Tag: Sacramento

Between Sacramento and Davis, nearly 250,000 bats take flight each night beneath the Yolo Causeway

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Flock of birds flying over a marsh with mountains at sunset

You may have driven over the Yolo Causeway between West Sacramento and Davis countless times, but there is more than just traffic on the bridge. The NorCal Bat Association says underneath the causeway lives a bat colony with almost a quarter million members. Each evening, they emerge from underneath the bridge and take to the sky in search of insects, including mosquitoes. September is considered prime time for watching the bats emerge around sunset, drawing visitors who gather beneath the causeway with chairs, cameras and plenty of questions.

For visitor Ashley Manges, the experience was an unexpected surprise, as she watched hundreds of tiny silhouettes begin to fill the sky. “It’s gorgeous, isn’t it?” said Corky Quirk, a certified NorCal Bats educator who leads educational programs about the colony. “Those are bats” Quirk said people who have driven across the causeway for years may have mistaken the bats for birds. “But if you are seeing them at sunset, it’s bats,” Quirk said. The colony beneath the causeway is one of the largest urban bat colonies in the region, and the bats play an important role in the ecosystem by consuming insects.

Quirk works with the Yolo Basin Foundation to educate visitors about bats through its bat education and tour programs. The program includes a caravan tour where visitors learn about the animals before watching the colony emerge. Visitors can also see bats that are being rehabilitated by the Yolo Basin Foundation and take part in a question-and-answer presentation. Quirk said the bats’ physical characteristics help them move quickly through the air. “They have a long, narrow wing, a sign of speed,” Quirk said. “And these guys can fly faster than a cheetah can run.” Changing perceptions about bats For Quirk, the tours are about more than watching thousands of bats take flight. “Mostly I hope people learn bats are an important part of the environment and they are not scary animals, no reason to fear them,” Quirk said.

Visitors often turn the experience into an evening outing, bringing chairs and settling in beneath the causeway as they wait for the bats to emerge. The surrounding landscape provides plenty to watch while they wait, but the bats remain the main attraction. “Watching kids play in the dirt and get in touch with the world around them in nature is a great part,” Quirk said. “It is always good to see.” Then, as the sun begins to disappear, the bats start emerging. The Yolo Basin Foundation Bat Caravan tours run through September and have a $17 registration fee. NorCal Bats offers education on bats to schools year-round. Quirk says you should never handle bats and always call for help if you see one on the ground for safety.

Source: Between Sacramento and Davis, nearly 250,000 bats take flight each night beneath the Yolo Causeway – CBS Sacramento

The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17

Isaiah 45:2

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Proverbs 21:23

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Psalm 5:8

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Sacramento deputies had probable cause to arrest Panera gunman weeks before deadly shooting

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Symbolic scales showing security and justice balanced against legal knowledge outside a courthouse

The Department of Homeland Security confirmed Friday the man who investigators say stalked a woman for months before executing her in a Panera Bread parking lot in Sacramento this week was in the country illegally. The victim was 38-year-old Shalini Thakur and her mother has said authorities failed to protect her. A spokesperson for DHS said Thakur’s killer, 22-year-old Rohit Rohit, was from India and entered the United States through Arizona in 2023.

He was arrested by the U.S. Border Patrol and released by the Biden administration, according to the spokesperson. The exact details around his immigration status were not immediately clear as of Friday. Federal court records online showed his case was pending. The records showed no appeal had been received for his case and there were no hearings scheduled. Rohit killed himself amid a standoff with police on Highway 50 after the shooting. The scene left traffic at a standstill for hours.

“This illegal alien from India harassed, stalked, and then killed a 38-year-old woman in California, and then took his own life when police caught up to him,” said a DHS spokesperson. “This tragedy would have been completely avoided if it weren’t for the Biden Administration RELEASING this killer into our country. Sanctuary politicians must put an end to reckless policies that play Russian roulette with American lives. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim and her family.” A spokesman for the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office told KCRA 3 earlier this week that the local agency does not have access to immigration status information.

