Fix 50, $66M budget hole and more. Eight of Sacramento’s top stories this week

From a city budget crisis to a gubernatorial endorsement and the prolonged closure of a Highway 50 ramp, Sacramento Bee readers had plenty to track this week.

Here’s a quick rundown of top stories you might’ve missed:

• A Stockton Boulevard on-ramp to westbound Highway 50 will close for 11 days, from 10 p.m. on Friday through 4 a.m. on May 18. Caltrans crews will be repairing bridge hinges as part of the $511.1 million “Fix 50” project, now on track for July completion.
• Sacramento Councilmember Phil Pluckebaum floated cutting the city’s entire homeless services agency to help close a $66.2 million budget shortfall, then walked the idea back. The Department of Community Response has a $41.5 million annual budget.
• California’s spending on its state workforce has grown by $6 billion since fiscal year 2019-20, the Legislative Analyst’s Office found. The reason for that growth is twofold, the LAO reported: “Specifically, about half of the increase in total employee compensation appears to be associated with growth in the number of filled positions (full-time equivalents), while the other half reflects higher per‑employee costs due to increases in salaries and benefits for existing positions.”
• Gov. Gavin Newsom urged all 58 county election officials to count ballots faster ahead of the June 2 primary, warning that delays fuel misinformation. California is among the slowest states to tally votes, with results often unknown for days or weeks.
• The 49ers selected defensive tackle Gracen Halton 107th overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, a pick shaped by mentorship from his godfather, nine-time MLB All-Star Gary Sheffield. Sheffield’s friendship with Halton’s father began three decades before Gracen was born.
• A hantavirus outbreak on the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius has killed three passengers and sickened seven, with the WHO suggesting some cases may involve rare human-to-human transmission. The virus, spread mainly through rodent droppings, is also found in California and kills about 38% of those who develop respiratory symptoms.
• McClatchy Media’s California editorial board endorsed former Rep. Katie Porter for governor in the June primary, citing her refusal to accept corporate PAC money and her plan to eliminate state income tax for Californians earning under $100,000.
• The Bee’s comprehensive voter guide breaks down the California 2026 primary, with eight major candidates competing to replace Newsom and ballots already arriving in mailboxes for the June 2 election.