Blogs

Governor Newsom to deliver State of the State Address next week

By Kyle Packham posted an hour ago
Moments ago, the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom issued the following press release: SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom will deliver his State of the State address before a joint session of the California Legislature on Thursday, January 8, 2026. WHERE: California State Capitol* WHEN: Morning of Thursday, January 8, 2026 LIVESTREAM: Governor's Twitter page , Governor's Facebook page , the Governor's YouTube page , and the Governor's Instagram page . This event will also be available to TV stations on the LiveU Matrix under "California Governor."

Colo. firefighters end months of training in donated house with live burn drill

By Kristin Withrow posted yesterday
This article was originally published by Fire Rescue 1 on November 1, 2025 by Sharla Steinman, Loveland Reporter-Herald The Loveland Fire Rescue Authority and Berthoud Fire Protection District used a donated farmhouse for months of realistic training, ending with a controlled burn LOVELAND, Colo. — The Loveland Fire Rescue Authority was presented with the unique opportunity to train in a donated home throughout the last few months. Their training culminated with a full home burn Friday that will leave the space almost ready for the landowners to build their new life. “Why not have some people hopefully save lives by training?” said Alexis Boonstra, ...

STEM-Sustainability Class and Environmental Club Partner with LCWA for Hands-On Water Quality Research (FL)

By Kristin Withrow posted 2 days ago
This article was originally published by the South Lake Tablet on December 13, 2025 After receiving training from Cathie Catasus, Program Manager from Lake County Water Authority (LCWA), Upper School science teacher Mrs. Amy Napoles, along with the STEM-Sustainability SAC students and students from the Environmental Club, will now be able to participate in Florida LAKEWATCH, a water quality monitoring program established in 1986 that uses citizen volunteers to actively participate in monthly data collection to support the management of our lakes, estuaries, rivers, and springs. “I’m excited to work on some long-term monitoring of the health of Lake ...

Grants Update: Week of December 22, 2025

By Morgan Leskody posted 7 days ago
New Grant Opportunities Environmental Protection Agency FY 2026 Water Technical Assistance (WaterTA) WHAT DOES IT FUND? The purpose of this program is to connect communities to experts who help assess and implement solutions for their drinking water, sewage, and stormwater needs. Click here for more information. WHO'S ELIGIBLE? Eligible applicants are local governments and communities; drinking water, wastewater and stormwater utilities and systems; states and territories; tribes; and non-governmental organizations. TOTAL FUNDING AMOUNT? Rather than providing monetary awards, this program will provide free technical assistance (TA) ...

Comment Period Closing 1/2/26 – CalPERS Risk Pools Regulations

By Morgan Leskody posted 8 days ago
By: @Aaron Avery CalPERS is engaged in a regulatory rulemaking that seeks to clarify operational procedures for maintaining risk pools and to refine the criteria for rate plans to enter and cease participation in a risk pool. The written comment period will close at 11:59 p.m. on January 2, 2026, as described in greater detail below. Several of the proposed changes are highlighted below. However, interested special districts should consult the rulemaking materials for detailed information: Notice of Proposed Rulemaking ; Text of Proposed Regulation ; and, Initial Statement of Reasons . The purpose of risk pools is to mitigate demographic risks for ...

CSDA Survey Seeks to Understand PRA Request Impacts

By Morgan Leskody posted 8 days ago
By: @Marcus Detwiler CSDA is looking to survey its members to assess the scope, scale, and impact on governments to comply with the California Public Records Act (PRA); this effort is in concert with similar efforts being undertaken by fellow local government association stakeholders. The results of this survey will inform CSDA’s advocacy work and allow CSDA to better represent special districts on this issue. Your participation is key to well-informed public policy. Individual survey responses will not be shared outside the coalition. Please provide your responses by close of business on Friday, January 30, 2026. CSDA requests that one survey response is ...