The sheriff’s office did not immediately provide a response to the DHS announcement Friday. California’s sanctuary state law, commonly referred to as SB 54, limits local law enforcement’s ability to cooperate with immigration officials when an undocumented immigrant is accused of a crime. “Trying to turn a horrific act of stalking and domestic violence into an indictment of California’s sanctuary policies is not supported by the evidence and distracts from the real issues this case raises — law enforcement preventing stalking and domestic violence, enforcing restraining orders, and keeping victims safe,” said Diana Crofts-Pelayo, a spokesperson for Gov. Newsom’s office.

Investigators said Rohit had no known, local criminal history. He had been stalking and harassing Thakur since at least January of this year, according to the sheriff’s department. That’s when she discovered an Apple AirTag under her car’s hood. The sheriff’s office said the harassment and stalking worsened, describing one instance in which Rohit deflated the woman’s vehicle and followed her to work so he could offer her help. Rohit also allegedly got a copy of the woman’s apartment key and entered her home while she was sleeping. When the woman learned of this the following morning, the sheriff’s office said Rohit claimed he entered her apartment out of concern that something had happened to her when she did not answer.

Despite these instances, the sheriff’s office said the woman initially declined to pursue charges or get a restraining order. Detectives stayed in contact with the woman for months. In May, the sheriff’s office said deputies spoke with the woman and urged her again to get a restraining order, which she did. On July 29, deputies got a report that Rohit dropped off random grocery store items at the woman’s front door, which would have violated the restraining order. The sheriff’s office said deputies tried to contact Rohit twice after this. The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday Rohit was waiting for Thakur outside the Panera Bread near Howe and Northrop avenues. Investigators said he confronted Thakur and chased her as she attempted to run before shooting her multiple times. Witnesses provided investigators with information about Rohit’s vehicle. Deputies located him within minutes on eastbound Highway 50 near Watt Avenue with assistance from the FLOCK camera system. In an emotional interview with KCRA 3 on Thursday night, Thakur’s mother said the system failed to protect her daughter. “Police did not protect my daughter,” she said.

Source: Sacramento deputies had probable cause to arrest Panera gunman weeks before deadly shooting

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.
James 1:19

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Man who plants thousands of 9/11 memorial flags in West Sacramento will retire, hopes tradition lives on

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american flags on grass field

More than 2,000 miles from ground zero, thousands of flags were planted into West Sacramento soil to help sow the seeds of remembrance for the victims of the 9/11 terror attacks on the World Trade Center. It’s an annual tradition led by volunteer John Vinson, who first started a memorial at the corner of Jefferson Boulevard and Locks Drive with just 14 flags in 2003.

Since then, the memorial has grown every year and now includes thousands of flags of all shapes and sizes, one to honor each of the 2,753 people who were killed when the Twin Towers collapsed, including flags for the 343 firefighters who died that day as they rushed in to try and save lives. “We have a flag for each one and the country they were from,” Vinson said. Friday marks 25 years since the terror attacks of September 11, 2001.

Wednesday morning, volunteers rolled up their sleeves and got to work placing each and every flag one by one. The flags stand at attention, waving at passersby along the busy stretch of Jefferson Boulevard. It is an invitation to slow down and reflect. “I think it’s just important people remember that and how precious life really is,” Vinson said. “A million tears have poured out here on this field.” Also erected on the site are two replica towers honoring the former World Trade Center. “I built these years and years ago,” Vinson said about the towers. “In fact, they’ve been touched up so many times the paint is probably thicker than the wood.”

They stand as a symbol of resolve. Vinson started the West Sacramento tradition 23 years ago and other volunteers have helped him keep the memorial growing every year since. He calls it his calling. Still, health and age have slowed Vinson down over the years. After this Friday, he will retire from the volunteer service and says he hopes to leave the tradition to be carried on by other volunteers. “That’s probably the main reason I did it one more time is because it was the 25th anniversary this year,” Vinson said.

It is entirely a volunteer effort to organize and place all of the flags and displays. Matthew Ferguson came out to help for the first time on Wednesday morning. At 23 years old, he was not alive during the 9/11 terror attacks but represents the next generation who do not remember, but recognize the events of that day all the same. “I’m very proud of my country, and I thought it’d be nice to volunteer today to help memorialize all the people who lost their lives,” said Ferguson.

