A 161‑acre gift will open a fenced‑off summit above Larkspur, adding the missing crown to King Mountain Preserve. County officials expect the transfer to be finalized this summer.

A judge dismissed neighbors' challenge to Petaluma's plan for Lafferty Ranch, clearing a legal hurdle for docent‑led access to the 270‑acre preserve.

A tiny American mink wandered into a Healdsburg yard and was rescued by animal control before being transferred to Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue. Rehabilitators say the young mink will need time to recover and relearn hunting skills before it returns to the river.

A federal judge in Sacramento paused BLM’s plan to remove about 850 wild horses from three Northern California herd areas, saying the agency relied on flawed population assumptions. The injunction stops September gathers while the case proceeds.

Oakland Zoo has taken in Sitara, a 13‑year‑old tiger rescued from the Barry R. Kirshner Wildlife Foundation. She’s undergoing rehabilitation and is not yet on public view.

Chevron says less than a barrel of crude leaked into San Francisco Bay during maintenance at its Richmond long wharf. State spill teams and wildlife responders are monitoring.

A beloved Napa cottage at a busy five‑way junction may be lost to a long‑planned double‑roundabout. Longtime resident Charlie Rossi faces possible displacement.

State conservancy cleared a plan to transfer Pedro Point parcels to the National Park Service; advocates say federal management could bring new trails, rangers and long-term protection.

Heat-driven blazes are shortening evacuation windows in Marin County and across the West; narrow roads and single-exit neighborhoods are forcing planners to rethink how people get out.

Fremont police say the Alameda Creek staging areas at Niles Canyon are closed and will be patrolled this weekend; swimming is unsafe and trespassers may be cited.

State Parks' new rules limit refunds, charge late cancellations and can bar repeat no‑shows from ReserveCalifornia for a year.

Officials will close Grizzly Peak Boulevard from 4 a.m. July 4 through 5 a.m. July 5 to reduce wildfire risk tied to dry brush, Diablo winds and illegal fireworks. The coordinated closure affects several lookouts and will be enforced by multiple agencies.

Sunnyvale reopened its Community Center grounds on May 21 after a nearly five-year, $14M renovation that added two acres of open space, new play areas and redesigned ponds.