Public Safety · Elk Grove, CA
Sacramento County confirmed that Elk Grove Police Department officers never called the county's 24/7 HOPE line to request mental health professionals before placing Scott Saetern, 37, in a WRAP restraint device at an Elk Grove gas station on June 28, 2025. Saetern, who was unarmed and in an apparent mental health crisis, lost consciousness after being restrained for 10 minutes; the coroner listed cocaine toxicity as his cause of death. Mental health professionals and Disability Rights California are calling on California Attorney General Rob Bonta to investigate, while Sacramento County Supervisor Patrick Kennedy said the incident indicates a need for better first-responder education about available crisis-response tools. Assemblymember Nick Schultz is considering legislation requiring law enforcement agencies statewide to release footage and disciplinary records in suspected asphyxiation deaths.
Education · Sacramento County
Highlands Community Charter and Technical Schools, which operates two Sacramento-area charter schools serving nearly 2,000 adult learners, filed for bankruptcy last week after a state audit found ineligible funding use, wasteful spending, and improper hiring practices. The organization reported a $45 million net position but approved $2.1 million in retainers for law firms Sheppard Mullin and Young Minney & Corr plus financial adviser Arch + Beam Global, drawing criticism from the Twin Rivers teachers union. The California Department of Education says Highlands owes approximately $243 million, while the organization estimates closer to $180 million; a bankruptcy court hearing on repayment is set for Nov. 10, two days before the State Board of Education considers Twin Rivers' appeal of the Sacramento County Board's decision to keep Highlands' charters active. Highlands has also applied for a new charter in Sutter County, expected to be considered in December.
Community News · Elk Grove, CA
Sacramento Central Groundwater Authority Executive Director Piret Harmon told the Elk Grove City Council that the South American Subbasin is not overdrafted, with pumping well below its sustainable yield of 235,000 acre-feet annually and storage increasing since 2022. SacSewer's Harvest Water recycled-water project, construction finishing this year with operations beginning in 2027, could supply up to 50,000 acre-feet yearly and raise groundwater levels about 35 feet over 15 years. Harmon noted four monitoring points fell below thresholds due to Superfund-site cleanup pumping and proposed removing them from the compliance network; no land subsidence has been detected locally.
Local Politics · Elk Grove, CA
Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen joined Rep. Doris Matsui's campaign in criticizing Sacramento City Councilmember Mai Vang for appearing on political commentator Hasan Piker's livestream, which also served as a Vang fundraiser that organizers said reached approximately $50,000. During the livestream, Vang advocated banning Flock Safety surveillance cameras—Elk Grove operates roughly 90 such cameras—while Singh-Allen and her council have defended their continued use. A Vang supporter challenged Singh-Allen's criticism by citing the mayor's prior favorable comments about progressive figure Zohran Mamdani. The congressional race for California's redrawn 7th District, which includes more Republican voters following redistricting, has ballots already in voters' hands.
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Local Politics · Elk Grove, CA
The Elk Grove City Council approved a $946,000 purchase of nearly an acre at 9392 W. Stockton Blvd. on Wednesday to allow future expansion of the city's Police Department, adding direct access to West Stockton Boulevard and additional police-vehicle parking. The site, formerly the Elk Grove Grammar School built in the late 1800s, was found in a 2019 review to lack key historical features and is not on the city's historic register. The purchase will be funded through the city's capital facilities fee collected from new development. It follows a June $6.2 million acquisition of a nearby building at 9370 Studio Court, which currently houses 10 tenants generating over $29,000 in monthly rental revenue while officials plan the department's growth.
Public Safety · Elk Grove, CA
A 46-year-old man was killed by a train Thursday afternoon at the Bond Road rail crossing in Elk Grove. Police reported that both crossing arms were lowered and warning lights were active when the victim walked onto the tracks. The collision occurred around 1 p.m., causing Bond Road to close in both directions for over an hour until it reopened at approximately 2:30 p.m. The Sacramento County Coroner’s Office is withholding the man's identity pending family notification.
Education · Sacramento County
The UC Davis School of Education will launch a new four-quarter Master of Education degree and teaching credential program in July 2027, replacing its existing six-quarter MA pathway. The program includes hands-on teaching placements in Sacramento region K-12 districts and prepares students for multiple-subject, single-subject, and bilingual credentials. Officials cite California's teacher shortage—temporary teaching permits have tripled since 2012–2013—as motivation to make graduate teacher preparation more affordable and accessible. Applications are currently open, with a Jan. 15 priority deadline for scholarships, March 1 general deadline, and rolling acceptance through June 1.
Local Politics · Elk Grove, CA
The Elk Grove City Council held its 18th regular meeting of 2026 on Wednesday, October 14, with three regular meetings remaining for the year. Public comment addressed surveillance operations and a request for cost-recovery plans tied to Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen's failed Sacramento Zoo relocation project. The council also received a presentation on groundwater management and conducted a hearing on a plan to address workforce housing in the city.
