State: Chowchilla prison will house men

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Announcement met with lawsuit, opposition from gov't officials

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has formally announced that it will convert Valley State Prison for Women in Chowchilla into a men’s facility.

“If everything goes as projected, the conversion will be complete in 18 months, beginning this fall,” said CDCR spokeswoman Dana Toyama.

But Friday, the City of Chowchilla filed a lawsuit against CDCR, asking that a court force CDCR to withdraw its Notice of Exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act regulations and comply with CEQA before the conversion takes place.

The city also asks the court to grant a temporary restraining order on CDCR prohibiting the agency from any conversion activity before it has fully complied with CEQA, alleging that CDCR has already begun bathroom remodels in the prison.

The lawsuit asks CDCR to pay for the costs of the suit and attorney’s fees...

Comments

cheerstar1307 | 01/08/12

most of my family including my dad works at the prison this is crazy im 13 and this is insane i only came to this site besides the fact that i live in madera is because im writing an editorial for 8th gr at my school and this topic has been drawing my attention all along if they put men in that prison that will only mean more children in the school system and more children in foster care/adoption agencies who smart idea was this no offense but really come on