A look back at 2024: Top stories from Citrus Heights

By Sara Beth Williams–
Stories about local restaurants and businesses, the state of the Sunrise Mall, crime and real estate dominated reader interest throughout the last year. Below are some of the top stories that captured the most interest from readers in 2024.

Restaurants and businesses. Stories on anticipated new businesses, as well as established businesses, drew significant readership in 2024, with a story on Pastry Heaven European Bakery drawing the highest number of readers over the last year.

Other anticipated businesses also drew a large swath of readers, including the new Yummy Buffet Sushi and Grill on Greenback Lane, and the relocation of DarkHeart Brewing to Citrus Heights. Both businesses opened in December. The opening of a new family thrift store in August also drew strong readership.

Related: Citrus Heights bakery operated by former Ettore’s pastry chef – Citrus Heights Sentinel

Sunrise Mall. Key developments surrounding the Sunrise Mall drew significant readership, as The Sentinel’s investigation of what stores were still open at Sunrise Mall last spring landed in the top three most-read stories of the year. News that a portion of grant money from the U.S. Department of Transportation earmarked for engineering work and infrastructure related to the Sunrise Tomorrow project, such as roads and public improvements, also captured a large number of readers, as well as the announcement of a proposed amendment to the Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan.

Related: Developer proposes plan for Sunrise Mall including In-N-Out, Home Depot – Citrus Heights Sentinel

Real Estate: Houses with abnormal sales history and unusual lots also drew significant readership in 2024, including an article on this million-dollar house that was once used as a junkyard before being transformed into an event venue. Another home tucked far back behind other homes with a long access driveway landed in the top ten most-read articles for the year.

Health inspections. Several restaurants that incurred health code violations drew significant readership in 2024, including a popular breakfast diner, a sushi restaurant, and an independent burger joint.

Crime: From retail theft arrests and busts to jewel heists and a pickup truck ramming through the bottom floor of JCPenney, retail theft and the passage of Prop 36 have been notable concerns for local residents. “What can residents in Citrus Heights expect, now that Prop 36 passed?” captured such high reader interest, it landed in the Top Ten most read articles of the year.

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