California’s $2B Pension Issue

A roughly $2 billion accounting issue tied to California’s public employee pension system was not publicly disclosed for weeks.

The issue stems from a $1.6 billion double-count of retirement contribution rates and a separate miscalculation of about $450 million in future estimates. The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office flagged it in February.

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s January spending plan projected a $2.9 billion deficit for next fiscal year. Both his administration and legislative leaders were aware of the discrepancy in February but did not publicly disclose it until KCRA 3 reported it Friday.

Newsom’s Department of Finance disputes that framing. “This isn’t a calculation error. It’s a revision to better estimate how these payments are made,” spokesman H.D. Palmer said.

Assemblyman David Tangipa, R-Fresno, the Assembly Budget Committee’s vice chair, has called for a full timeline of when the administration learned of the issue. Newsom’s revised budget is expected in May.

High-Speed Rail Closes Fresno Street

Fresno Street closes today for about a year as crews build a high-speed rail underpass through downtown Fresno.

The project is part of California’s broader high-speed rail construction, with traffic detoured through the downtown area.

The closure will limit direct access to Libelula Restaurant and the Crest Theatre. Owners Kim and Ian Cookson say the state acquired the parking lot across the street in February, and revenue has dropped about 50%.

“The High-Speed Rail construction on Fresno Street is quite literally walling us off,” the restaurant said. Libelula has been voted downtown Fresno’s best for four straight years.

The California High-Speed Rail (HSR) Authority says it and its contractor are working to mitigate impacts, including adding signage for detours.

A second HSR project starts Thursday: the northbound Highway 99 off-ramp at Herndon Avenue closes, launching underpass work expected to last through winter 2027.

Balloon Makes Emergency Landing in Temecula

A hot air balloon carrying 13 people made an emergency landing in a Temecula couple’s backyard Saturday morning.

The pilot brought the balloon down after winds died and fuel ran low. No one was injured, and the property wasn’t damaged.

Homeowners Hunter and Jenna Perrin were watching TV and doing yoga when a neighbor knocked to say a balloon had landed on their lawn. The basket narrowly missed fences and trees, and neighbors gathered to watch.

“It was from Pixar’s ‘Up’—that’s what it looked like,” Jenna Perrin said.

Crews brought additional fuel tanks and moved the balloon out to a transport truck. The two-hour operation ended with neighbors cheering.

Hot air balloon rides are common over Temecula’s wine country, and a neighbor told the Perrins their home sits directly in the flight path.

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➤ San Francisco: Residents gathered Saturday near Geary and Market streets to mark the 120th anniversary of the 1906 earthquake, featuring a restored 1928 Kleiber Light Wagon fire truck—believed to be the last of its kind—as a tribute to the city’s recovery efforts. (See Details)

➤ Mount Shasta: The U.S. Forest Service planted nearly 280,000 ponderosa pine seedlings across 1,091 acres in 15 days, restoring forest scorched by the 2021 Lava Fire on the mountain’s north and northwest slopes. (See Details)

➤ Davis hosted its annual Picnic Day Saturday, with about 75,000 visitors expected. Police doubled staffing and added restrictions after last year’s shooting at an unpermitted event injured three people. (More)

➤ Santa Cruz County: A PG&E equipment issue at a Santa Cruz substation knocked out power to about 18,400 customers Friday afternoon, briefly closing rides at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and stranding riders on the Sky Glider before crews restored service later in the day. (See Details)

➤ Fresno: Fresno-based Robo Enrichment is putting robotic dogs Ben Ben and Parker to work across the Central Valley, helping people with loneliness and social anxiety connect through play. (Read Story)

➤ Los Angeles: Federal authorities arrested Woodland Hills resident Shamim Mafi, 44, at LAX on Saturday night, alleging she brokered weapons deals on behalf of Iran, including drones, bombs, and millions of rounds of ammunition sold to Sudan. She faces up to 20 years in federal prison and is scheduled to make her first court appearance today. (See Details)

