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Oil drilling plan targeting Mount Diablo advances, setting the stage for a renewed battle over oil development beneath CA protected lands.

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA — A sweeping federal proposal now threatens to reshape one of the Bay Area’s most iconic landscapes, forcing a collision between energy policy and environmental protection at Mount Diablo State Park

A long-simmering challenge to oil drilling near Mount Diablo State Park has entered a new phase—one that sharpens the legal stakes, widens the geographic scope, and pushes the controversial plan closer to a final decision.

At the center is a federal proposal led by the Bureau of Land Management to open more than 1 million acres of public land across California to oil and gas drilling.

The plan includes areas in and around Mount Diablo, where the federal government may control underground mineral rights even when the surface land is protected.

That legal structure—known as split estate—has long allowed the possibility of federal drilling beneath California parks. But the latest proposal has reignited fierce opposition from environmental advocates, local governments, and residents who view the mountain as both a natural refuge and a regional symbol.

In February, Save Mount Diablo advocates urged community members to submit public comments opposing the plan through its Action Network page. They said public input to the Bureau of Land Management is critical to protecting parks, wildlife habitat, and recreational lands.

Tens of thousands of comments poured in, many urging federal officials to keep drilling out of protected landscapes.

Now the situation has shifted in several critical ways.

First, the timeline has advanced. The public comment period has closed, moving the proposal out of its early review stage and closer to a decision.

Second, the scope has become clearer—and broader. In addition to Mount Diablo, the plan could affect nearby open spaces and parks across the Diablo Range, including Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve, Henry W. Coe State Park, and Pinnacles National Park.

The expanded footprint underscores how the proposal could reshape not just a single landmark, but a network of protected lands.

Third, the legal battle is no longer theoretical. Environmental groups now argue the plan may violate cornerstone federal protections, including the National Environmental Policy Act, the Clean Air Act, and the Endangered Species Act—signaling that lawsuits are likely if the proposal moves forward.

This is not the first attempt. A similar plan advanced during the Trump administration in 2019 was blocked in court, forcing federal agencies to revisit and revise their environmental analysis, KTVU 2 News reported.

The current proposal represents a renewed push, backed by updated review documents. That analysis itself has become a flashpoint. Advocates say the new environmental review downplays or dismisses risks, particularly around air quality, water impacts, and habitat disruption. Federal officials maintain that any impacts would be minimal and manageable under existing regulations, according to reporting by KTVU 2 News.

"You have, literally, some of the most important peaks in the state park being proposed as part of this effort to open up lands to oil and gas leasing," Juan Pablo Galvan, senior land use manager with the preservation group Save Mount Diablo, told KTVU 2 News.

State officials and agencies responsible for overseeing parks, including those responsible for Mount Diablo, have not taken a position.

The environmental non-profit Center for Biological Diversity urged the federal agency to amend its oil and gas drilling plan in California.

The actions would run afoul of a slew of federal laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act, Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, and Federal Land Policy and Management Act, the center said in a news release on Tuesday.

The organization said drilling is also proposed near public spaces like Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite National Parks, as well national monuments, forests, county parks, and beaches across the state. “Trump aims to turn some of the Golden State’s pristine public lands over to Big Oil, but Californians are fighting back."

The proposal now moves toward a final decision expected later this year—setting up what could become a defining legal and political battle over who controls California’s public lands, and what they are ultimately used for.

RELATED: Mt. Diablo Faces Drilling ThreatSave Mount Diablo urges public to oppose federal oil and gas leasing plan - Save Mount Diablo urges public to oppose federal oil and gas leasing plan.

Walnut Creek is leaving city desks vacant—and paychecks unclaimed—to shield local services from a growing budget shortfall.

WALNUT CREEK, CA — In a move to stop a developing deficit sink hole in Walnut Creek's budget from getting deeper, and taking more jobs down with it, empty desks at city hall will remain vacant.

Walnut Creek City Council voted Tuesday to leave one in ten city desks vacant —and paychecks unclaimed— to shield local services from a growing budget shortfall.

