Applicants Sought To Serve On Shasta County Grand Jury

One very important job that’s been delayed due to the Coronavirus is the empaneling of the Shasta County Grand Jury. The panel investigates any publicly administered and funded agency, either by their own initiative or in response to public complaints. The recommendations made by the Grand Jury result in real and significant improvements that benefit everybody. The latest Grand Jury issued reports on the election process, wildfire preparedness, the effects of the Carr Fire on a school district, the county jail and the District Attorney’s Office. The issues surrounding the pandemic crisis and the response to it by public agencies make the Grand Jury more important than ever. They meet twice a month, with each member committing about 15 to 20 hours a week making on-site investigations or inspections all over the county. Superior Court Judges choose 33 applicants and 19 are drawn randomly to be the Grand Jury, with the remaining as alternates. The new deadline for applications is September 18th and the panel will be sworn in on October 29th to serve an abbreviated 8 month term. The application can be found at shastacountygrandjury.org.