Local Politics · Placer County
The Placer County Elections Office in Rocklin reminds voters that the voting period for the November 3, 2026 General Election has begun, with vote-by-mail ballots mailed to all active eligible voters by Oct. 5. The last day to register and receive voting materials by mail is Oct. 19; those who miss it can conditionally register starting Oct. 20 at the Elections Office or Oct. 24 at any vote center. Thirty vote centers across the county will be available, with seven open for 11 days beginning Oct. 24 and 23 open for four days starting Oct. 31, operating 8 a.m.–4 p.m. daily (7 a.m.–8 p.m. on Election Day). Voters can also use "Sign, Scan & Go!" at the Elections Office (3715 Atherton Road, Rocklin) Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m., or return ballots via 29 county drop boxes.
Public Safety · Roseville, CA
Forty-one current and former workers at Union Pacific's J.R. Davis Yard in Roseville, including families of 11 deceased employees, filed six lawsuits Wednesday in San Francisco Superior Court alleging the railroad failed to protect them from asbestos, diesel exhaust, benzene, and other toxic substances. The plaintiffs, some employed since the 1950s in track maintenance, signal work, conducting, and engineering roles, report diagnoses including COPD, kidney disease, pulmonary fibrosis, multiple myeloma, leukemia, and throat and blood cancers. A 2004 California Air Resources Board assessment estimated locomotives at the yard emitted 22 to 25 tons of diesel particulate matter annually, with cancer risk for nearby residents exceeding 500 cases per million over 70 years. Union Pacific said in a statement provided Monday it was reviewing the lawsuits and that employee health and safety is a top priority.
Housing & Development · Rocklin, CA
Rocklin City Council voted 4-1 to postpone a decision on the Midas Apartments, a proposed 281-unit affordable housing project at Midas Avenue and Pacific Street, without setting a new hearing date. The developer added 25 parking spaces while eliminating 20 landscaped areas, but council members continued questioning traffic impacts and California law limits on local denial authority. Mayor Dave Bass cast the lone dissenting vote; Councilmember Jill Gayaldo warned prolonged disputes could trigger a builder's remedy removing city zoning control. The developer targets funding in Q1 2027 with construction potentially starting by year-end.
Public Safety · Placer County
Omar Dushaun Smith filed a federal lawsuit against Placer County alleging that sheriff's deputies Garret Byers and Brandon Bailey used excessive force during a traffic stop at about 10:30 p.m. on Dec. 18, pulling him from his vehicle for minor equipment violations. Smith claims the stop was racially motivated and alleges Fourth Amendment violations including unlawful arrest, search, and seizure. The suit states deputies found no warrants or weapons and issued no citations before removing him from the car; he sustained an acute shoulder sprain requiring hospital treatment. Smith was separately charged with disobeying an officer, a misdemeanor, per Placer Superior Court records. The Placer County Sheriff's Office does not consider the incident subject to state law requiring release of video footage and disciplinary records.
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Crime · Roseville, CA
The family of a Roseville grandmother who was stabbed to death while sleeping on a bench is calling for a 15-year-old arrested in the case to be charged as an adult. The teen was taken into custody following the fatal stabbing, though the article does not specify names, dates, or the exact location within Roseville. The family's request centers on accountability through the criminal justice system rather than juvenile proceedings.
Community News · Lincoln, CA
The Lincoln City Council voted 5-0 last week to approve a 20-year lease allowing the nonprofit Lincoln Clay Arts Center to convert the historic 1909 Carnegie Library at 590 Fifth St. into a community arts center offering pottery classes, artist studios, gallery exhibits and educational programs. The nonprofit will pay $1 per year while the city retains ownership, with two five-year extension options and performance standards requiring minimum class offerings and public access hours. City staff noted the project could revitalize a building largely unused since the downtown library closed in 2011. Planned improvements include accessibility upgrades, bathroom renovations and HVAC work, with a target opening in 2027.
Community News · Placer County
The Tahoe City Public Utility District will hold a community input meeting on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at North Tahoe High School regarding the future of recreation facilities at the Tahoe City Community Center property at 401 West Lake Boulevard. The meeting follows a community survey that received nearly 1,200 responses and will feature preliminary concepts including an indoor gymnasium, indoor aquatics facility, or combined recreation facility. No decisions have been made; attendees can ask questions, share priorities, and review displayed concepts directly with the TCPUD Board. RSVPs are encouraged at tcpud.org/recreationfuture.
Housing & Development · Colfax, CA
The Colfax Hotel, which opened in 1903 as a railroad-town stop and closed in the early 1970s, is undergoing a major renovation led by Wendy and Leif Lowery, who took on the project five years ago. The family has received its final permit to proceed, with plans that include restaurant and retail space, eight hotel rooms, and eight multifamily residential units for long- and short-term occupancy. Their daughter Taylor Lowery, an architect, is helping design the renovation while the family documents the process in a documentary. No timeline has been set for when the hotel will reopen.