Facing a $6.3 million gap driven by a sudden drop in sales-tax revenue, officials are relying on a strategy that leaves one in ten city jobs unfilled but avoids cuts elsewhere.

Councilmembers unanimously backed a staff plan to keep a 10–11 percent vacancy rate citywide and, according to a staff report, save from tapping the general fund for salaries.

City officials blamed the gap on a slip in sales-tax revenues — particularly from auto and transportation businesses — after the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration changed reporting practices.

Administrative Services Director Kirsten LaCasse told councilmembers the city noticed the drop in fiscal year 2025. Sales tax from the autos and transportation sector fell 11 percent, a decline consultants attributed to the reporting change rather than reduced activity. The issue is still under state review and may affect revenue through at least 2027.

City officials estimated Walnut Creek will collect about $29.67 million in sales tax in the 2026 fiscal year, roughly $2.11 million below budget expectations, according to the city’s second-quarter financial report.

Budget pressures mount

The council’s move is part of wider efforts to rebalance a $6.33 million shortfall for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. To reduce spending, the city has already taken several steps, including:

These reductions are intended to save about $3.31 million. The city also tapped $3.02 million in short-term measures, including reserves, pension trust funds, and reduced general fund support for capital projects.

Despite the shortfall, the city expects the 2026 fiscal year to remain balanced, helped by salary savings from vacancies and lower operating costs.

Staff presented three options for addressing the future deficit, including maintaining the current 10–11 percent vacancy rate, 2 percent ongoing departmental cuts, and tapping more reserve funds.

City staff recommended the vacancy strategy to protect services while the city waits for clearer answers on the state tax change, a citywide fee study, and updates to the long-term financial forecast.

If the vacancy rate holds, departments would continue to deliver services with fewer employees, without immediate program cuts.

City Manager Dan Buckshi said Walnut Creek is not alone in grappling with the sales-tax shift. He said a dozen other cities with auto-dealer agreements also saw revenue changes as a result of the reporting adjustment by the state tax and fees authority imposed without an explanation.

It took "months and months" to decipher the report to understand if this was an error and that is why it took nearly a year to report the issue, Buckshi said. "It’s been extremely frustrating working with the state bureaucracy on this and I am really hopeful that our legislators can help untangle that bureaucracy for us.”

Mayor Kevin Wilk said the city has contacted state lawmakers for help. Walnut Creek sent a letter to Sen. Tim Grayson and Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan urging them to examine the issue with the tax agency. The effort was received "very well" by state representatives, said Wilk.

Councilmember Cindy Darling asked whether the state might ultimately reverse the reporting change. LaCasse said the state has not made a final decision, leaving the city with the option to appeal the outcome once the review concludes.

For now, councilmembers said leaving positions vacant is the least disruptive way to protect services while waiting for clarity from Sacramento. But they did not clarify how the decision would directly affect residents.

WALNUT CREEK, CA — In a sweeping, years-long bribery scheme, a Napa winery salesman and a Walnut Creek executive are among nine people suspected of disguising luxury perks as business expenses to promote a major U.S. distributor, according to an indictment filed this week.

A federal grand jury indicted former executives of Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits for their suspected role in a years-long bribery and obstruction scheme to get prime shelf space for the beverage giant at grocery stores across California.

The former employees of the company, which has a major Northern California facility in Novato (listed in court documents as Distributor-1) were identified as Michael Dehdashtian, 48, of Lake Forest; Ryan Dow, 40, of Upland; Stephen Magliocco, 47, of Trabuco Canyon; Loratina Muscara, 64, of Livermore; and Adrian Ruiz, 54, of Corona.

The indictment, filed in a Northern California District Court, also includes Michael Sean Salene, 60, a wine executive who most recently worked for Roots Run Deep Winery in Napa, according to reports.

