Zoo expansion, A’s playoff hopes, cold case arrest. Sacramento’s weekly roundup

The Sacramento Bee reported on major developments this week involving local government, education, sports and public safety. From a unanimous City Council vote on a potential zoo expansion to a decades-old murder case finally moving toward trial, here’s a roundup of top stories for the week of April 26 through May 1, 2026:

• Zoo expansion study advances: The Sacramento City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to adopt a memorandum of understanding to study a possible Sacramento Zoo expansion in William Land Park. A working group is expected to begin meeting in May.

• Transportation safety push: Sacramento residents urged the City Council Tuesday to prioritize transportation safety in the next budget after at least 18 traffic deaths so far in 2026. The Active Transportation Commission’s 2025 report recommends about $8.2 million in first-year funding for safer street design, school travel programs and stricter traffic controls.

• Parking fines could increase: City Manager Maraskeshia Smith proposed hiking parking violation fees to help close a $66.2 million budget deficit. The city’s budget proposal also includes cutting 46 filled positions and 100 vacancies.

• New schools superintendent named: The Sacramento City Unified School District Board of Trustees voted 7-0 Thursday to make Cancy McArn the permanent superintendent. McArn, a 30-year district veteran who had served in the role on an interim basis since February, will earn a base salary of $365,000 annually through June 2028.

• Playoff baseball in West Sacramento? Never too early to dream: The Athletics entered Thursday in first place in the AL West and believe they can avoid a repeat of their 2025 collapse, when they lost 20 of 21 games. The team has told season ticket holders it would host postseason games at Sutter Health Park if the A’s qualify for the playoffs.

• 1991 cold case suspect extradited: James Lawhead Jr., 64, was flown from Arizona to Placer County on Thursday to face murder and kidnapping charges in the 1991 death of Cinthia “Cindi” Wanner. Investigators identified Lawhead through DNA evidence and tracked him down using facial recognition technology.

• Olivia Rodrigo coming to Sacramento: Olivia Rodrigo announced Thursday that her Unraveled Tour will stop at Golden 1 Center on Dec. 15 and 16, marking her first tour dates in Sacramento. Tickets go on general sale May 7 through Ticketmaster, with a limited number of $20 “Silver Star” tickets available after the general sale.

• Illegal shark fins seized: California Department of Fish and Wildlife officers seized 40 shark fins from a private jet arriving from Hawaii at a California airport in February. Possessing detached shark fins has been illegal in California since a state law passed in 2011, and the investigation is ongoing.