Ferguson plans to join the United States Navy in the near future. Neighbors paused on Wednesday afternoon to soak it in as the display grew. Barbara Morris brought her young granddaughter and said when she sees the flags she thinks instantly of sacrifice. “It’s all the lives. All the lives lost and what they sacrificed for us,” Morris said. It has become a place to heal over the years for both those with direct connections to the 9/11 attacks and those without any. It’s been protected and preserved for decades.

“One of the things I’m really kind of strict about is I don’t let people talk about politics or religion here. I want to keep it real simple,” Vinson said. The site serves as a roadside reminder to never forget. The memorial will continue to grow over the next few days as volunteers add to it. It is expected to be finished by Friday, September 11. Anyone who wants to volunteer is welcome to come out and all are invited to stop by the site and pay their respects.

Source: Man who plants thousands of 9/11 memorial flags in West Sacramento will retire, hopes tradition lives on – CBS Sacramento

For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.
1 Timothy 2:5

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Woman attacked by otter while swimming in Lake Tahoe, receives nearly 40 stitches

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playful river otter on log indoors

An open-water swimmer says a routine morning swim in Lake Tahoe turned into a frightening encounter when an otter attacked her underwater. Lynnette Bellin said she was swimming near Hidden Beach in Incline Village when something suddenly grabbed her leg and pulled her underwater. “Something grabbed my leg and pulled me under,” Bellin said. “And it was so powerful I thought it was a human.”

The attack happened around 8 a.m. as Bellin was swimming in an area she regularly visits. “I turned around and I saw this otter, and it immediately started lunging at me and biting and scratching,” Bellin said. Bellin fought back with her hands and feet while trying to reach a nearby set of rocks. “It was very painful,” she said. “Yeah, it was just ruthless. It just kept coming after me.” The first rocks Bellin reached were too slippery for her to climb onto. She yelled for help but said no one responded. She eventually made it to another set of rocks and was able to pull herself out of the water.

But the otter remained nearby. “Once I got out and he stopped pursuing me, he kept circling the area,” Bellin said. “I could hear his heavy breathing. It was very menacing.” Bellin eventually made her way back to the beach, where first responders treated her before she was taken to the hospital. She received nearly 40 stitches and began a series of rabies vaccinations. Experts say otter attacks are extremely rare Megan Isadore, executive director of the River Otter Ecology Project, said encounters between people and river otters rarely become violent. “We don’t always expect an attack when it happens,” Isadore said. She said one possible explanation is that Bellin may have unknowingly gotten too close to a mother otter and her young.

“They don’t know what we’re doing. They don’t know why we’re there,” Isadore said. “They can be frightened of us. They’re usually not after us.” Bellin said she doesn’t blame the otter for what happened, but the experience has made her reconsider where she swims. “It’s very disconcerting, but also I love Tahoe too much,” she said. There’s also an unusual connection between Bellin and the animal that attacked her. She’s an infant swim instructor and often uses a small otter toy while teaching children. After the attack, she said she may be ready to retire the toy from her classes.

Source: Woman attacked by otter while swimming in Lake Tahoe, receives nearly 40 stitches – CBS Sacramento

O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee.
Psalm 16:2

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Roseville bear sighting reported a day after Rocklin alert

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A bear was spotted in Roseville on Wednesday morning, one day after police in neighboring Rocklin issued an alert about a similar sighting. Roseville Fire said the bear was seen near Foothills Boulevard between Blue Oaks Boulevard and Pleasant Grove Boulevard. Roseville police said they received three reports of a bear sighting, all between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. It remains unclear whether the animal is the same bear reported Tuesday near homes in Rocklin’s Skyline area. Rocklin police notified the California Department of Fish and Wildlife about that sighting. Residents are being urged to keep their distance and call authorities if the bear behaves aggressively or poses an immediate threat.