In addition to the March 3 indictment, wine suppliers Matthew Adler in Walnut Creek and Bryan Barnes in Los Angeles County, faced similar charges in 2025, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Adler left Deutsch Family in 2021 to work for the Napa-based wine firm Demeine Estates, according to reports.

Federal Charges

Between 2016 and 2024, former employees of a company identified as Distributor-1 are suspected of conspiring to offer grocery store chain employees golf trips, exercise equipment, prepaid gift cards worth up to $1,000 each, as well as luxury and designer watches and purses in exchange for top shelf space.

Federal prosecutors say they also disguised the payments as legitimate business expenses, using approved vendors and fake invoices to conceal the giveaways.

Salene, is suspected of bribing the head alcohol buyer of a national grocery chain that operates about 300 stores in California, according to an indictment filed this week. Salene is also suspected of lying to investigators and falsifying invoices to cover up the scheme, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District. Salene was charged with Travel Act bribery and making false statements.

The indictments stem from investigations by the IRS-Criminal Investigation unit and the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. Grocery chains typically have limited shelf space for alcohol, especially in high-traffic categories like Napa wines or premium spirits.

The brands that secure those slots can see hefty sales boosts. So competition to get distributors, which are de facto gatekeepers, to promote their brands is fierce. Napa producers, in turn, depend heavily on grocery and retail placement to get bottles seen beyond tasting rooms.

Incentives that can sway a retailer’s purchasing decisions are illegal. These can include cash payments, luxury gifts, prepaid gift cards, and travel perks. Hidden reimbursements disguised as marketing expenses are also illegal. It is also illegal to use invoices to pay for such perks, according to federal authorities.

A California-Wide Scandal With Local Hubs

The scope of the case has pulled in multiple levels of the industry, stretching across California, including Walnut Creek, Livermore, Oakland, Pleasanton, Napa’s wine industry, multiple Southern California cities, and even Idaho.

Court documents do not name the companies involved in the scheme. But Adler and Barnes’ employer was Deutsch Family Wine and Spirits, which produces or imports some of the most popular U.S. wine brands such as Josh Cellars and Yellow Tail, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

The grocery chain involved was identified in reports as Albertsons in Northern California and its Vons subsidiary in Southern California. Albertsons has corporate offices in Pleasanton and headquarters in Boise, Idaho. Vons has seven stores in L.A. and more nationally.

An Albertsons representative said a statement to CBS News Bay Area that the chain is aware of the allegations and cooperating with authorities, adding that, "The behavior in question was wholly inconsistent with our policies, and we do not, and will not, tolerate it. We expect all associates to adhere and fully comply with all laws and regulations and all company policies."

Florida-based Southern Glazer told CBS News Bay Area that they have cooperated with relevant authorities and will continue to do so.The group charged in Tuesday's indictment is scheduled to appear in federal court in Oakland on March 25.

Each of the March 3 indictments include charges of conspiracy to commit bribery, obstruction of investigations, falsification of records, and making false statements. Convictions could mean up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000 per count, depending on the charge.

WALNUT CREEK, CA — "Leafblowers need to be eradicated from the face of the earth," according to Cate Blanchette, who told Kareem Rahma — the host of the "Subway Takes" TikTok series — “It’s a metaphor for what’s wrong with us as a species."

Blanchette and Gina Gershon hate leaf blowers so much that they made a TikTok video together about how much they hate them. Indeed, Blanchette has been on a crusade for nearly 20 years.

While Walnut Creek has not eradicated them from the surface of the planet, the city is banning the loudest of their ilk.

Starting April 1, the familiar roar of gas-powered leaf blowers will fade from neighborhoods across Walnut Creek, replaced — city leaders hope — by a quieter, cleaner hum.

A new city ordinance bans the use of gasoline-powered leaf blowers within city limits, part of Walnut Creek’s broader push to cut greenhouse gas emissions and improve public health. The policy updates the city’s municipal code and makes property owners responsible for compliance, even if a hired service performs the landscaping.

