A new wave of scam text messages impersonating the California Department of Motor Vehicles prompted the agency to alert the public not to comply with the threats or offers of discounted services.

The text messages claim the recipients have unpaid tickets and threaten things like prosecution, suspension of vehicle registration and revocation of driving privileges or offer discounted registration fees, the division stated in a June 4 news release.

The text messages are written as if they were official communication from the division to entice the recipient “into clicking malicious links and divulging personal or financial information under the guise of settling non-existent violations,” the division stated in the news release.

“The DMV does not offer discounts on vehicle registration renewals and will never ask for payment or personal information through unofficial channels,” the department said in a press release.

What the fraudulent text messages typically include

The California DMV says that exact phrasing can vary but the scam texts usually:

• “State they are from the ‘California DMV’ or a similar official-sounding entity.”
• “Allege outstanding unpaid tickets or violations.”
• “Threaten imminent legal action, such as prosecution.”
• “Warn of pending suspension of vehicle registration and/or driving privileges.”
• “Contain a link to a fake website to ‘resolve’ the issue or make a payment.”
• “Offers of discounted DMV services.”

Ways to prevent being scammed if you receive a suspicious text claiming to be from the DMV

“The safest way to renew your vehicle registration is directly through the official DMV website,” said DMV Director Steve Gordon. “We never conduct official business through social media or other unofficial channels.”

The California DMV offered this guidance:

• Don’t click on links, as they “often lead to fake websites designed to steal your information,” the California Division of Motor Vehicles warned.
• Don’t share personal or financial information, including your driver’s license number, Social Security number, credit card information, or banking information.
• Don’t reply.

What to do if concerned about the status of your driver’s license, vehicle registration or potential tickets

Contact the California Department of Motor Vehicles directly through its official website, at https://www.dmv.ca.gov or call the DMV at 800-777-0133.

“If you have not engaged in any activity that would result in a ticket or penalty, it is almost certainly a scam,” the news release stated.

If you get one of the fraudulent texts, you can report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, www.ic3.gov, or the Federal Trade Commission, reportfraud.ftc.gov.

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The 1978 cold case murder of a California high school teacher who was stabbed to death has been solved nearly five decades later, officials confirmed.

Diane Peterson was found dead on a hallway floor near her classroom at a San Jose high school on June 16, 1978, according to the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office. She was 26. The killing happened on the day after summer break began when teachers returned to campus to finish cleaning their classrooms, the district attorney said.

The San Jose Police Department can now confirm that Harry “Nicky” Nickerson stabbed Peterson when he was 16, after a family relative witness came forward earlier this year. The district attorney’s office said Nickerson confessed to the murder to the family member and was seen carrying a knife with the phrase “Teacher Dear” written on it.

“When we hit a brick wall and we reached a dead end with forensic evidence, it came down to old school police work and our detectives interviewing people and trying to get answers from people. And we finally got the answer we were looking for,” Deputy District Attorney Rob Baker said at a news conference Monday, June 2.

The district attorney’s office said a family member of the victim thanked investigators for continuing to search for answers, adding that “Diane was a beautiful and wonderful person who is missed dearly.”

What happened to Harry Nickerson?

Nickerson died in from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in 1993, according to the district attorney’s office. While Nickerson was never convicted in Peterson’s death, he was among the prime suspects.

A 1978 booking photo of the teen appeared very similar to a composite sketch eyewitness accounts shared, the district attorney’s office said.

“He denied being involved. He said he didn’t own a knife and the case was basically cold,” Baker said, adding that Nickerson accused officers of trying to “pin” the crime on him.

In 1983, a family of a student at the school claimed they saw Nickerson kill Peterson, but the student later denied making the statement, per the district attorney. The next year, a witness told police that they saw Nickerson carry out a drug deal that implicated the teen in the murder.

Following Peterson’s death, Nickerson was arrested and convicted of various charges including armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon and kidnapping, the district attorney’s office said. In 1984, he was shot and critically injured during a drug robbery, but no charges were filed in that case.

Why did the witness just come forward?

The family relative, whose identity the district attorney did not share, did not come forward for decades out of fear of retaliation from Nickerson or his family, Baker confirmed with USA TODAY.