Roseville police noted that no road closures are in effect at this time. Officials say that this is the time of year when mother bears push out their cubs to be on their own, and that sometimes leads them into unusual places, which can be more of a danger to them instead of the public. “When they spend time in these urban areas, there’s a potential to get hit by cars, the potential to get into an unnatural food source,” said Peter Tira, with Fish and Wildlife. Fish and Wildlife told CBS News Sacramento that there’s no current effort to find and capture the bear, noting that it will likely make its way out of town on its own.  Bear sightings are uncommon in Roseville but not unheard of. In 2013, a young black bear was spotted in several east Roseville yards, including outside a home on Spring Valley Drive. Last fall, a family of three bears was also captured on video near Rocklin as the animals followed the Dry Creek watershed through parts of Placer and Sacramento counties.

Source: Roseville bear sighting reported a day after Rocklin alert – CBS Sacramento

He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.
John 7:38

Hope in the dark

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Stockton church hosts fundraiser to reopen local school

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People at tables with baked goods and charity auction in church hall

The City of Stockton has been working to revitalize Main Street. To help, a local church hosted a bazaar to raise funds that go directly into the community. “It’s a small community, but a really hardworking one,” Saint Gertrude Summer Festival organizer Monica Mercado said. This all happened Sunday in the courtyard of Saint Gertrude’s Catholic Church. Vendors and organizers had one goal in mind: raise enough money to do their part in revitalizing Main Street on the east side of the city. “I know a building that looks really nice for the community will always bring the community back,” Mercado continued.

“We’re just trying to throw a rock in there to try to say we could save our church and bring it back to how it used to be.” But that’s not all they’re doing. The weekend-long event was meant to build community, repair the church, and reopen a much-needed school. “They want to get the school going again,” Vendor Jose Lara explained. “We got to get the kitchen back up to be able to bring in the children and help them learn.” The school has been closed for more than two decades. With few options locally on the east side of town, they say the repairs are essential to this community and the next generation. “It’s very important because there’s not a lot to do around here and it’s good to have a place where they can come and they feel safe,” Lara shared. On top of raising money for a good cause, the church says it’s an event to bring the community back together. “We use it a lot and we want to keep up,” Vendor Rafael Murillo explained.

“This is a way of also being able to manage and acquire, not only that but just to give to the community so they can come and enjoy it too.” “When you’re doing something from the heart, you can’t mess up. You really can’t,” Mercado continued. Event organizers say they’ll need to raise nearly $200,000 to make the necessary repairs to their building and reopen the school.

Source: Stockton church hosts fundraiser to reopen local school – CBS Sacramento

Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.
Psalm 56:3

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Sacramento offers free e-bike and scooter safety classes as ridership grows

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yellow cargo e bike parked outside french supermarket

The City of Sacramento is putting on an urban biking and scooting workshop in the Valley Hi neighborhood. It comes as e-bikes are growing in popularity, but many people still aren’t following the rules. The series of free community classes aims to teach people how to safely ride bikes and scooters. It’s also an effort to reduce the risk of injury when riding on Sacramento streets. Ted Florez is taking the class after being hit by a car while riding his bike last fall on Folsom Boulevard. He spent days in the hospital with a broken arm and other serious internal injuries. “A kid made a left turn, didn’t see me in the bike lane in the middle of the intersection when we collided,” Florez said.

Last month, a 9-year-old Sacramento girl was killed in a hit-and-run crash while riding on the back of a motorized minibike. The city has been offering these safety classes online and is now taking them on the road in a series of summer neighborhood workshops. The 1-hour class helps answer some of the most common misconceptions. “There are laws around where you can ride and different ages and whether or not you need to wear a helmet,” said Nicole Zhi Ling Porter, the city’s senior transportation planner. Participants ride off with a better understanding of what’s required to safely get around town on two wheels. “That way they can roll, scoot, skate away confidently,” Porter said. The next free workshop will be on August 18 at the Colonial Heights Library on Stockton Boulevard.

