Latest news briefs in Citrus Heights include a dead body being found inside a Citrus Heights home on Thursday, flames engulfing a garage on the outskirts of town, a local gun shop winning a lawsuit against the state, and Supervisor Sue Frost taking some heat for her position against the “gas tax” during a regional transportation board meeting.
Dead body found inside Citrus Heights home
Police responding to a home on Glen Creek Way Thursday afternoon found a woman’s body inside the residence, CBS-Sacramento reported. An elderly man was also found alive inside. The home is listed on a state database as a licensed care home facility for up to six people, primarily for those with Alzheimer’s over age 60. According to the news report, police did not believe foul play was involved.
CBS also reported neighbors were “rattled” about the news, as the home is located near where suspected serial killer Joseph DeAngelo lived on Canyon Oak Drive. “Bad luck, you know DeAngelo lived right down the street,” one neighbor was quoted telling the news station. As of Saturday, the deceased woman’s identity has not been released by the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office. (See CBS video)
Citrus Heights gun shop wins lawsuit against state
Sacramento Black Rifle, located on Greenback Lane in Citrus Heights, was handed a victory by a U.S. District Judge on Tuesday. The gun shop, along with another firearms dealer in Tracy, sued the state four years ago after both argued they should be allowed to advertise the sale of handguns on their storefronts, a practice banned by California law for nearly the past century.
According to story in the Sacramento Bee on Wednesday, state lawyers argued the law was needed to “stop impulsive individuals from purchasing a handgun and using it in a suicide or crime.” But Judge Troy L. Nunley found the law violates gun shops’ First Amendment rights. Sacramento Black Rifle store manager Nate Woodward told The Bee the lawsuit victory was “really big,” and a win for free speech. The ruling could be appealed by the California Attorney General’s Office. (See SacBee story)
Frost sole vote opposing gas tax on Transit Authority board
Sacramento County Supervisor Sue Frost, who is a Citrus Heights resident and former mayor of the city, took to Facebook on Wednesday calling out a vote of the Sacramento Transit Authority to officially oppose Proposition 6, which would repeal the controversial $52 billion “gas tax,” also known as SB 1. Frost was the sole “no” vote out of 10 representatives present for the Board’s Sept. 13 meeting, and said many of her fellow board members were “upset” with her vote. Six members were absent, including Citrus Heights Councilman Al Fox, and his alternate, Jeff Slowey. The Transit Authority Board is made up of representatives from the Board of Supervisors and other elected officials from cities in the region.
Frost said 83% of her constituents were opposed to the new gas tax, citing a Facebook poll she conducted where 315 people responded. She also said roads could be repaired by abandoning plans for California’s high speed rail project, which is estimated to approach nearly $100 billion, and instead prioritize the funds to go towards road repair instead. The Transit Authorities’ resolution in favor of keeping the gas tax argues that Proposition 6 would “take away approximately $50 million annually that is dedicated to the County of Sacramento and the incorporated Cities within Sacramento County for street and road repairs, road reconstruction, and street maintenance.” (See resolution here, and see Frost’s full comments here)
Fire takes out detached garage in Citrus Heights
A structure fire on the outskirts of town off Twin Oaks Avenue ripped through a detached garage Monday morning. Video posted on social media by Metro Fire showed the garage still smouldering, with a gaping hole observable on the roof. Fire crews reported knock down of the blaze around 6:30 a.m. on Sept. 10 and said no additional structures had been threatened by the fire.
According to a news report from KCRA, the fire resulted in a complete loss to the garage, but no injuries were reported. The cause of fire was under investigation as of Monday, and no further updates were released by fire officials. (See video)
More briefly:
- Cleanup. On Sept. 8, the City of Citrus Heights posted a video slideshow of volunteers cleaning up a poorly maintained residential property. (See video)
- Disbarring. The State Bar is recommending a Citrus Heights attorney be disbarred over an alleged ethics violation, according to the NorCal Record. (See story)
