Top stories from The Sacramento Bee this week. Here’s what to know
The Sacramento Bee covered major local news the week of April 12-17, 2026, from a police chief’s retirement to allegations against a Michelin-starred chef. Here are summaries of the top stories:
• Police chief retiring: Sacramento Police Chief Kathy Lester announced her retirement after more than 32 years with the force. The city’s first woman police chief oversaw significant drops in homicides, shootings and motor vehicle thefts during her tenure. Deputy Chief Zachary Bales will become interim chief after Lester retires on May 15.
• Chef allegations: Former staff at Michelin-starred restaurant Localis, as well as at Betty Wine Bar + Bistro, detailed allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior, belittlement and wage tampering by chef Chris Barnum-Dann. Five people spoke on the record to The Bee. Barnum-Dann called the accusations “baseless” but said he knows he “pushed people in ways that were not always constructive and (he) regrets that.”
• Football coaches sued: A former student-athlete filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against two former Del Campo High School football coaches and the San Juan Unified School District. The student is accusing one coach of using racial slurs and making a discriminatory reference to ICE. The student further alleges that the coaches ran unsafe practices.
• Supervisor’s mini-stroke: Sacramento County Supervisor Phil Serna said he suffered a transient ischemic attack at his home on Easter Sunday. Serna, who is not seeking reelection, was admitted to Mercy General Hospital and went home the next morning.
• Holocaust survivor speaks: Liz Igra, a 91-year-old Carmichael woman who survived the Holocaust, continues to share her traumatic story with others. She founded the Central Valley Holocaust Educators’ Network and donated thousands of books to help the network open a Holocaust library at Mosaic Law Congregation near Sacramento State in 2016.
• Peter Schrag remembered: Former Sacramento Bee editorial page editor Peter Schrag died at age 94 on March 19 in Davis. Schrag, a child refugee from Nazi Germany, led The Bee’s opinion writing team between 1977 and 1996 and is considered one of California journalism’s intellectual giants.
• CalPERS settlement: CalPERS settled a long-running case over retirees who worked for local governments after retiring, restoring their pension benefits. Broader confusion around post-retirement employment laws remains unresolved.
• Norovirus rising: High concentrations of noroviruses were detected in wastewater in Sacramento, Davis and several other California cities. The highly contagious virus causes diarrhea, cramps and vomiting, with the U.S. reporting 19 million to 21 million cases a year.
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