Sergey Brin reportedly gave to Republican Steve Hilton while also funding pro‑housing efforts and other gubernatorial bids, signaling Silicon Valley donors are hedging bets in 2026.

A citizen‑sponsored parcel tax charging $0.02 per square foot has qualified for the June 2, 2026 ballot to fund land purchases, trails and wildfire work. Backers say the levy will boost the authority’s capacity to buy and manage more preserves.

State Democrats are bankrolling a high-frequency polling push, with six surveys starting March 24 to test which gubernatorial campaigns are truly viable.

Campbell's council moved to bar ICE from city-owned facilities; a final ordinance could reach the council by the end of March.

Gov. Newsom launched the California Water Plan 2028 and set an interim target of 9 million acre-feet by 2040. DWR will convene an advisory committee and post materials online.

Redwood City trustees voted to place an eight‑year parcel tax on the June 2 ballot that would raise about $12.2M a year for teachers, aides and classroom programs. The board says the funds would be split between districtwide needs and individual school sites.

Mountain View approved midyear budget tweaks as staff warn revenue growth is flattening and costs are rising. New hires and Shoreline spending tighten next year’s cushion.

Santa Clara supervisors barred the sheriff from using Flock Safety ALPRs, cutting off plate-data access in Cupertino and Saratoga and triggering new audits and reporting rules.

CalRecycle has filed an administrative accusation seeking $3.4M from the Drug Takeback Solutions Foundation as the nonprofit says it will end California takeback programs on June 30, 2026.

Matt Mahan thanked a hot‑dog vendor on X and used the moment as a small, statewide campaign touch as he builds name recognition.

The Legislative Analyst's Office named Soledad's Correctional Training Facility a top candidate for closure, estimating about $150M in annual savings while unions warn of job impacts.

Supervisors have agreed to study reparations for Black residents, but advocates say timing and a $470M budget gap will decide whether a local task force moves forward.

A Riverside court ordered Credit One to pay $10.2M after prosecutors accused the bank and its vendors of repeated, harassing debt-collection calls across California.