California News
Bechtel family sells scenic South Bay ranch for $24M in latest major conservation deal
The Peninsula Open Space Trust will preserve Mead Ranch as open space.
Reliving a ‘horrific nightmare’: Sierra LaMar retrial could look very different
After an appellate court overturned the murder conviction in Sierra LaMar’s 2012 disappearance, prosecutors are...
As a boy, he killed for the Norteño gang. Now in his 20s, he’ll serve 19 years for it
He participated in two gang-related homicides, shooting one victim in the head, when he was...
Sierra Nevada snowpack just 68% of normal after whiplash winter
Dry spells and a few big blizzards so far could mean increased summer fire risk.
A proposal to exempt homeowners ages 60 and older from property taxes could cost local governments billions
The proposed measure was cleared for signature-gathering earlier this month.
Big Basin Redwoods State Park to expand with NoraBella property in Boulder Creek
“NoraBella is the gateway into Big Basin and will serve as a world-class entrance to...
ICE watchdog in Santa Cruz County experiencing a monthslong surge in volunteer interest
Organizers with a local rapid response group told the Sentinel that they experienced a noticeable...
Pace of PG&E profit and revenue increases start to slow as bills ease
PG&E's profits and revenues both rose during 2025, but at a reduced pace compared with...
Supreme Court allows new California congressional districts that favor Democrats
The justices had previously allowed Texas’ Republican-friendly map to be used in 2026.
Palo Alto group buys 2,284 acres at Sargent Ranch, ending 10-year battle over proposed quarry on scenic property
$23 million deal secures nearly all of huge open space area in southern Santa Clara...
The Sierra snowpack is dropping fast. Here’s why experts say it’s not as bad as it seems.
Blizzards at Christmas have given way to weeks of sunny, warm weather
‘San Jose mayor enters race for governor
Mahan is the ninth Democrat to enter the crowded race.
Kaiser workers strike again in Bay Area, with no end in sight
Kaiser health professionals took to picket lines again Monday for an open-ended strike.
CSU agrees to notify faculty before disclosing personal information
Under the settlement agreement, CSU must provide notice to employees as soon as reasonably practicable...
Trump administration approves plan backed by Newsom to build largest California reservoir in 50 years
Sites Reservoir would be 8th largest in California, providing water to Bay Area, farms, LA
California hits milestone in electric vehicle sales
Through 2025, more than 2.5 million EVs have been sold statewide, with Santa Clara County...
From death trap to lifeline: Coyote Valley’s plan for wildlife crossings
VTA and conservation groups are taking first steps to add wildlife crossings south of San...
As California’s schools struggle, governor hopefuls clash over who’s to blame — and who should fix it
As California grapples with declining student performance, enrollment losses and budget strain, candidates running to...
NTSB investigation: PG&E says crews attempted to alert residents before Hayward gas explosion
The preliminary report also found that a PG&E worker turned away firefighters responding to the...
Bay Area researchers hope to unlock the secrets of coastal fog — and understand how it’s affected by climate change and pollution
With a five-year, $3.7 million grant from the Heising-Simon Foundation, the Pacific Coastal Fog Research...
Is California really 100% drought-free?
Drought Monitor report is getting a lot of attention. Experts say to keep the big...
Efforts to document Japanese American incarceration show history repeating
Community members in both Los Gatos and Saratoga recorded how Japanese American incarceration affected their...
Authorities confirm shark killed swimmer Erica Fox at Lovers Point
The attack marks the first fatal shark incident at Lovers Point in more than 70...
California loses $160M for delaying revocation of 17,000 commercial driver’s licenses for immigrants
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy already withheld $40 million in federal funding.
Some of the biggest changes coming to California classrooms in 2026
2025 was a busy year for education, with school leaders struggling to combat declining enrollment,...
Santa Cruz was built on surf. Now the waves are at risk.
Surfing generates nearly $200 million a year for Santa Cruz, but a new report warns...
Scientists are learning how noise affects Bay Area wildlife as they work to conserve wetland birds amid a roaring urban soundscape
The Bay Area is a permanent or temporary home for 250 different species of resident...
Delete Act: How you can request your personal info be purged by data brokers in 2026
California legislative analysts concluded that data brokers offer valuable services, but also threaten people's rights...
Cats, guns and ICE: 7 new California laws in 2026
Gavin Newsom and California Democrats passed a slew of new laws that go into effect...
California fire deaths inform new proposed disaster response for seniors
Drawing on lessons from recent blazes, a state commission has released a series of recommendations...
Lovers Point shark attack victim identified by watch, ‘shark band’ on ankle
The tragedy has forced yet another reckoning for the Kelp Krawlers, many of whom made...
