A new Migration Policy Institute report finds immigrant workers contribute roughly $1.5 billion a year — about 11% of Napa County’s output — and anchor much of its farm labor. Simulations show major revenue and job losses if that labor were removed.

Cal Fire staged a hands‑on demo of aircraft, crews and readiness tools as Northern California warms. Officials urged home hardening and defensible space ahead of peak season.

Michael Spagna took over Sonoma State in January and now faces the task of stabilizing a campus hit by steep enrollment losses, faculty layoffs and the loss of athletics. One‑time state and CSU funds buy time, but restorations hinge on feasibility plans.

Napa Valley College trustees have chosen Dr. Gayle Pitman as the next superintendent‑president; the board will consider her contract on May 21. Pitman comes from Hartnell College with a record on equity and student success.

CAL FIRE’s Sonoma‑Lake‑Napa Unit says residential burn permits are required starting May 1 across six counties. Permits are free, but air districts still decide burn days.

Notices telling seniors to "comply or quit" and a police report alleging a maintenance worker grabbed a tenant have escalated tensions at a Petaluma affordable housing site.

NVUSD is expanding plastic‑free Wednesdays and scaling up scratch‑cooked meals from its central kitchen, aiming to cut thousands of single‑use plastics while serving fresher lunches.

Providence has agreed to sell Queen of the Valley Medical Center to NorthBay Health; NorthBay is pledging job protections while the sale undergoes state review.

A new bill would formalize and fund organized sports in California prisons, using San Quentin's teams and outside partnerships as a possible statewide model.

Skyrocketing child care bills are forcing Bay Area parents to cut hours, quit jobs or cobble together care while local fixes remain patchy.

Marin County is holding meetings across West Marin to update septic rules. Residents say long permits and steep replacement bills are putting seniors and ADUs at risk.

Tamalpais trustees will debate a campuswide cellphone policy April 14, weighing locking pouches against teacher collection as parents and students split.

A mid‑day PG&E outage on April 2 left roughly 5,000 Marin customers without power, with the Tiburon Peninsula hardest hit and local officials urging safety around downed lines.