The Monterey County Government Center reopens after closing unexpectedly more than two weeks ago. And, a Santa Cruz Mountain town is facing permanent closure of its post office.

Sixty-seven acres of restored natural habitat in the heart of Salinas is now open to the public. And, an executive order aims to speed up oversight of artificial intelligence in California and study new rules.

In this week's news roundup, another fire starts at the Vistra battery facility in Moss Landing, invasive beetles kill trees in the Santa Cruz Mountains, a large donation to Big Basin, and more.

A flare-up began Friday morning among some of the remaining batteries at the Vistra Corp. site in Moss Landing. And, the Santa Ana City Council bans city employees from working side jobs that involve immigration enforcement.

The Salinas community development department has presented its annual performance report to the city council. And, an independent inspector is calling for California’s high-speed rail project to improve oversight of consultants.

A bill would reassert congress's role in trade, and a $6 million donation will fund a new interpretive center at Big Basin Redwoods State Park.

H.R. 1 will reduce federal Medicaid spending by nearly $1 trillion over the next decade, leading millions of Californians to lose their health insurance coverage. In Santa Cruz County, roughly 1 in 3 residents rely on Medi-Cal, and many are patients at Salud Para La Gente in Watsonville, where Dr. Devon Francis is the chief medical officer.

Rescue teams have responded to 150 sea lions infected with domoic acid poisoning this summer. And, Monterey County officials hope to reopen the government center in Salinas soon after what they’ve called “an extensive sewer line malfunction.”

An invasive beetle known for burrowing into native trees leaves behind a fungus that eventually kills them. And, President Donald Trump is using the Defense Production Act to expand federal authority over energy projects.

The Monterey Bay region’s state senator authored 31 bills that passed during the 2025-26 legislative session. And, how a proposal to exclude undocumented immigrants from the 2030 census could affect California.