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FAC Represents Newsroom After Shasta Elections Official Illegally Excludes its Journalists from Media Release Distribution

Shasta Scout @shastascout.bsky.social · 2d

We are pushing back on behalf of the public we serve after being restricted by the local election office. A free press is central to a healthy and civically-engaged community.

First Amendment Coalition @facoalition.bsky.social · 2d

FAC is representing @shastascout.bsky.social in this letter to Shasta County's elections official after he said the outlet was not "legitimate" and illegally removed her from a media release distribution list.

Advocacy

firstamendmentcoalition.org

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Shasta Scout @shastascout.bsky.social · 4d

The donation to a sales tax initiative that will benefit city coffers was made just months before successfully soliciting more than half a million in financial help from the city.

Advance Redding faces scrutiny after donation in support of Measure A – Shasta Scout

Advance Redding, the nonprofit currently operating the Civic Auditorium gave $49,500 to support a citizen-led sales tax initiative. The donation was made just a few months before Advance Redding succe...

Tyler McCain’s jury trial is set to begin Nov. 18. He’s facing multiple charges, including murder. – Shasta Scout

Shasta Scout @shastascout.bsky.social · 4d

McCain has pled not guilty on all charges, including murder. shastascout.org/tyler-mccain...

Tyler McCain plead not guilty to all charges during a hearing Tuesday, Oct. 7. His wife Nikki Saelee McCain disappeared in May, 2024 shortly before she was scheduled to testify against him on felony d...

Bombshell lawsuit from former Shasta Assistant CEO Magrini alleges retaliation, harassment over ideological issues – Shasta Scout

Shasta Scout @shastascout.bsky.social · 5d

“They accused him of being a traitor to the Republican Party,” the lawsuit reads, “and to those who objected to the imposition of COVID-19 health orders.”

Eric Magrini worked for the county for more than 15 years, rising to the rank of sheriff, then assistant CEO before being terminated in 2024. Last week, he filed a lawsuit against the county, alleging...

Shasta County has dozens of “possibly optional” committees and commissions, staff say. – Shasta Scout

Shasta Scout @shastascout.bsky.social · 6d

The question of dissolving certain committees and commissions has been a recurring flashpoint issue during public meetings over recent months.

At their Tuesday October 7 board meeting, supervisors will discuss the breadth of the county's commissions and committees. The board could vote to eliminate some, including the county’s Public Health ...

Some Shasta poll workers uncertain ahead of November 4 special election – Shasta Scout

Shasta Scout @shastascout.bsky.social · 10d

Poll workers are front line elections workers. Ensuring their competence and adherence to the law is central to protecting the right to vote, especially for those with specific access needs.

Just four weeks before November’s special election, former poll workers in Shasta County say they’re waiting to hear when they’ll be trained and where they'll be assigned. Some have reservations about...

Stillwater Pow Wow will come to Redding Rodeo grounds this weekend – Shasta Scout

Shasta Scout @shastascout.bsky.social · 11d

The Stillwater Pow Wow is free and open to all. It's a celebration of Native culture, including ceremonial dance.

From October 3–5, the Redding Rancheria will host a pow wow to celebrate Tribal ceremonial dances, food, art, and music.

U.S. Forest Service announces fall 2025 schedule for “prescribed burns” within the Shasta-Trinity forest – Shasta Scout

Shasta Scout @shastascout.bsky.social · 12d

For millennia, indigenous people have intentionally set controlled fires, something research shows has been an extremely effective means to nourishing the Klamath Mountains’ biomass.

Throughout this fall, winter, and spring, teams of fire experts will be starting and maintaining controlled burns in areas of forest across Shasta County. The burns are part of land management practic...

Francescut holds campaign kickoff. She hopes to win Shasta's top election role in 2026. – Shasta Scout

Shasta Scout @shastascout.bsky.social · 12d

“Fair, accurate, and secure elections are the foundation of our democracy... let’s show Shasta County, and the country, what it looks like when a community chooses trust, truth, and democracy.”

Almost 200 people showed up to a campaign event hosted by former Assistant Registrar of Voters (ROV) Francescut. A majority of the vocal public wanted her to be appointed to the ROV role earlier this ...

Shasta Scout @shastascout.bsky.social · 13d

Published in collaboration with American Community Media. bsky.app/profile/amco...

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From the Hindu Kush to the Cascade Range: Hamid’s journey to America – Shasta Scout

Shasta Scout @shastascout.bsky.social · 13d

The Ghulam family has found stability in their new life through the help of the Redding Refugee Circle, but only after a long and precarious process that began the moment Hamid first learned he had won the lottery.

Through remarkable circumstances and the assistance of a few local community members, the Ghulam family left Afghanistan to settle in Redding, California. They’re one of only three local Afghan famili...

Redding implemented body cameras for police transparency. So why can’t Daniel Maher get video of his own arrest? – Shasta Scout

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Shasta Scout @shastascout.bsky.social · 16d

Neither Maher nor Shasta Scout has been able to obtain body camera footage of his arrest, despite his claim that two of his ribs were broken during the incident.

Body worn cameras are often seen as the gold standard for ensuring police transparency. But as this community member’s story shows, police departments sometimes stonewall public access by withholding ...