California Sen. John Laird appointed chair of influential budget committee
California Senate leadership has appointed Sen. John Laird chair of the influential Senate Budget and...
The “surfer’s paradox” is that their boards can harm the oceans they cherish. A new process is helping to change that.
Santa Cruz company Swellcycle is making 3D-printed surfboards from recyclable material.
Caltrain ridership surged 57% in 2025, but funding cliff looms
The agency projects an average annual funding shortfall of $75 million from 2027 through 2035...
State reins in profits for PG&E, other utilities, as bill debate rages
State regulators reined in the profit returns that shareholders of PG&E and other utility giants...
Commercial Dungeness crab season can start Jan. 5 — with limitations
State officials, fishing fleets agree to a 40 percent reduction in traps
Artist makes stickers to cover Trump’s face on National Parks passes — and the orders are flying in
Jenny McCarty's stickers for 2026 passes have gained national attention.
‘California’ brand insulin is hitting the market
California is making big moves to pull down the price of insulin.
As California delays ‘zone zero’ wildfire protection rules, study finds clearing vegetation prevented home damage in LA fires
The study found homes with less plant life within a 5-foot radius less likely to...
How a Santa Cruz ‘sea monster’ spawned a century of myth, mystery and scientific discovery
The discovery In May 1925 provided fodder for the argument between creationists and evolutionary biologists,...
Plans for huge new oceanfront battery storage plant are withdrawn following disastrous Moss Landing fire
January fire cost Texas company $400 million and stiffened opposition to the projects, which are...
Cal State East Bay receives $50 million donation from MacKenzie Scott
The largest single donation in the institution’s history is a “transformative investment” in its mission...
Local butterfly trackers hope Bluetooth tech can unlock secrets of monarch migration
For the first time in California, citizen scientists can join the effort to track monarch...
5.9 earthquake alert Thursday morning was a false alarm, USGS says
ShakeAlert early warning system lit up more than 600,000 phones up across Northern California at...
Study: Moss Landing battery fire dumped 55,000 pounds of toxic metals into wildlife-rich marshes
San Jose State University research sheds new light on impacts from disastrous January fire
California’s popular EV carpool lane decal program ends Monday: $490 tickets for violators
That "Clean Air Vehicle" sticker on electric vehicles has expired, and along with it a...
Trump administration science assault slams major Bay Area economic engine, threatens ‘amazing innovations’
Investors and young scientists are pulling back from biotech, amid broader attacks on science under...
Three injured in Black Friday shooting at San Jose’s Valley Fair mall
The attacker left the scene after the shooting, which apparently resulted from a dispute with...
California nurses call Trump’s student loan cap ‘an attack’ on profession
Will a cap on student loans discourage Californians from becoming nurses? We may find out....
Newsom sues Trump administration to halt homeless housing funding cuts
State officials warn tens of thousands of formerly homeless Californians could end up back on...
Three people swept into ocean off Big Sur coast, one still missing
The harrowing incident off Soberanes Point comes a week after a father and his 7-year-old...
Veteran FBI employee sues bureau after being fired over displaying a pride flag
David Maltinsky had been a decorated intelligence specialist working in the Los Angeles field office.
California secures $200 million in threatened pandemic recovery education funds
The Department of Education notified California in March that the Trump administration had rescinded access...
In U.S. first, Waymo robotaxis will take to Bay Area freeways
Google spinoff Waymo claims its driverless cars are safer than humans, but expert says evidence...
California urges Trump administration to feed hungry students outside school hours
The plea comes as the Trump administration has continued to push back against fully funding...
New ballot measure push aims to overhaul California’s landmark environmental law
Chamber of Commerce seeks to cut red tape, environmental groups vow to fight.
San Lorenzo River mouth surf spot approved as California Historic Landmark
For years, the San Lorenzo River mouth surf break in Santa Cruz has been celebrated...
Why is the government dropping millions of flies?
Meet a scientist fighting the invasive pest that threatens billions of dollars in agricultural damage.
California voters approve new US House map to boost Democrats in 2026
The approval gives Democrats a shot at winning as many as five additional seats.
Ballots pouring in for Nov. 4 special election
About a quarter of the Bay's registered voters have cast their ballot so far.
It rained a lot in October. Is fire season over now?
Most of the state received more than average precipitation in October -- twice normal in...
Daylight saving time ends Sunday — and Stanford study suggests it should go away for good
Researchers say the current protocol to both "fall back" and "spring forward" is the worst...
Trump admin. revokes student loan forgiveness for those who violate gender, immigration policies
The drastic changes exclude organizations that provide support for undocumented immigrants or gender-affirming care for...
