Homeless encampment lawsuit, mosquito experiment. Sacramento’s top stories July 8

The Sacramento Bee’s top stories on July 8 span homelessness policy, Kings basketball moves and a public health experiment.

Here's a quick digest:

• A homeless woman lost her $12,000 small claims lawsuit against Sacramento after Judge Stephen Lau ruled that six or seven days’ notice for encampment sweeps gave the city license to destroy her personal property. Elizabeth Williams said the city threw away her medication, ID, tent and the laptop she used for GED classes and virtual therapy during two 2025 sweeps.

• Kings general manager Scott Perry addressed the team’s offseason moves Wednesday, confirming Sacramento waived DeMar DeRozan in a cost-cutting move to get below the luxury tax line, saving $15.7 million. Perry said Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis are expected to return for 2026-27, and Precious Achiuwa re-signed on a two-year, $11.5 million deal.

• The Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District released 144,000 sterile male mosquitoes in Rosemont on Tuesday to reduce the invasive Aedes aegypti population, which can transmit dengue, Zika and chikungunya. A total of 2.3 million sterile mosquitoes will be released over 16 weeks after a pilot program in South Natomas cut the invasive population by up to 40%.