A Charlie Kirk vigil was held at Shasta College last week. Here’s what we know. – Shasta Scout

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Shasta Scout @shastascout.bsky.social · 17d

A Shasta College spokesperson said the college respects that some staff and students may have had issues with the thoughts expressed during the event encouraging them to “engage in civil constructive dialogue."

An estimated 2,000 people attended a vigil held last Thursday, September 18, for Charlie Kirk. The event was held on Shasta College’s campus by the evangelical nonprofit 1Hope4America, which is run by...

Judge holds Tyler McCain to answer on all charges including murder, felony domestic violence – Shasta Scout

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Shasta Scout @shastascout.bsky.social · 18d

“Let the evidence speak for itself and let Cheng’s spirit be in the courtroom."

Tyler McCain is accused of having killed his wife Nikki Cheng Saelee-Mccain last year to prevent her from testifying against him on felony domestic violence charges. Tuesday a judge maintained that mu...

Reorganization of Market Street Election Office creates new space for ballot filming – Shasta Scout

Shasta Scout @shastascout.bsky.social · 20d

Pairing people with opposing ideological views to work together in the election process is one theme for Curtis’ approach to administering elections.

An open house to show off the new set up at the Shasta Election Office revealed more of what ballot processing will look like under Registrar of Voters Clint Curtis. November 2025 will be his first ti...

Ring camera video evidence caps second week of McCain hearing – Shasta Scout

Shasta Scout @shastascout.bsky.social · 22d

During the last testimony of the day, an interview with Shasta’s lead detective in the case, Kilee Holroyd, the prosecution presented footage from a Ring camera mounted at the front door of the home of Saelee-McCain’s sister, Chloe Saelee.

A video recording depicting a man alleged to be Tyler McCain pounding on a door and repeatedly screaming “open the door or I’ll kill you," brought some to tears. The camera footage came at the end of ...

City of Shasta Lake says public commenters deemed “boisterous,” “profane” or “slanderous" can be banned – Shasta Scout

Shasta Scout @shastascout.bsky.social · 23d

The policy how allows elected officials to censor the public based on subjective opinions that a remark is “slanderous” or “profane”, something that could be used to silence political dissent.

The city’s new regulation empowers elected council members to remove public commenters based on subjective criteria regulating the content of speech, something that legal experts say curtails the comm...

In conversation with Shasta Election official Clint Curtis – Shasta Scout

Shasta Scout @shastascout.bsky.social · 26d

During an interview with a Shasta Scout reporter, Shasta County's election official mused on his hopes for the indictment of his campaign opponent and former Assistant Registrar of Voters Joanna Francescut. We're sharing highlights from that interview.

A July interview with Shasta’s newly appointed election official Clint Curtis revealed his hope for the indictment of his campaign opponent, former Assistant Registrar of Voters Joanna Francescut. We'...

Shasta, California's 15th charter county, finally confirms its new status – Shasta Scout

Shasta Scout @shastascout.bsky.social · 27d

“This designation strengthens our ability to shape a brighter future for Shasta County while preserving our values and priorities," Board Chair Kevin Crye said.

Shasta County board chair Kevin Crye is celebrating an accomplishment he helped spearhead over the past few years, the county’s new charter status. It was delayed for more than a year by an administra...

First gathered by Native forest stewards, pine mushrooms are now accessible for all to forage, with a paid permit – Shasta Scout

Shasta Scout @shastascout.bsky.social · 27d

Up the Pacific coast, various species of similar pine mushrooms have been historically cultivated by Indigenous people during the autumn season, including by the Karuk tribe of Northern California.

With the changing season, a highly-valued species of edible mushroom begins to fruit in the forests of Shasta County. Local foragers are invited to search for it — under the supervision of the U.S. Fo...

Proposed update to City of Shasta Lake policy poses free speech concerns, First Amendment attorney says – Shasta Scout

Shasta Scout @shastascout.bsky.social · 27d

"There’s a universe of protected speech that could fall within those definitions,” First Amendment Attorney David Snyder told Shasta Scout today, referencing a proposed policy for public comments the City of Shasta Lake will discuss this week.

In response to Shasta Scout’s questions, staff from the City of Shasta Lake amended a draft policy released last week that poses limitations on public comment at city council meetings. But a First Ame...

After presentation from nonprofit Amity Foundation, county moves forward with tentative plan to develop an alternative custody facility – Shasta Scout

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Shasta Scout @shastascout.bsky.social · Sep 12

Amity facilities, CEO Doug Bond said,are an example of the ways that state and local carceral systems can integrate to provide an off-ramp for people released from state prisons, something that can reduce recidivism.

If a hoped-for reentry project comes to fruition, those served will be mostly Shasta County locals who are currently incarcerated in state prisons. The Amity facility would be a place for them to “com...

New witness in Tyler McCain case alleges relationship with Nikki Cheng Saelee-McCain – Shasta Scout

Shasta Scout @shastascout.bsky.social · Sep 12

Three witnesses took to the stand on the fourth day of a preliminary hearing to determine whether McCain will move forward to trial. They included a man who said he was in a relationship with Saelee-McCain in the year before her disappearance.

The witness testified to details of Nikki Cheng Saelee-McCain’s injuries in 2023 after she was allegedly beaten by her husband. He was one of three people to speak on the stand during the fourth day o...