The ban stems from the city’s Sustainability Action Plan, adopted by the Walnut Creek City Council in 2023. Officials say the move targets both climate change and local health concerns.

Gas-powered leaf blowers emit carbon monoxide, benzene, particulate matter, and other pollutants. Contra Costa County reports asthma rates higher than the statewide average — particularly among children. City officials say reducing emissions from small gas engines can help curb respiratory health risks and lower climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions.

The policy, discussed at a Nov. 4, 2025, council meeting, prohibits anyone who owns, manages, or rents property in Walnut Creek from operating a gasoline-powered leaf blower or hiring someone to do so. Limited exceptions are allowed for emergencies as approved by the city or first responders.

In 2021, Governor Newsom signed a law banning the sale of gas-powered leaf blowers and other small off-road engines in California, effective January 1, 2024, with enforcement by the California Air Resources Board.To ease the transition, the city is encouraging residents to:

Financial incentives are available for some professionals. Eligible landscapers may qualify for vouchers of up to $1,400 per replaced blower through regional air quality programs, including those administered by the Bay Area Air District. Additional zero-emission equipment incentives are offered through the state’s CORE program.

Locally, Downtown Walnut Creek ACE Hardware is offering discounts, financing options, and demo days for electric equipment. Residents can also recycle old gas-powered leaf blowers free of charge — provided they are empty — at the Concord Recycling Center and Rapid Recycle.

City officials are urging neighbors to share information about the new rules and start conversations early with landscaping services ahead of the April 1 deadline.

In Lafayette, gas-powered leaf blowers have been banned since July 1, 2024. However, that has not stopped them from being widely sold and used, despite the availability of options and point-of-sale vouchers for small-business landscape professionals.

Lafayette also offers two types of battery-operated leaf blowers for residents to borrow: a handheld blower and a commercial-grade backpack blower.

Gerardo Jiminez, the city’s lone code enforcement officer tasked with following up on complaints made by residents in response to scofflaws, noted an uptick in complaints from the start of the ban to 2025, from 487 to 571, according to the Lamorinda Weekly. Lafayette is clearly not "Cate-proof."

However, Jimenez told the Weekly that Lafayette does not cite violators but rather "educates" them with very friendly letters.

The first ripple in a long-anticipated transformation at Heather Farm Park has arrived.

WALNUT CREEK, CA — The first ripple in a long-anticipated transformation of Walnut Creek's swimming options is gaining momentum.

The work won't be done in time for the swim season this year. But the finish is closer than ever with the first down payment on the multi-million project.

The Walnut Creek Aquatics Foundation delivered the first $100,000 installment toward a new Aquatic and Community Center — the opening splash in a $3 million fundraising commitment.

The new facility will replace the Heather Farm Park Community Center and refit the site as a modern, combined aquatic and community hub. The effort is funded primarily through Walnut Creek’s voter-approved Measure O, a 10-year, half-cent sales tax measure designed to invest in local infrastructure and amenities.

Construction is expected to run from summer 2025 to the end of 2027. The existing community center will be demolished to make way for the new 25,000- to 27,000-square-foot facility. Plans call for a 4.7-acre campus featuring a 50-meter lap pool, a recreational pool, bathhouse, mechanical pool building, large indoor gathering spaces, multipurpose rooms and classrooms, and outdoor event terraces.

While the transformation unfolds, Clarke Swim Center is expected to remain open to the public. Construction hours are generally set for 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., with weekend work permitted if necessary. Residents can expect typical construction noise and temporary fencing to for pedestrian safety.

The conceptual site plan for the project was accepted by the Walnut Creek City Council on Feb. 7, 2023, with a revised design approved April 16, 2024. City officials say the plan will continue to shape detailed design work over the coming year, with public meetings scheduled to gather community input.

Residents can track updates, view meeting agendas, and submit questions to the city as the project moves from blueprint to groundbreaking.

The City Council meets again Tuesday, March 3, at 6 p.m. to consider the proposed Porsche project and a budget-balancing item as part of ongoing fiscal planning.