Downstroke

Crime online: Want to find out why all those cop cars were across the street last week? In a move to help people “keep themselves educated about the type of crime committed in their area and take appropriate crime prevention steps,” the Butte County Sheriff’s Office has made its public logs available. Curious citizens can log on to the sheriff’s Web site (http://www.buttecounty.net/sheriffs/Publiclogs.htm) and read all about the calls for service in any given week. Be prepared to try decoding the police-speak that offers up such sentences as, “Per RP she and subject have HX DOMV.” Help with decoding what some of the sentences mean can be found at http://www.police-central.com/police-codes.htm.

Drunk and armed on Halloween: Sheriff’s deputies stopped Kenneth Jacobs on the Skyway, in the afternoon of Halloween, after seeing his white Dodge van erratically heading northbound at 30mph over the speed limit. Deputies noticed Jacobs “furtively moving his hand around under his right leg, attempting to conceal something,” according to the Sheriff’s Office. Jacobs, a wanted parolee, put up a fight and took flight when deputies attempted to handcuff him. They eventually took him into custody after a fight in the brush. Turns out Jacobs had been sitting on a knife with a six-inch blade. Jacobs was booked into Butte County Jail for felony assault on an officer, possession of a deadly weapon and DUI. He is being held on a parole violation without bail.

Chico gets bronzed: It’s official: Chico is a “Bicycle-Friendly Community” (BFC), according to the League of American Bicyclists, in Washington, D.C. The BFC is an awards program that recognizes municipalities that actively support bicycling. Chico won a “bronze-level” BFC award that follows on the heels of a “detailed audit of the city’s efforts to provide safe accommodation and facilities for bicyclists and its practice of making focused investment in bicycling programs and facilities.” The league examines many factors, among them street facilities for bikes, access to trails, bike parking and share-the-road education and scores cities accordingly. Award options are platinum, gold, silver, bronze and honorable mention. Chico holds the bronze position along with Ada County (Boise), Idaho; Chandler, Ariz.; Lawrence, Kan.; and Orlando, Fla. These cities were beaten out only by Eugene, Ore., who won silver. Gold and platinum levels were not awarded.