➤ Lake Arrowhead: Three Southern California residents were sentenced in “Operation Bear Claw,” an insurance scheme worth about $141,800 in which they staged a fake bear attack on a Rolls-Royce Ghost using a person in a bear suit. Investigators, aided by state wildlife experts, determined the “bear” in their video was actually human. (See Details)

➤ San Diego: A new Ruffin Canyon trail connecting Serra Mesa and Mission Valley opened Friday after more than a decade of planning, featuring a tunnel under Friars Road that provides public daylight access through the Escala community. (See Details)

➤ Luke Kennard scored a career playoff-high 27 points, while LeBron James added 19 points and 13 assists as the Lakers beat the Rockets 107-98 in Game 1 of their first-round series on Saturday night. Los Angeles played without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, while Houston was missing Kevin Durant. Game 2 is Tuesday night in Los Angeles at 7:30 p.m. (More)

➤ No. 1 UCLA rallied past Minnesota 6-4 on Saturday, scoring four runs in the sixth inning to extend its Big Ten winning streak to 20 games. Mulivai Levu delivered the key two-run double as the Bruins improved to 35-3. (More)

➤ A group led by billionaire investor Jose E. Feliciano and Kwanza Jones is nearing a deal to buy the Padres for a reported $3.9 billion, according to reports. The sale would set a Major League Baseball record. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NBA | MLB | NCAAB | NCAASB | Soccer | Golf | NASCAR

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➤ Scientists at Washington University discovered that doing this simple couch-yoga pose fixes constipation, bloating, and embarrassing gassy moments. At the same time, they were shocked to see that something SO simple can empty your bowels faster than any laxative or fiber-rich diet can. Read all about this revolutionary trick here: This Couch-Yoga Pose Clears Your Gut Fast.

➤ Walmart plans to remodel 56 California stores in 2026, including 21 in the greater Sacramento area, as part of a 650-store national overhaul. The company says it has invested $1.1 billion in its California stores over the past five years. (See Details)

➤ Snoop Dogg’s Dr. Bombay Ice Cream opened its first physical storefront Sunday at 1827 Ocean Front Walk on the Venice Beach boardwalk, with a noon ribbon-cutting ceremony. The shop marks the brand’s first move into a brick-and-mortar location after its national launch. (See Details)

➤ Monrovia-based Trader Joe’s agreed to a $7.4 million class action settlement after receipts at some stores displayed the first six and last four digits of customers’ card numbers. Shoppers who paid by card between March 5 and July 19, 2019, can claim about $102 by June 9. (See Details)

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➤ Wildflower season is ramping up in Northern California, with early blooms already spotted across the region. Key viewing spots are highlighted in a recent list of 10 Northern California spots to see wildflower superblooms this spring, from Mount Diablo to North Table Mountain near Oroville. (See Details)

➤ Cerritos eighth grader Aaryan Balani, 14, developed an artificial intelligence-powered visor called EYEVA that alerts people with strabismus, or crossed eyes, when their eyes drift out of alignment. The device won top honors at the Orange County Science & Engineering Fair and is now in the patent process. (See Details)

➤ Humboldt Bay and Eureka Model Railroad Club is marking more than 50 years at its Seventh and A streets clubhouse in Eureka, where members build detailed model railways inspired by history and personal memories. (Read Story)

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➤ I check every single one of my patients for this…Because it can signal a heart attack is right around the corner. Are you at risk? Please check now.

Do you have any hobbies you’ve stuck with for a long time?

1. Yes, for years or decades
2. At least one that’s lasted a while
3. Not really, I rotate often
4. Still looking for one to stick with
5. Other

Previous Results:

What’s the most you’ve ever paid for a concert or event ticket?

1. $50 to $150: 22%
2. Not my thing: 22%
3. $150 to $500: 21%
4. Under $50: 19%
5. I don’t want to talk about it: 16%

Mount Shasta is home to the largest glaciers in California. How many named glaciers does the mountain have?

Show me the answer