2026 New Laws Series, Part 10: New Employment Laws Special Districts Should Know

By Morgan Leskody posted 8 days ago
By: Alexander C. Volberding, Partner, Liebert Cassidy Whitmore California lawmakers advanced a wide slate of workplace laws that touch on important subjects for special districts, including personnel records, pay transparency, training, wage-judgment enforcement, Civil Rights Department (CRD) procedures, leave, independent-contractor issues, contract restrictions, county retirement systems, and public-employee misconduct. Below is a quick rundown of significant bills, with the code sections implicated by the new laws. SB 513 (Durazo) — Personnel Records: Education & Training California’s Labor Code gives current and former employees or their representatives ...

How to Combat AI-Driven Misinformation

By Morgan Leskody posted 14 days ago
By @Kristin Withrow , Communications Specialist, CSDA The rise of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technology is being used to dramatically increase efficiency, reduce research time, automate processes, and enhance workflows. It can also create highly convincing fake videos, voice-overs, and imagery that could be used to manipulate public opinion and influence local elections. Mac Clemmens, CEO of Streamline and an endorsed business affiliate of the California Special Districts Association, addressed this double-edged technological sword at the CSDA Annual Conference & Exhibitor Showcase this year, explaining how misinformation spreads and what ...

Building Bridges: Strengthening Regional Partnerships

By Morgan Leskody posted 14 days ago
By: @Morgan Leskody , Communications Specialist, CSDA This year, the California Special Districts Association (CSDA) launched a new program in partnership with the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG). Through this collaborative program, participants took part in two webinars, an in-person guided tour of the Sacramento Area Sewer District, and a closing Strategic Futures Summit featuring panels and networking opportunities. This program connects policymakers, local agency staff, and regional leaders with the people and projects that keep communities running. The Sacramento Area Sewer District (SASD) tour offered participants a firsthand look ...

Grants Update: Week of December 15, 2025

By Morgan Leskody posted 14 days ago
New Grant Opportunities Department of Agriculture FY 2026 Electric Infrastructure Loan and Loan Guarantee Program WHAT DOES IT FUND? The purpose of this program is to maintain and improve electric infrastructure in rural communities nationwide to increase economic opportunities and quality of life. This program provides loans and loan guarantees for the construction of electric distribution, transmission, and generation facilities, including system improvements and replacement required to furnish and improve electric service in rural areas, as well as demand-side management, energy conservation programs, and on-grid and off-grid renewable energy ...

2026 New Laws Series, Part 9: New Workers’ Comp Laws Coming into Effect in 2026 and Beyond

By Morgan Leskody posted 14 days ago
By: Pilar Mitchell, Senior Partner, Michael Sullivan & Associates LLP Fall of 2025 saw significant legislative activity on workers’ compensation policy, as Governor Gavin Newsom signed several bills focused on expanding coverage and making changes to processes. This overview will focus on a few noteworthy new laws, the most significant being SB 487(Grayson) , which was opposed by the employer community. SB 487 extends additional benefits to certain public safety officers by limiting the reimbursement an employer can claim in third-party recovery actions. Traditionally, the workers’ compensation system has allowed employers to seek reimbursement through ...

Federal Legislative Update: Week of December 15, 2025

By Morgan Leskody posted 15 days ago
House and Senate Action As Congress prepares to adjourn at the end of this week, this will likely be our final federal update of the year. Lawmakers are expected to complete remaining business and return home for the holidays, with limited activity anticipated until the next session begins in early January. We will continue to monitor developments during the recess and resume regular updates in the new year. House This week, the House will consider nearly two dozen noncontroversial bills listed on the suspension calendar (requires a two-thirds majority for passage), including measures related to education, conservation, natural resources, land transfers, ...

Entering The Earth Balloon (Kansas)

By Kristin Withrow posted 15 days ago
This article was originally published at KOAM News Now by Kenny Forman on October 30, 2025 CHANUTE, Kan. - (KOAM) - Fifth and sixth graders at Chanute Christian Academy got a very unique perspective of the planet we all call home. “I think the vibrancy of the way that they're presented just makes it look much more real life, almost like you're seeing it from outer space,” school administrator Ashley Tromsness said. The Neosho County Conservation District 's educational effort, known as "Earth Balloon," is designed to teach young students about what makes planet Earth so special and the importance of preserving its resources. Before stepping inside this ...

