EnvironmentBackyard feeders changed the shape of hummingbird beaks, scientists sayMay 27, 2025A new study suggests the use and prevalence of hummingbird feeders — like those red and clear plastic ones filled with homemade sugar water — changed the size and shape of the birds' beaks.
EnvironmentWhy a local group wants to make the Central Valley’s giant garter snake a state symbolMay 27, 2025 | Manola SecairaIt’s not always easy getting the average person obsessed with snakes. But some enthusiasts want to change that — like Michael Starkey, who founded the Sacramento-based conservation nonprofit Save the Snakes. Listen /Update RequiredTo play audio, update browser or Flash plugin.
EnvironmentUS Senate blocks California’s electric car mandate in historic voteMay 22, 2025Today’s decision could upend California’s phaseout of gas-powered cars and its decades-long battle against air pollution. Some experts say Congress’ move is illegal and is likely to trigger a legal battle.
State GovernmentLawmakers attack governor’s plan to streamline Delta tunnelMay 21, 2025Both Democrat and Republican lawmakers representing the Delta say Newsom is trying to upend existing water rights and land acquisition laws, while the governor says “we’re done with barriers.”
EnvironmentWhat to know about the US Senate's effort to block vehicle-emission rules in CaliforniaMay 21, 2025The move targets proposals banning the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035, phasing out diesel-powered medium- and heavy-duty vehicles and curbing smog-forming pollution from trucks.
EnvironmentShould California’s climate budget pay for high speed rail and firefighters? Newsom’s new plan triggers fiery debateMay 19, 2025Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to extend California’s landmark cap and trade program through 2045. But earmarking half of this year’s funds to the beleaguered rail project and Cal Fire would leave too little for other climate projects, critics say.
Sacramento RegionDo not underestimate the dangers of local waterways, experts warnMay 12, 2025 | Tyler WebbWater temperatures in the region remain cold until mid-summer, putting swimmers at risk for hypothermia. And when temperatures are safer, experts say there are still risks of strong currents and the ever-changing terrain of river beds. Listen /Update RequiredTo play audio, update browser or Flash plugin.
EnvironmentWhy a contentious project to raise California’s Shasta Dam could move forward under TrumpMay 12, 2025Enlarging the dam would deliver more Sacramento River water to Central Valley farmers but a tribe could lose sacred sites and endangered salmon could lose habitat in wet years.
State GovernmentHazard maps, air tankers and funding: Cal Fire prepares for longer, more unpredictable wildfire seasonMay 9, 2025 | Sarit Laschinsky | Chris NicholsState Fire Marshal Daniel Berlant outlines how Cal Fire is preparing for the peak of California’s increasingly long and unpredictable wildfire season, as millions of residents find themselves living in higher-hazard areas.
