A Sonoma Valley commission will spotlight how steep premiums, nonrenewals and FAIR Plan strain are squeezing homeowners and small businesses.

Prop. 50 moves Sebastopol into a sprawling new 1st Congressional District that runs to the Nevada line, reshaping local politics and the 2026 ballot.

A watchdog audit says Sonoma deputies mishandled a 2023 Guerneville assault probe and questions whether the sheriff’s office properly investigated a discrimination complaint.

A nonpartisan report warns California could face a more than $1.8B shortfall next year as cap‑and‑trade receipts fall short of new fixed spending rules. Lawmakers may have to trim programs or shift costs.

A Rohnert Park father says 20 days in ICE custody after a missed app check-in pushed him to consider voluntary departure while his lawyer filed a habeas petition.

A retired Sonoma County deputy alleges years of racial discrimination and repeated pass‑overs for promotions in an 83‑page lawsuit filed in county court.

A Civic Lens poll of 400 likely voters puts Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco atop early California governor polling, but strategists say a large undecided vote keeps the race fluid.

After school closures and staff reductions, Sonoma Valley Unified’s first interim report projects a much stronger general‑fund balance and new reserve policy. Trustees still warn the gains aren’t guaranteed.

Federal attorneys moved to block Petaluma and Morgan Hill's gas‑ban rules, arguing they violate a 1975 energy law and could raise costs for residents.

A Bodega Bay meet‑and‑greet with Sheriff Eddie Engram turned into a heated immigration forum as protesters demanded an ordinance to end cooperation with ICE.

New filings show Measure H sent $45.7M to Sonoma fire agencies in 2024‑25 and county totals top $78M since Oct. 1, 2024.

A suit by Ron Burkle accuses Sonoma lobbyist Darius Anderson of siphoning millions from a lobbying firm the two once ran together.

Longtime Supervisor David Rabbitt said he won't seek a fifth term, turning Sonoma County's 2nd District into an open race ahead of the June primary.

Cotati council will consider rules Tuesday to limit ICE activity inside city limits as residents and faith groups press officials for protections and clarity.

Staff told supervisors that slowing tax receipts and rising costs have thinned Napa County's budget cushion. A pre‑hearing workshop was requested to weigh reserves, cuts or new revenue.

Sonoma County Fire District is moving to annex Rancho Adobe and parts of CSA 40; officials say parcel taxes won’t rise and Measure H dollars and crews will shift to the larger district.

A state study due April 1 will outline options — from extra surcharges to litigation limits — to handle California’s skyrocketing wildfire costs.

A state appeals panel ordered the Sonoma sheriff’s office to comply with subpoenas from the county’s civilian watchdog, clearing a path for a sealed whistleblower probe. The decision leans on recent state rules that give watchdogs subpoena power while protecting sensitive records.

Koi Nation says it is moving tribal offices onto its 68‑acre Shiloh vineyard site near Windsor even after a federal notice reversed the land‑into‑trust decision. The move — trailers on the property and an active appeal in the Ninth Circuit — leaves the project tied up in legal uncertainty.

Sonoma County supervisors advanced a draft ordinance to limit cooperation with ICE, bar enforcement on county property and strengthen privacy rules.

Newsom’s 2026–27 budget would make Medi‑Cal mobile crisis services optional in April 2027, shifting costs to counties and putting North Bay teams at risk.

A state report and sweeping raids show the legal cannabis industry still supplies only a fraction of statewide demand amid entrenched illicit growing.

County staff warn HR1-driven benefit losses and delayed FEMA reimbursements could force layoffs and cost Sonoma County millions as supervisors prepare a $2.7B budget.

A well-funded progressive, Eric Jones, is mounting a primary challenge to Rep. Mike Thompson in California's redrawn 4th District. The June primary will test whether money and new voters can shake up a long‑standing incumbent.

Rep. Jared Huffman has launched an inquiry after the USDA touted a Southern California water district as a potential buyer for PG&E’s Potter Valley dams. The move pits local restoration plans against a sudden federal push to preserve the infrastructure.

Sonoma supervisors voted 3-2 to zero out county cultivation and manufacturing taxes for qualifying cannabis operators and to create a $531 annual business license.

Los Angeles and state officials say General Motors will pay $12.75M and delete OnStar driving records after allegations it sold subscribers' location and driving data.

Butte County will mail two color‑coded ballot packets for June 2: a special primary to fill the late Rep. Doug LaMalfa's seat and the statewide primary under Prop 50. Here’s what to check.

A Sonoma parent filed suit alleging the district revised special‑education rules and approved SELPA changes without proper public notice, seeking nullification and Brown Act relief.

Campaign filings show Gallaher family members and a major independent donor are bankrolling Todd Lands, reshaping the District 4 supervisor contest ahead of the June 2 primary.

Supervisors set a proposed renewal of Measure M — the county’s one‑eighth‑cent parks sales tax — for the November ballot, preserving roughly $15.5M a year for parks and wildfire work.

A family-owned taqueria's county contracts to feed homeless shelter sites overlap with board seats and vendor ties, prompting questions about procurement and oversight.

A new six-story, 15-courtroom Hall of Justice in Santa Rosa will be dedicated Friday, with California's chief justice on hand and tours to follow. The $231.7M project centralizes court services.

Staff proposals would hike or add dozens of city fees — from permit surcharges to park rentals — to close a projected $1.1M gap in Sonoma's 2026‑27 budget.

Glenn County says it will end its Willows law‑enforcement contract on June 30, citing a near‑$1M shortfall; calls will be routed to other agencies as talks continue.

A civil grand jury says staffing losses and a stalled permitting software rollout are slowing Napa’s Planning Division and offered 14 recommendations to speed reviews.

Fewer than 1,000 ballots remain in Sonoma County’s June primary, leaving two supervisor races headed to November runoffs.

Cloverdale’s council moved this month to begin switching from at-large to district elections after a legal demand; five public hearings will shape new maps ahead of 2028.