Jerry Brown makes surprise visit to Oroville Dam
Nine days ago, with the Oroville Dam under stress and battered by more harsh weather, Gov. Jerry Brown said he had no immediate plans to visit the site, suggesting “I don’t think they need politicians fluttering around.”
“This is not law. It’s not politics. It’s not what I am used to,” Brown said.
On Wednesday afternoon, however, as management of the situation stabilized amid a break in the rain, Brown made a surprise visit to the incident command post at Oroville.
Brown was briefed, thanked officials, including Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea, and took the opportunity to get a first-hand look at the work around the dam, spokeswoman Deborah Hoffman said.
By air, the Democratic governor surveyed the regional flood control system, flying over Maxwell, and down the Sacramento River. Hoffman said Brown did not advise the unexpected trip because it was not intended as a media event.
The Governor’s Office documented the visit on its Twitter account.
Sen. Kamala Harris is set to take an aerial tour of Oroville on Thursday. The trip is closed to media, but Harris plans to post photos.
Christopher Cadelago: 916-326-5538, @ccadelago
This story was originally published February 22, 2017 at 6:42 PM.