Sacramento news roundup: congressional debate, Trump accounts and a historic train

Three stories are shaping conversations across the Sacramento region today, from a heated congressional debate to a major corporate pledge and a rare weekend rail trip. Here’s a quick guide to what happened and why it matters.

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• Rep. Mike Thompson and challenger Eric Jones clashed Wednesday night over affordability, health care and data centers in a debate for Northern California’s 4th Congressional District, a seat that spans parts of nine counties from Napa Valley through Yolo County and into the Sacramento Valley. On data centers, Jones called for a ban in California plus restrictions on artificial intelligence for youth under 16, while Thompson said siting decisions must be “locally controlled” and should not displace critical agricultural land.

• Micron Technology, which operates an engineering and office facility in Folsom, is pledging $250 million in one-time $250 deposits to Trump Accounts for eligible children under 18 in Sacramento County and other regions where the company has offices. The White House announced Oct. 7 that 70 million Trump Accounts have been created through automatic enrollment, but parents or guardians must claim the account on an app to receive a one-time $1,000 deposit.

• A special Gold Runner train will depart Sacramento Station on I Street at 7:41 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, arriving at Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park at 11:41 a.m. for the park’s annual rededication. Allensworth, named for co-founder Colonel Allen Allensworth, was the first California community founded and governed by African Americans, and Gold Runner is offering discounted one-way adult fares of $19 with further discounts for seniors, children, people with disabilities, veterans and active military.