Source: Sacramento offers free e-bike and scooter safety classes as ridership grows – CBS Sacramento

Who “will render to each one according to his deeds”
Romans 2:6

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Love Lodi nonprofit gives away 2,000 backpacks to students in need

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Community school supply event with volunteers distributing backpacks and supplies in gymnasium

Starting school just got a bit more stylish. “It’s so helpful not only just to have a backpack, but it feels so nice to have a new backpack,” Lodi Parent Corrie Ordway said. “It makes it like a fresh start to the new school year.” With school in session at Lodi Unified School District beginning at the end of this week, supplies are needed. The most essential one is a backpack. “One in four kids go to school without the school supplies or the backpack that they need,” Love Lodi Co-Chair Timothy Stewart explained. “I have a large family. A lot of these families have multiple kids, and so it adds up. Our goal is to get quality backpacks so that they can be proud to go into school.”

Love Lodi, a local nonprofit, has hosted a backpack giveaway for three years. Monday’s event at Hutchins Square was their biggest turnout to date. “The first year we gave out 1,300 backpacks. Then it was 1,800, and by the end of tonight, we’re looking for probably close to 2,000 with our deliveries,” Stewart shared. It’s 2,000 backpacks given to 2,000 students in need. This has brought much-needed relief for parents across the city and beyond. “It’s definitely huge to get the backpacks covered because that’s a huge thing that we go through, I feel like every year, if not making it through the whole year,” Parent Danielle Marsh said.  This event wouldn’t have been possible without the entire community coming together. Lodi Chamber of Commerce raised nearly $23,000 for the event, while 30 other partners and organizations throughout the city had collection bins for locals to donate backpacks. With inflation and high costs at every turn, this means much more than getting new swag for school.

“I have one girl and four boys,” Ordway explained. “The backpacks were outrageously expensive. [My daughter] is like, ‘I think I’m okay, mom.’ I’m like, ‘Well, if we need it, maybe we’ll buy it. It’s really helpful.” A day that showed neighbors helping neighbors for the next generation. “They’re going to feel really great and hopefully they have a great school year,” Stewart continued. “That’s really kind of the heart behind it. We just want to be a blessing and see what we can do.” “Feeling like that sense of ownership over the thing, you can express yourself and feel confidence; it’s really wonderful,” Ordway shared.

Source: Love Lodi nonprofit gives away 2,000 backpacks to students in need – CBS Sacramento

By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.
Hebrews 11:11

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Sacramento County to release more than 2 million mosquitoes in Rosemont to fight invasive species

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Large swarm of flying insects above suburban houses at sunset

Data shows Sacramento County’s Rosemont neighborhood has become a breeding hotspot for a species of mosquito that can carry dangerous diseases. On Tuesday, the skies over the community will be filled with a swarm of more than 140,000 mosquitoes that are being set free. The Sacramento Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District says it will then be intentionally releasing two million more mosquitoes in the neighborhood over the next 16 weeks. “These mosquitoes are actually a public health threat,” said Luz Maria Robles, with the Sacramento Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District.

“They have the capability of transmitting debilitating diseases such as Zika, dengue, or chikungunya.”   The insects are all sterile males, which don’t bite people, and when they breed with wild female mosquitoes, the eggs won’t hatch. “We need to have at least 10 sterile male mosquitoes per one wild male to outcompete them,” Maria Robles said. Last year, the district tried this technique in the South Natomas neighborhood for the first time and they say it was successful. “We were able to reduce mosquitoes by about 40%,” Maria Robles said. The district says it has been going door to door in the Rosemont neighborhood with flyers notifying people about the mosquito release. Sue Weaver says she supports the eradication effort. “There’s probably 10 million mosquitoes here, so that will be great,” Weaver said. “That will make a difference.”

The total cost is $136,000 to purchase the mosquitoes from a vendor in Kentucky. But the district is also looking at building its own breeding lab here in Sacramento that could one day produce up to a million sterile mosquitoes a week. “That would significantly reduce the cost,” Maria Robles said. “Right now, that’s something that we’re considering.” Google may also soon be helping to fight the bite. The high-tech company has filed an application with federal regulators asking for permission to release up to 16 million sterile male mosquitoes a year in California.

