A roundup of the top stories in California this week, plus links to some good reads for your weekend.
Registration for LA28 Olympics tickets has started
Registration opened this week for the LA28 Olympics ticket draw. Register online at tickets.la28.org by March 18, 2026, for the opportunity to purchase tickets during the LA and OKC Locals Presale (open to eligible residents) or Drop 1 beginning in April, 2026.
If selected from the draw, you will receive an email between March 31 and April 7, 2026, with a time slot in which to purchase tickets in the next drop or presale. You may purchase up to 12 tickets during your assigned time slot. The LA and OKC Locals Presale will take place from April 2 to April 6. Fans with an eligible postal code in the Greater Los Angeles area (Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties) and Oklahoma City region will have the chance to secure seats before they go on sale to the general public. Ticket prices will start at $28.
The Olympic Games will take place in Los Angeles and other venues from July 14 to 30, 2028, followed by the Paralympic Games from August 15 to 27, 2028.
Highway 1 through Big Sur reopens after 3 years of repairs
A stretch of Highway 1 in Big Sur has reopened after almost three years of closure due to damage by a landslide. Caltrans reopened the Regent’s Slide portion of Highway 1 at noon on Wednesday, weeks earlier than the estimated reopening date of March 30. The completion of repairs restores uninterrupted access along the Big Sur coast between Carmel and Cambria.
Regent’s Slide occurred on February 9, 2024, and overlapped with Paul’s Slide, six miles to the south, which closed the highway from January 14, 2023, to June 23, 2024. Repair efforts required advanced engineering techniques to ensure the safety of crews working atop one of California’s most challenging slopes. Crews worked seven days a week as site conditions allowed, utilizing cutting-edge equipment to perform excavation and slope reinforcement.
“The full reopening of Highway 1 marks a significant milestone of local, national, and global interest,” said Caltrans Director Dina El-Tawansy. “There are few, if any, more iconic routes not just in California but anywhere in the world. Restoring access for residents and tourists boosts regional economies and reinvigorates the pride and cultural identity associated with one of the most scenic and picturesque roadways on the planet.”
(Source: gov.ca.gov)
Over 200 California State Parks to offer free entry on MLK Day
In celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Governor Gavin Newsom has announced that California State Parks will offer free vehicle day-use entry at more than 200 participating parks on Monday, January 19, 2026. This initiative honors Dr. King’s mission of advocating for a world where everyone has equal access to opportunities, resources and dignity.
This opportunity is being made possible thanks to the generosity of the California State Parks Foundation — not taxpayer dollars. The foundation has been a longtime advocate for expanding access to state parks, particularly the free California State Library Parks Pass.
“As the federal government eliminates fee-free park days for holidays that celebrate Black history, California continues to revel in the glory of our civil rights pioneers,” said Senator Akilah Weber Pierson, M.D., Chair, California Legislative Black Caucus. Opening our parks for everyone to enjoy encourages loved ones to come together, give back, and honor Dr. King’s legacy while enjoying the natural beauty of the Golden State.”
Here’s a list of the 200-plus participating parks. Some parks, including state vehicular recreation areas, those with per-person entry or tour fees like Hearst Castle, and some that are operated by partner organizations will still require a fee.
Californians warned against foraging as death cap mushrooms linked to three deaths
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is issuing an update to its December 5 health advisory as an outbreak of amatoxin poisoning continues across California. This outbreak is linked to the consumption of wild, foraged mushrooms and has caused severe liver damage in both children and adults, resulting in three adult deaths and three liver transplants to date.
Recent rain has contributed to the widespread growth of death cap mushrooms in California. Most cases are in the Monterey and San Francisco Bay Area, though death cap mushrooms can be found across the state, particularly adjacent to oaks, other hardwoods and some pines.
Information provided by some affected individuals indicates that death cap mushrooms were collected from various locations across Northern California and the Central Coast regions, including county, city and national park lands.
CDPH is urging Californians not to pick or eat wild mushrooms as the risk of potentially deadly amatoxin poisoning is high. Since death cap mushrooms are easily confused for safe-to-eat, lookalike mushrooms, all mushroom foraging should be avoided. Seek help immediately if you or someone you know has eaten a poisonous mushroom. Contact the CPCS hotline: 1-800-222-1222. Do not wait for symptoms to appear. Treatment is more difficult once symptoms start.
California is drought-free for the first time in 25 years
California is completely free of drought for the first time in 25 years. Maps released last week by the U.S. Drought Monitor show zero regions in the state considered abnormally dry or in drought conditions. The last time California was free of drought or abnormal dryness was in 2000.
The drought-free designation comes after recent winter storms brought heavy rains and snow to the state. High precipitation levels in late December filled California’s 17 major reservoirs to 129% of their average levels. They also boosted statewide snowpack levels, although these remain lower than average at only 37% of average peak snowpack for this time of year.
(Sources: NBC News & California Water Watch)
A few good reads for your weekend:
- Museum Monday: The National Civil Rights Museum, Memphis, Tennessee: Read our guide to this must-see museum, which encompasses the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee where Dr. King was slain on April 4, 1968. The museum takes visitors on a journey through the civil rights movement from the 17th century to the present day.
- Why so many of California’s freeway rest areas are closed (Daily News): The Los Angeles Daily News asks Caltrans about this ongoing issue throughout the state. Answers include plumbing issues, vandalism, logistical challenges and aging infrastructure.
- Trump’s DOJ turns its attention to local gas bans (Canary Media): The Trump administration is suing the Bay Area cities of Morgan Hill and Petaluma over their bans on the use of fossil gas in new buildings.
Attention Los Angeles-area cat lovers!
The LA County Natural History Museum has announced a new exhibition coming this summer called Fierce! The Story of Cats. From the announcement: “Spanning continents and the ages, Fierce! includes an array of interactive displays, hands-on activities that will get you thinking like a cat, cultural objects, a nod to cats in pop culture, and a special focus on iconic cats of Los Angeles.”
Here’s last week’s roundup.
Repairs being made to the Regent’s slide section of Highway 1, which reopened this week after nearly 3 years of closure. (Photo courtesy of Caltrans)