Man who drove off Santa Cruz Wharf was registered sex offender who’d been out of prison 10 years
According to the State of California Megan's Law website, a database of registered sex offenders,...
Moratorium on building new battery storage projects advances
Monterey County considers rules, along with Santa Cruz, Orange and Solano counties
What to expect in California’s special election
As of Tuesday, a total of 4.74 million ballots had been cast before Election Day.
Newsom to deploy California National Guard after millions at risk of delayed food assistance in shutdown
The governor unveiled the move, days after the California Department of Social Services began notifying...
Trump administration tries to gut special education department amid government shutdown
The layoffs wiped out the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, which ensures children...
Puckish sea otters continue board-stealing ways at Steamer Lane
"The more prolonged the exposure of sea otters and their offspring are to human activities,...
New California laws aim to ease ongoing home insurance crisis
The state approved a package of laws this month to tackle its home insurance crisis.
Why plastic bags will be gone from California grocery stores by the end of the year
Attorney General Rob Bonta announces settlement with bag makers
CSU faculty sue over disclosure of personal information to Trump administration
The lawsuit comes on the heels of a similar conflict at the University of California...
California governor signs controversial bill letting relatives care for kids if parents are deported
The measure has provoked a firestorm of conservative criticism.
Newsom signs laws to stop flow from out-of-state puppy mills into California
The three laws implement stringent health and transparency requirements.
Newsom signs controversial antisemitism bill that sets up first-in-the-nation measures
Newsom's signing of the bill marks the end of a lengthy attempt by California legislators...
California students make test score gains
The state testing data follows national testing data released last month, which revealed high school...
La Niña is here: Is California heading for a dry winter?
Maybe. But it depends on where you live, history shows.
Newsom urges universities not to ‘sell out’ to Trump
The governor warned about loss of state funding after the Trump administration asked nine universities...
$20,000 reward: Man seen sawing off head of sea lion near Monterey
Second such mysterious incident along Northern California coast in the past year
Lower electricity bills? Or more pollution? A new California law is sparking big debate
Should California strike a deal with 10 other Western states to more easily buy and...
Invasive tree-killing beetle spotted in Santa Cruz
After infested trees were recently discovered near the Tannery Arts Center, the city of Santa...
Who’s winning the fundraising battle in California’s redistricting race?
On Nov. 4, Californians will vote on Newsom's gerrymandering proposal, which explicitly seeks to flip...
Newsom says PG&E, other utility customers can expect bill credit
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday that customers of PG&E and other utilities would see a...
Popular Big Sur waterfall trail reopens after being closed for two years
Heavy winter storms had wrecked a 70-foot-long bridge at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
Realtors settlement hasn’t changed agent commissions
To settle allegations of price-fixing, the National Association of Realtors agreed to new rule changes...
State of Homelessness: Amid optimism, Vallejo homelessness increases
Every Vallejo resident — housed or unhoused — is affected by homelessness, whether barely surviving...
State of Homelessness: Affordable housing still issue for Vacaville homeless
Ashley Banta, Executive Director of Opportunity House, the city’s largest homelessness outreach nonprofit, said homelessness...
State of homelessness | ‘No new housing money’: Lack of federal funds hamstring efforts
Countywide, providers of homeless services are weathering headwinds, some dire, in 2025. They’re nonetheless doing...
A Salinas Valley woman’s 3-year vigil to free husband from Afghanistan
The Taliban arrested Zulhija Khan's husband, a U.S. citizen, after a CIA drone strike on...
Coastal Cleanup dangles $1,000, other prizes for Saturday volunteers
California Coastal Cleanup Day tries something new: fancy prizes, hidden around the state for volunteers...
Santa Cruz surfer seeks world record for epic Mavericks wave ride
The swell at Mavericks a half mile off the coast of Half Moon Bay hit...
California temporarily blocks Trump policy barring some immigrants from food banks, health care, Head Start and more
As part of the Trump administration's proposed change, federally funded programs would be required to...
Newsom, lawmakers reach a deal to inject $20 billion into high speed rail
The funds would be enough to complete the initial operating segment from Merced to Bakersfield...
California leads opposition to proposal that would end monitoring of LGBTQ+ harassment and bullying
Rob Bonta and the other attorneys general said OCR's Civil Rights Data Collection is the...
California sees COVID-19 wave and ‘tremendous confusion’ about vaccines
Pharmacies are offering the updated COVID-19 vaccine. Some will need a prescription -- and could...
How to defend a home from wildfire: UC Berkeley researchers’ lessons from infernos
Three key lessons for protecting homes from wildfire emerged, two of them applying to individual...