Staff proposals would hike or add dozens of city fees — from permit surcharges to park rentals — to close a projected $1.1M gap in Sonoma's 2026‑27 budget.

An appeals court affirmed that a controversial Black Lives Matter street mural outside Palo Alto City Hall did not amount to workplace harassment, ending a multi-year legal fight. The decision upholds a lower-court dismissal.

Sequoia partner Shaun Maguire has been named to the Pentagon’s new tech advisory board, reigniting criticism over anti‑Muslim posts and political donations.

USDA finalized ASCF payment rates and opens enrollment June 1, offering $1.625B in one‑time aid with tiered per‑acre payments and specific eligibility rules for specialty growers.

AB 1921 would require publishers to offer offline-capable versions, patches or refunds when online game services shut down. The Assembly passed it Wednesday and sent it to the Senate.

San Jose councilmembers are weighing a charter amendment to let the city use ranked‑choice voting for midterm vacancies, pitched as a way to avoid pricey special elections.

SB 1364 would let judges bar custody or unsupervised visitation when a child was conceived in an alleged sexual assault; the bill passed the Senate and now moves to the Assembly. Survivors’ advocates say the change fills a gap where criminal convictions are rare.

New reporting and national surveys show women elected officials in California face more threats and family-directed abuse than men.

A new six-story, 15-courtroom Hall of Justice in Santa Rosa will be dedicated Friday, with California's chief justice on hand and tours to follow. The $231.7M project centralizes court services.

San Francisco's city attorney sued Bain-owned Arosa, alleging care managers were misclassified and denied overtime. The suit could force the company to repay wages and face penalties.

A family-owned taqueria's county contracts to feed homeless shelter sites overlap with board seats and vendor ties, prompting questions about procurement and oversight.

Black lawmakers and hospital leaders are pushing for a $500M emergency fund to stabilize 17 public hospitals facing billions in federal and state cuts. Advocates say the money would stave off unit closures and layoffs.

Stop AAPI Hate has launched Stop AAPI Hate Action, a 501(c)(4) to register and mobilize AAPI voters ahead of the 2026 midterms with multilingual outreach. Outreach is slated to begin this July.