Former Kings coach dies, polling places. Top Sacramento stories from June 1

The Sacramento Bee covered a range of top stories on June 1, 2026, from an update on the fatal Esparto fireworks explosion case and election logistics.

Here’s a quick rundown of what readers need to know:

• Rick Adelman, the coach who led the Sacramento Kings to the brink of an NBA championship, died at the age of 79, the NBA Coaches Association announced. Adelman coached the Kings from 1998 to 2006, amassing a record of 395-229 over eight seasons.

• A Yolo Superior Court judge will issue a written decision within a week or two on whether to impose a gag order in the Esparto fireworks case, where five of eight defendants face second-degree murder charges in the July 2025 explosion that killed seven people. Defense attorneys argued the motion is unnecessary and that prosecutors started the pretrial publicity with their own news conference.

• Sacramento will allow the historic 1949 Tower Records “Dancing Kids” neon sign to remain inside Tower District offices on Broadway, where it was installed without city permission, and has approved a replica to be installed outside. A structural engineering report concluded the original sign is not suitable for reinstallation outdoors without significant modifications to meet modern standards.

• The 2026 California primary election takes place Tuesday, June 2, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters in line when polls close must be allowed to cast their ballots, but anyone arriving after 8 p.m. cannot vote, and county officials will begin tallying results at 8 p.m.