Good morning, Stockton.

Head and shoulders photo of Daniel Garza
Daniel Garza, Stocktonia

After weeks of questions and tension at City Hall, there’s a new development in one of Stockton’s most closely watched controversies.

An outside ethics investigation commissioned by the City Council found that Vice Mayor Jason Lee did not violate ethics laws related to the city’s payment tied to the Wild ’N Out event. The finding closes one chapter, though it’s unlikely to quiet broader debates about transparency and decision-making at City Hall. Aaron Leathley has the details on what investigators found and what happens next.

Beyond City Hall, we’re following key public safety updates, including an arrest in a fatal stabbing case from November. We’re also looking ahead to winter fire prevention efforts at Mount Diablo and tracking major statewide developments that could affect housing, health care and the integrity of California’s information ecosystem.

Thank you for reading and for staying connected to what’s happening in Stockton and across the state.

Today’s top story

Stockton vice mayor didn’t break ethics laws for Wild ‘N Out, investigators say

By Aaron Leathley • Stocktonia

A political ethics investigation firm hired by the City Council found that the vice mayor didn’t break ethics laws when the city paid Wild ‘N Out.


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Man arrested on suspicion of fatal stabbing from November 

A 35-year-old man was arrested this week on suspicion of a fatal stabbing in Stockton in November, police said.

Mount Diablo State Park plans vegetation pile burns this winter to reduce fire fuels

Crews will conduct pile burns at Mount Diablo State Park sometime between January and March to reduce vegetation on the south side of the mountain.


Top California news

Could this mysterious California news site influence the 2026 election?

The California Courier uses the name of an established paper and doesn’t disclose apparent Republican ties. Critics call it “pink slime.”

California ends Medicaid coverage of weight loss drugs

Low-income Californians who use GLP-1s for weight loss lost their coverage at the start of the new year, with officials advising diet and exercise instead.

Section 8 housing assistance in jeopardy from proposed cuts, restrictions

The Trump administration and GOP lawmakers want steep funding cuts, while new eligibility rules from HUD would imperil housing for millions of people.


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