Dr. Joanna Locke will take over as Yolo County’s public health officer on Aug. 24, bringing pandemic response and school-health experience. The board named her Wednesday.

A proposed California law would require large companies to file sworn statements about any slavery-era ties and post the findings to a public database. Supporters call it transparency; industry groups call it duplicative.

Vice Mayor Jeff Nibert will step down at the end of 2026 and will not seek reelection, leaving District 1 open as Pleasanton grapples with a long-term budget gap.

Oakland leaders backed a 'City of Refuge' ordinance to bar immigration-status questions on city forms and limit ICE access to city property.

Oakland’s denial of Aspire Golden State Prep’s renewal and the State Board’s decision to take no action have put AB 1505 and the Dashboard squarely in the spotlight.

Oakland’s first audit of the vacant‑property tax finds it raising roughly $6M a year but urges clearer goals, annual reporting and tighter oversight.

Supervisors sent a proposed ICE non‑cooperation policy back to county counsel after hours of public testimony and questions about legal footing. The board will revisit the draft later this summer.

The CPUC will consider a $22M settlement with PG&E over the 2022 Mosquito Fire. The deal would send $21M to the state and require a $1M inspection review.

A new state bill would speed certifications and give hiring preference to formerly incarcerated firefighters, aiming to turn trained hand‑crew members into career Cal Fire hires.

After AB 1 became operative on July 1, 2026, legislative staff across California quietly began organizing around comp time, promotions and pay.

AB 713 would let undocumented students access paid campus jobs at UC, CSU and community colleges; it cleared a Senate committee and now goes to Appropriations.

A Livermore resident says an Alameda County aide offered to route public funds to silence her complaint over a trash bill; county leaders deny the allegation as state transparency legislation moves forward.

A California bill to let insurers use smartphone and in‑car telematics for rates has drawn sharp criticism from consumer and privacy groups over tracking, retention and equity risks.