Source: Sacramento County to release more than 2 million mosquitoes in Rosemont to fight invasive species – CBS Sacramento

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
1 John 5:14

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Roseville Fire plans major drone expansion to speed emergency response

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advanced agricultural drone spraying crops

What once required firefighters on the ground can now be done from the sky, and Roseville Fire says it’s only the beginning. While drones have been part of the department’s toolbox since 2020, fire leaders are now looking to expand the program with a long-term vision of placing a drone at every fire station in the city. The goal is to launch drones to emergencies within moments, giving firefighters and police real-time aerial intelligence before crews arrive on scene. Within about a minute of a request, firefighters can already have a drone airborne, streaming live video back to incident commanders.

“We can see if we’re starting to get thermal runaway, an incident that might be too dangerous to put people in,” said Roseville Fire Captain Jonathan Davidson. “We can start getting video and transmitting it down to people on the ground who need that intel.” Davidson became the department’s first licensed drone pilot when Roseville Fire launched its drone program in 2020. Now, city leaders are looking at the next evolution of the technology. “They want to put a drone on every single fire station in town,” Davidson said. “That drone can launch from the fire station, and there would be a person in the control center able to fly that drone and provide the aerial reconnaissance.” The expanded system would allow drones to respond automatically to vehicle crashes, fires and other emergencies while being operated remotely from a centralized control center.

Fire officials say the added aerial perspective can help incident commanders make faster, safer decisions before firefighters enter potentially dangerous situations. As the program grows, so will the need for trained drone operators. Roseville Fire Battalion Chief Thanh Pham believes military veterans are especially well-suited for the role because of their experience making critical decisions with limited information. “We’re pretty much problem solvers,” Pham said. “A lot of times in an emergency, we’re given about 60 to 70 percent of the facts and you have to take action. I think that’s a skill set a lot of veterans have that can translate to civilian life or the fire service.” That’s where the Veterans Workforce Alliance hopes to help, connecting former service members with departments building drone programs. “When an organization needs drones and drone operators, the military has them,” said Veterans Workforce Alliance board member Nathan Champion.

“About 200,000 military personnel transition out of the military every year, so that’s a perfect source for organizations that have that need.” For Davidson, the expanding drone program reflects how much the fire service has evolved over the past 25 years. “There’s so many different things that we do in this profession that are outside of just taking a hose into a burning building and putting water on the fire,” he said. From boots on the ground to eyes in the sky, Roseville firefighters say drones are becoming an increasingly important tool, helping crews gather critical information faster, improve firefighter safety and shape the future of emergency response.

Source: Roseville Fire plans major drone expansion to speed emergency response – CBS Sacramento

For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Romans 13:9

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Multiple people shot at Howe Community Park in Sacramento County

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empty urban playground in early springtime

Deputies are investigating after multiple people were shot at a park in the Arden-Arcade area on Saturday evening, officials said. The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office said it received reports around 6:30 p.m. of individuals at Howe Community Park possibly carrying concealed weapons, followed by another call about a potential fight and people running from the area. Authorities said several hundred people had gathered at the park for what was described as an unauthorized event. Deputies were asked to clear the area and spent about 15 minutes making announcements over loudspeakers for people to leave.

That’s when deputies reported hearing between 20 and 25 gunshots, sending people running from the park. The sheriff’s office said first responders took four people to the hospital: a 24-year-old male, a 25-year-old male, a 21-year-old male, and a 23-year-old female. The sheriff’s office said three of them were shot, and one of them had a laceration from being grazed by a bullet.  They were all in stable condition, and none of them had injuries that were life-threatening, the sheriff’s office said. Investigators have not announced any arrests as of Sunday, but said the Solano County Sheriff’s Office did find a vehicle of interest in Fairfield. There were three occupants in the vehicle, a male and two females, who were detained and interviewed. The sheriff’s office said a gun was found in the vehicle, but they do not yet know if the three people were involved in the shooting or if they were and to what extent.

Source: Multiple people shot at Howe Community Park in Sacramento County – CBS Sacramento

O LORD, You are my God. I will exalt You, I will praise Your name, For You have done wonderful things; Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.
Isaiah 25:1