Sacramento top stories: Tahoe ski season, tire rules, school rankings

Sacramento made headlines Tuesday with major developments in winter recreation, consumer regulation, education and higher education policy. Here’s a quick roundup of the top stories from around the capitol region.

Read more At Padilla roundtable, California nonprofits warn of federal funding uncertainty

• Vail Resorts announced opening days for its Tahoe-area ski resorts, with Heavenly and Northstar set to open Nov. 20, 2026, and Kirkwood following on Dec. 4. A strengthening “Super El Niño” weather pattern could bring significantly more snowfall than usual to the Sierra Nevada in December and January. Bill Rock, president of Vail Resorts’ mountain division, said the company is taking “an aggressive approach to snowmaking” to prepare for the season.

• The California Energy Commission unanimously approved the nation’s first energy efficiency standards for replacement tires on Monday, targeting rolling resistance and wet grip performance. Regulators estimate the rules will cut carbon dioxide emissions by about 2 million metric tons per year and save Californians roughly $1 billion annually in gasoline and electricity costs. The standards phase in through 2029 and 2033, with tire cost increases projected at $1.50 per tire in 2029 and $6.50 per tire in 2033.

• Four California public high schools ranked among the top 25 nationally in U.S. News & World Report’s Best High Schools rankings for 2026-2027, released Tuesday. Science Academy Stem Magnet school in North Hollywood jumped from 20th to 10th nationally and claimed the top spot in California. The rankings reviewed more than 27,000 public schools based on state assessments, graduation rates and college readiness.

• Assembly Bill 1831, which would have blocked salary increases for CSU campus presidents in years with tuition hikes or stagnant staff wages, stalled in the Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday. The bill, authored by Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens, D-Sunnyvale, had passed the Assembly unanimously. CSU presidents received raises ranging from 5% to 20% in November 2025, pushing nearly half of the 22 campus presidents’ base salaries above $500,000 annually.