Chico is a treasure trove of arts and cultural activities. Stroll
through quaint downtown or tour historic sites such as Bidwell
Mansion, the Chico Museum and 1892 vintage train station, now home to
a wonderful art gallery. Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park features
the 3-story Italian villa, which was completed in 1868. The mansion is
furnished with authentic Victorian pieces.
Chico's diverse cultural landscape is
enhanced by several performing arts organizations, and a variety of
art galleries. From community theatre to nationally acclaimed
touring artists performing in Chico State's historic Laxson
Auditorium, Chico offers year-round entertainment unparalleled in
the Northern Sacramento Valley.
The Chico Unified School District is
comprised of 22 schools - 16 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, 2
senior high schools and a continuation school. Current student
enrollment in the district stands at 14,031 students. Chico also has
9 private schools and one charter school.
California State University, Chico,
maintains one of the highest graduation rates in the California
state system, and is known for its small class sizes, outstanding
faculty and student achievements in many national collegiate
competitions. The second oldest institution in the state university
system, Chico State turned 100 years old in 1987. There are
presently 16,000 students enrolled at the university, which has a
1,000-member faculty. The campus offers more than 120 majors and
concentrations, 60 undergraduate and graduate degree programs and 55
certificate and professional education programs. U.S. News and World
Report ranks Chico fourth among top western public universities that
offer master's degrees.
Butte College, a 2-year community
college with over 12,000 students, lies midway between Chico and
Oroville. It offers more than 50 career education programs and also
maintains a full range of lower-division courses for students
preparing to transfer to a 4-year college or university.
Other area institutions of higher
education include Cal Northern School of Law and a regional campus
of Western University of Health Sciences.
Enloe Hospital is a community-owned,
non-profit hospital and provides Chico and the North Valley with
emergency medical service and full-service hospital care. The
203-bed hospital has major treatment centers for cancer therapy and
cardiac care. Enloe, which has a staff of 263 active and consulting
physicians and the dentists representing 35 specialties, provides
educational facilities and clinical training for many institutions.
Enloe
Memorial is also home to Chico Trauma Center, the
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area's designated Level II trauma
center
serving six counties. In addition to inpatient services, Enloe physicians and staff also provide
occupational health, Promptcare and mammography services through the
Enloe Outpatient Center.
Enloe's second location is an acute
care facility with 129 beds, medical/surgical unit, intensive care
unit, respiratory therapy department, and extended care unit. With a
medical staff of 208, the location also has many specialty programs
such as an Occupational Health Unit and Sleep Disorders Clinic. The
hospital has remained on the cutting-edge of diagnostic imaging with
the recent addition of new, state-of-the-art ultrasound equipment, a
Cardiac Catheterization Lab and a Nuclear Medicine Imaging System.
Enloe Rehabilitation Hospital is the
largest freestanding rehab hospital in the North State. A 60-bed
facility (42 rehab and 18 extended care) with 122 physicians, it
provides rehab services for those individuals suffering disabilities
from stroke, spinal cord injury, head trauma, amputation, orthopedic
surgery, and neurological disorders.
There are
219 physicians/surgeons and 67 dentists in practice in Chico. The City
also has 8 obstetricians, 20 optometrists, 17 chiropractors and 7
life-support/paramedic vehicles.
There are more than 100
manufacturing and distribution employers in the area with over 4,000
full-time employees. The Enloe Medical Centers have over 2,000
employees.
Changes in
State law have allowed the Redevelopment Agency to participate
directly in manufacturing and industrial development projects, which
provide the City with additional flexibility to assist quality
development and create jobs.
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