{"id":296527,"date":"2026-05-02T12:12:07","date_gmt":"2026-05-02T12:12:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/296527\/"},"modified":"2026-05-02T12:12:07","modified_gmt":"2026-05-02T12:12:07","slug":"sacramento-ca-top-stories-zoo-as-cold-case-arrest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/296527\/","title":{"rendered":"Sacramento, CA, top stories: Zoo, A\u2019s, cold case arrest"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Sacramento Bee reported on major developments this week involving local government, education, sports and public safety. From a unanimous City Council vote on a potential zoo expansion to a decades-old murder case finally moving toward trial, here\u2019s a roundup of top stories for the week of April 26 through May 1, 2026:<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 Zoo expansion study advances: The Sacramento City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to adopt a memorandum of understanding to study a<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"Follow nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sacbee.com\/news\/local\/article315563628.html\"> possible Sacramento Zoo expansion<\/a> in William Land Park. A working group is expected to begin meeting in May.<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 Transportation safety push: Sacramento residents urged the City Council Tuesday to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"Follow nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sacbee.com\/news\/local\/transportation\/article315554167.html\">prioritize transportation safety<\/a> in the next budget after at least 18 traffic deaths so far in 2026. The Active Transportation Commission\u2019s 2025 report recommends about $8.2 million in first-year funding for safer street design, school travel programs and stricter traffic controls.<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 Parking fines could increase: City Manager Maraskeshia Smith proposed <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"Follow nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sacbee.com\/news\/local\/article315589520.html\">hiking parking violation fees<\/a> to help close a $66.2 million budget deficit. The city\u2019s budget proposal also includes cutting 46 filled positions and 100 vacancies.<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 New schools superintendent named: The Sacramento City Unified School District Board of Trustees voted 7-0 Thursday to make <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"Follow nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sacbee.com\/news\/local\/education\/article315575368.html\">Cancy McArn the permanent superintendent<\/a>. McArn, a 30-year district veteran who had served in the role on an interim basis since February, will earn a base salary of $365,000 annually through June 2028.<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 Playoff baseball in West Sacramento? Never too early to dream: The Athletics entered Thursday in first place in the AL West and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"Follow nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sacbee.com\/sports\/article315576983.html\">believe they can avoid a repeat of their 2025 collapse<\/a>, when they lost 20 of 21 games. The team has told season ticket holders it would host postseason games at Sutter Health Park if the A\u2019s qualify for the playoffs.<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 1991 cold case suspect extradited: James Lawhead Jr., 64, was flown from Arizona to Placer County on Thursday to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"Follow nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sacbee.com\/news\/local\/article315593823.html\">face murder and kidnapping charges<\/a> in the 1991 death of Cinthia \u201cCindi\u201d Wanner. Investigators identified Lawhead through DNA evidence and tracked him down using facial recognition technology.<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 Olivia Rodrigo coming to Sacramento: Olivia Rodrigo announced Thursday that her <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"Follow nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sacbee.com\/entertainment\/article315586348.html\">Unraveled Tour will stop at Golden 1 Center<\/a> on Dec. 15 and 16, marking her first tour dates in Sacramento. Tickets go on general sale May 7 through Ticketmaster, with a limited number of $20 \u201cSilver Star\u201d tickets available after the general sale.<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 Illegal shark fins seized: California Department of Fish and Wildlife officers <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"Follow nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sacbee.com\/news\/california\/article315572792.html\">seized 40 shark fins<\/a> from a private jet arriving from Hawaii at a California airport in February. Possessing detached shark fins has been illegal in California since a state law passed in 2011, and the investigation is ongoing.<\/p>\n<p>This report was produced with the assistance of a proprietary tool powered by artificial intelligence based on our own originally reported, written and published content. Before publishing, journalists reviewed this content in compliance with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sacbee.com\/news\/nation-world\/national\/article280707640.html\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">McClatchy Media\u2019s AI policy<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Sacramento Bee reported on major developments this week involving local government, education, sports and public safety. 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