful Wednesday when officers from California Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) were seen at the Business Fair in the Bell Memorial Union. Chico State’s Career Center hosted...

25 year-old Mark Bailey was arrested for shoplifting and resisting an officer. Image from Chico Police Department.

Shoplifting arrest leads to struggle

Angelina Mendez
September 24, 2019

On Sunday evening, the Chico Police Department (PD) responded to a call leading them to the Kohl's store to arrest a suspect shoplifting from the store At around 6:54 p.m., an employee at the store pointed...

First gen volunteers are happy to inform students about the program. Photo credit: Angelina Mendez

First generation students welcomed

Angelina Mendez
September 23, 2019

First-generation students were welcomed to campus with a special event last week.A fully loaded dessert bar, iced coffee station and a chance to win prizes drew students to check out the First Generation...

There were artistic posters on tables as freshmen sorted through the stacks to find the ones they liked the most. Photo credit: Melissa Herrera

Freshman Wildcats treated to orientation events

Angelina Mendez
September 15, 2019

Chico State kicked off the new school year by welcoming first-year students for the 2019 to 2020 academic school year, through a series of campus events.Students are drawn to Chico State from all over...

Jaquane Baldwinbadger. Mugshot provided by Chico Police Department.

Naked man suspected of burglarizing student’s home

Angelina Mendez
September 9, 2019

A Sacramento resident was arrested on charges of first-degree residential burglary of an occupied home on Sunday. On Sunday morning at approximately 5 a.m. police responded to a call on Fourth Street,...

UV Shuttle arriving at the Whitney Hall stop to pick up students to take back to UV. Photo credit: Angelina Mendez

University introduces new student housing bus safety rules

Angelina Mendez
September 4, 2019

Chico State introduced a new bus schedule to the incoming Wildcats staying at University Housing for the 2019-2020 school year.University Housing has provided this shuttle service through University Village...