Glenn Gehlke

Californians will pay almost 10% higher healthcare premiums on average for their Covered California coverage in 2027, the state agency announced Tuesday. In the coverage year 2027, premiums will increase by 9.9%, compared to the 10.3% increase for 2026. Sign in to read this story and receive the weekly roundup in your inbox. Success! Your account was created and you’re signed in. Please visit My Account to manage your account.

THE CONTRA COSTA COUNTY FAIR kicked off the Bay Area’s 2026 fair season on Thursday, bringing out early birds eager to hit the carnival midway, check out the farm animals, and grab their favorite deep-fried foods and sweet treats before weekend crowds descend. The theme for this year’s event is “Wild About the Fair,” and among the related attractions is a daily exotic live animal show inside one of the event buildings.

I THOUGHT I HAD PNEUMONIA. It was October 2009, and I had recently returned from a weekend visit to San Francisco with my wife and son. Fall is a great time to visit the city, but it is unfortunately also the start of cold and flu season, and when I started coming down with a sore throat and body aches that eventually progressed to a high fever, chills and a cough, I chalked it up being out in public exposed to whatever wandering viruses may have been present that day.