CHICO — This year for Christmas, Cecilia Dillard asked Santa for a rainbow axolotl, a type of salamander, at the Chico Marketplace Santa Arrival event on Saturday. “I love Christmas Eve ...

CHICO — It’s after Christmas, and downtown Chico retailers are reflecting on holiday shopping and the aftereffects of the free parking offered by the city to entice customers to shop locally.

They said the south campus neighborhood, which they call “college town,” is the Hippie Christmas hot spot. Luann Manss sorts through donated items at the annual Drop and Dash put on by Chico ...