Center for Health, Environment, and Justice's Winter newsletter features BEC and ODEC in their Action News, with a picture of the dioxin billboards that were up in Oroville in November and December. CHEJ has supported our work on dioxin since its inception, and has provided technical guidance and materials, enabling us to maximize our effectiveness. Thank you CHEJ! (Page 9)

By MARY WESTON-Staff Writer Posted: 11/05/2013 12:05:09 AM PST OROVILLE - A local citizens group and an environmental group started putting up dioxin billboards Friday to educate people about dioxin and the possible impacts in the Oroville area. The Oroville Dioxin Education Committee met on Friday with Julia Murphy of the Butte County Environmental Council.

The Butte Environmental Council has launched an educational campaign in Oroville to help alert citizens to the dioxin contamination that has plagued the southern part of town for decades. Billboards demanding action and a series of public forums have been funded by grants from Ventura-based outdoor-clothing company Patagonia Inc. and the Clif Bar Family Foundation. Mark Stemen, president of BEC's board of directors, said Clif Bar and Patagonia both have campaigns aimed at helping low-income communities deal with the toxic problems they may face. "They were very inspired by the issues and the work we've been doing in south Oroville," Stemen said.

Advertisement Though reports recently released by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) conclude that proposed 2013 water sales will not affect the hydrological and environmental health of the Sacramento Valley north of the Delta, North State water advocates disagree.

CHICO - A splash of color has been added to the bright sunflowers and red tomatoes growing in the Humboldt Community Garden with the new greenhouse mural. Artist Michelle "Moss" Wurlitzer of Chico designed the wall painting after speaking with the gardeners about what they liked about the garden. The mural has cycles of the moon and the life of sunflowers to signify life and birth, plus a lot of food because that is one of the reasons people love the garden, she said.

Some familiar local faces and places will be beamed across the airwaves Saturday during a half-hour program about water on Channel 9, KIXE in Redding. The show, "The Biggest Book Club in the North State: Reading Water" airs at 8 p.m. The community has been talking about water issues for the past year, through the Community Book in Common. The book was "Unquenchable," by Robert Glennon. For two semesters at Chico State University, forums were held with water as the featured topic and students took part in a series of debates and presentations.

* April 27, 2-4 p.m., Humboldt Community Garden, 2177 Humboldt Road in Chico - Berry workshop with Mark Stemen. Instruction includes how to use vertical space, and instruction by Sherri Scott. Topics include berries, plant care, pruning and plants suitable for Chico.

The Butte Environmental Council has received $11,000 in two grants that it will use to give blood tests to five people who lived close to the Covanta-owned cogeneration plant Pacific Oroville Power Inc.