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.

Rick Callender will step down March 1 while the board keeps him in a paid advisory role for a year. Employees and critics say the secretive deal raises more questions than answers.

Palo Alto’s police overtime climbed into the millions after expanded retail-theft patrols. State grants and partner reimbursements have softened the hit but staffing gaps matter.

A federal judge refused to toss The Stanford Daily’s First Amendment challenge to State Department visa powers, finding students plausibly showed a chilling effect. The case now moves toward the merits.

Gov. Newsom signed a London MoU with the U.K. to deepen clean-energy cooperation and attracted a near-$1B Octopus Energy investment for California clean-tech. The pact targets wind, carbon removal and research ties.