A packed Yountville study session turned contentious after French Laundry chef Thomas Keller and local employers urged the town to slow the Commons housing plan. Officials laid out costs, unit mixes and funding gaps as the council moves toward votes in March.

Gallo will shutter its St. Helena Ranch Winery and eliminate 93 positions across Napa and Sonoma, according to WARN filings and local reporting.

A Bolinas citizens group filed an alternative petition to protect Duxbury Reef that emphasizes education, signage and adaptive management instead of a full fishing ban. State staff will review competing filings ahead of regional hearings this spring.

An ambitious regional triennial titled "Around Here" will link 80+ Bay Area arts organizations in March–June 2027. Expect a mobile hub, weekend 'Spotlight' programs and a new grant fund.

A traffic stop in American Canyon turned up a loaded Glock 26 and an extended 24‑round magazine; a 23‑year‑old Vallejo man was arrested and booked into Napa County custody.

Members of the Gallaher family underwrote 15,000 copies of an anti‑SMART book and mailed them across the North Bay as a June 2, 2026 sales‑tax renewal approaches.

Santa Rosa approved a master plan to remake MLK Jr. Park, but about $4 million remains unfunded and a fight over synthetic turf persists.

A Sonoma County commission paper warns women and girls face rising mental‑health strain after fires and the pandemic and urges stable funding, more clinicians and clearer care pathways.

Pacific Legal Foundation asked a judge to vacate a nearly $4 million judgment against Hoopes Vineyard, arguing the fines and fees are unconstitutionally excessive. The move adds a national legal voice to a years‑long Napa enforcement fight.

BAAQMD’s Clean HEET grants will pay homeowners up to $10,500 to replace wood or pellet stoves with electric heat pumps; applications are open through July 14, 2026.

Trustees approved 33 position cuts and will discontinue Napa Valley College’s adaptive physical education program starting in 2026–27, a change administrators say is driven by projected budget shortfalls. The decision drew a packed meeting and hours of public comment.

Keith Urban will headline Country Summer in Santa Rosa June 12–14. Early‑bird three‑day passes start at $185 and new VIP packages are part of the rollout.

A larger second flu peak has hit Sonoma and Napa counties as H3N2 and rising wastewater signals push test positivity and hospital visits higher. Health officials urge vaccination and early treatment.