KPAY-AM (Chico, CA)

KPAY Alerts: Chico 's Police Chief released a statement Wednesday saying the Department is temporarily limiting access to its license plate reader (LPR) system to California law enforcement agencies while it reviews its policies and information-sharing practices, This comes after recent public scrutiny over the department's sharing of automated license plate reader (ALPR) data with federal and out-of-state law enforcement agencies, including concerns that agencies such as U.S. Immigration and...

A former Biggs mayor pleaded no contest on Wednesday, August 5, in Butte County Superior Court to multiple sex crime charges involving a foreign exchange student who lived in his home in 2023. Bassett pleaded no contest to three counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. He faces a maximum sentence of four years and four months in state prison. The judge ordered Bassett held without bail at the Butte County Jail pending his sentencing Sept. 2.

KPAY Alerts: The City of Chico detected dangerous levels of E. coli this week in Sycamore Pool in Chico's Lower Bidwell Park. It's been an ongoing issue since last summer when several people got sick, claiming it was a result of swimming in the pool. The city has been monitoring levels with frequent testing, moving to daily tests at the end of June of this year. On Monday, city testing found the highest levels recorded this summer.

New car prices are causing buyers to go deeper into debt to finance purchases. Data from Edmunds shows almost 30-percent of new car buyers are still paying off loans for their trade-ins. Edmunds said the average amount of remaining balances on cars traded in the second quarter of 2026 was nearly seven-thousand dollars. That's the highest for a second quarter on record.

Night construction work on E. 20th Street will officially began Sunday as the City of Chico starts a pavement rehabilitation project on the busy roadway. According to the City of Chico, the work is scheduled to take place between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. Monday through Friday and some weekends. The work will be occurring from the northbound Highway 99 off-ramp to Notre Dame Boulevard. Motorists are advised to use caution when driving through the construction zone and to use alternate routes when possible.

Oroville Hospital and key stakeholders say they have reached an agreement to extend post-petition financing and allow the facility to pursue either restructuring or a sale. The agreement, announced Monday, requires approval from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of California, Sacramento Division. The amendment extends the post-petition financing and permits the hospital to pursue a dual-track approach. The facility can either restructure its operations or complete a sale.

Chico city leaders are reviewing whether the Chico Police Department (CPD) improperly shared automated license plate reader data with federal, out-of-state and other law enforcement agencies in a possible violation of California law. Documents released by the CPD in July appear to show the department shared ALPR data with several U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement divisions, U.S. Border Patrol sectors and multiple out-of-state law enforcement agencies.

The candidate filing period is open for the November 3 General Election in Butte County. According to Butte County Clerk-Recorder/Registrar of Voters the filing period opened on July 13. In total, there are 91 county positions up for election. To date, 43 candidates have filed to run for those positions. The deadline to file is by 5 p.m. on August 7. Information on becoming a candidate with the required forms is also available online at www.ButteVotes.ca.gov.

Paradise Irrigation District will flush water along portions of upper Skyway as part of the Skyway Main replacement project. The flushing will continue through July 21, targeting different sections on various nights from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. According to Paradise Irrigation District, the contractor will staff the flushing sites to monitor water flow and ensure water is dechlorinated before entering the storm drains.

Former Biggs Mayor Brian Bassett was arraigned on multiple charges of sexual abuse involving a minor. The judge decided Bassett remain in custody on a $330,000 bail. Bassett, 58, is facing 5 sexual abuse counts involving a 17-year-old he was responsible for.