Go Ahead, Toot Your Own Horn

By Kristin Withrow posted 21 days ago
How Going for Awards Builds Stronger Districts By Kristin Withrow, Communications Specialist, CSDA This article originally appeared in California Special Districts magazine, November/December 2025 As we put the polishing finish on a good year and look forward to 2026, we wanted to highlight a 2025 conference session that put the spotlight on, well - seeking the spotlight. Awards and recognition programs for special districts may be a topic that district leaders overlook, but these programs can bring profound benefits to your district. In our conference session, several top award-winning leaders from two districts urged their peers to actively pursue ...

Grants Update: Week of December 8, 2025

By Morgan Leskody posted 21 days ago
New Grant Opportunities Department of Transportation FY 2026 Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grant Program WHAT DOES IT FUND? The purpose of this program is to support surface transportation projects that will have a significant local or regional impact. The funding agency released preliminary information for the FY2026 solicitation and expects to amend the Notice of Funding Opportunity to provide more details concerning the availability of funds, application content and format, application review, award notices, and post-award requirements and reporting. Click here for more information. WHO'S ELIGIBLE? ...

Federal Legislative Update: Week of December 8, 2025

By Morgan Leskody posted 21 days ago
House and Senate Action House The House returns on Tuesday afternoon with 25 bills scheduled for consideration under the suspension calendar, including legislation (H.R. 3857) that would reauthorize the Snow Water Supply Forecast program. The bill would expand the use of modern technologies – including LiDAR and satellite imagery – to improve snowpack modeling and provide water managers with more accurate data for drought planning. Later in the week, the House is expected to turn to the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a must-pass measure that sets policy and authorizes funding for the Department of Defense and related programs. ...

CSDA Welcomes Nikki Winslow, Altadena Library District, to the CSDA Board of Directors!

By Morgan Leskody posted 21 days ago
CSDA is pleased to announce the appointment of Nikki Winslow , District Director of the Altadena Library District, to the CSDA Board of Directors, representing Seat C of the Southern Network for the remainder of the 2024–2026 term. Director Winslow brings more than two decades of public service experience and a strong record of leadership in library administration, community engagement, and regional collaboration. Her commitment to advancing the mission of special districts and her active involvement in CSDA’s San Gabriel Valley Chapter reflect her dedication to strengthening local governance statewide. Director Winslow has also experienced firsthand the ...

2026 New Laws Series, Part 8: New Mandatory Trainings for Local Government Board Members and Staff (SB 827)

By Morgan Leskody posted 22 days ago
By: Nicholaus Norvell, Partner and Stephanie Cook, Associate, Best Best & Krieger LLP Current law requires certain elected and appointed local public officials to receive training on ethics principles and laws relevant to the official’s public service for a minimum of two hours every two years. Starting in 2026, an additional two-hour fiscal and financial training will be required and certain local government staff will be required to take the respective trainings. In October of 2025, Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law SB 827, a bill authored by State Senate Majority Leader Lena Gonzalez. The new law builds upon current ethics training requirements, ...

Missouri DNR Awards $2.28 Million to Howard County Public Water Supply District No. 2 for System Upgrades

By Kristin Withrow posted 22 days ago
This article was originally published at kmmo.com on October 28, 2025. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has awarded $2.28 million to the Howard County Public Water Supply District No. 2 for upgrades to its water distribution, storage and supply systems. The district estimates the funding will cover the entire cost of the project, which should be completed by May 2026. The project’s upgrades will include installation of a new regional connection with the Howard County Regional Water Commission, a new booster pumping station, a standby generator and additional water lines. Project funding consists of a $390,060 Drinking Water State Revolving ...

Paradise Irrigation District’s Hard-Earned Lessons from the 2018 Camp Fire Disaster

By Kristin Withrow posted 28 days ago
By Kristin Withrow, Communications Specialist, CSDA In November 2018, the Camp Fire devastated the Town of Paradise, spreading as fast as 80 football fields per minute and destroying 90% of the town’s homes along with critical infrastructure. The Paradise Irrigation District (PID), a special district formed in 1916 and governed by a locally elected board, faced unprecedented challenges. With 95% of its revenue wiped out and its water delivery system severely compromised, the district confronted a complex environmental and communication crisis. PID Assistant District Manager Mickey Rich and District Manager Kevin Phillips shared critical lessons learned from ...