CALIFORNIA IN BRIEF : CHICO : New Student Leader Urges End of Fete

A student leader called for an end to the traditional spring festival that erupted into a wild clash between 200 baton-wielding police and more than 1,000 beer-drinking party-goers, resulting in 93 arrests during two weekend nights in Chico, 80 miles north of Sacramento. A number of those arrested were students from Cal State Chico, which three years ago wearied of the violence at the Pioneer Days festival and washed its hands of the event. The city took over the celebration and renamed it Rancho Chico Days. Tim Bousquet, who becomes president of the college student government today, blamed the violence on “a bunch of immature brats who can’t handle their alcohol.” Bousquet, 27, said he will ask students to urge that Rancho Chico Days be abolished.