“After exhausting all other investigative leads, including extensive forensic DNA analysis, homicide detectives reached out to the relative, who revealed the secret they had been keeping for nearly 50 years,” Baker told USA TODAY. “According to the detectives, it was an emotional moment for the relative.”

The witness was not involved in Peterson’s killing in any capacity and did not help Nickerson evade arrest so criminal charges could not be filed, Baker said.

“This marks the end of a terrible and tragic mystery,” District Attorney Jeff Rosen said in a news release. “Ms. Peterson would have been a senior citizen today if she had not crossed paths with this violent teenager. I wish she was. I am pleased that we have solved this case, even though the murderer is not alive to face justice. I wish he was.”

California state government responds to wildfire risk with new prevention investments

The Press Office of Governor Gavin Newsom has reported that California has awarded nearly $72 million through CAL FIRE to support regionally based land management projects aimed at addressing wildfire risk and forest health.

The announcement comes as the U.S. federal government reduces resources for the U.S. Forest Service, creating uncertainty ahead of peak fire season.

According to the Governor’s Office, 12 grants are being distributed to support large-scale forest management initiatives, enhance long-term carbon storage, and improve ecosystem resilience across California.

New projects fast-tracked under state emergency proclamation

The Governor’s Office reported that California has approved 13 wildfire safety projects on nearly 7,000 acres since the April 17 activation of the wildfire prevention emergency proclamation.

The state stated that these projects involve natural resource managers, tribal entities, fire districts, and other partners, and follow recent work on over 2 million acres in previous years.

Fast-track approvals began within one week of the application window opening in mid-April.

Forest Health Program grants target large landscapes and multiple jurisdictions

CAL FIRE said its Forest Health Program is funding projects of no less than 800 acres across multiple landownerships and jurisdictions to support fire prevention and ecological restoration.

Alan Talhelm, Assistant Deputy Director of Climate and Energy at CAL FIRE, said: “CAL FIRE is proud to award Forest Health grants that will increase the wildfire resilience of California’s landscapes and communities and help restore ecosystems following wildfire.

“These grants will provide our partners around the state with funds to complete projects that support local economies, protect watersheds, increase public safety, and sequester carbon.”

The agency noted that projects include fuel treatments, habitat protection, reintroduction of fire, and support for low-income and tribal communities.

Selected projects include fuels reduction and ecological restoration

According to CAL FIRE, project highlights include 1,288 acres of fuels reduction by the Upper Mokelumne River Watershed Authority and 867 acres treated by the Redwood Forest Foundation, Inc., creating forestry jobs and youth opportunities.

Other projects include prescribed fire on 450 acres in Humboldt County under the Prosper Ridge Community Wildfire Resilience Project and 2,917 acres in Scott Valley focused on tree health and carbon sequestration.

The state emphasized that these initiatives are being monitored to ensure adherence to environmental protection standards under the new Statewide Fuels Reduction Environmental Protection Plan.

Early action budget allocates $170 million for wildfire resilience

The Governor’s Office reported that $170 million in voter-approved funding has been made available through state conservancies for wildfire resilience work as part of the 2025 early action budget.

The funding is supported by an executive order signed by Governor Newsom to streamline approvals for these projects under the March 1 State of Emergency.

These measures build on previous years of accelerated investment in fire safety infrastructure, forest management, and community preparedness.

Aerial firefighting and technology capacity expanded

Governor Newsom recently announced the addition of a second C-130 Hercules airtanker to California’s fleet, which his office described as the largest aerial firefighting fleet in the world.

CAL FIRE has also increased its deployment of Uncrewed Aerial Systems and implemented artificial intelligence tools to assist with fire detection and response.

These technological tools are part of broader state strategies to detect fires faster and allocate response resources efficiently.

Transparency and data tools support wildfire planning

The Governor’s Task Force has launched an Interagency Treatment Dashboard, which the state said provides public access to treatment data across public and private lands.

According to the Governor’s Office, the dashboard helps track progress, inform planning, and support coordination between federal, state, and local agencies.

The dashboard is part of a broader move to improve transparency in forest management and wildfire mitigation efforts statewide.

California boosts wildfire risk prevention through CAL FIRE grants and emergency actions: Summary

California has awarded nearly $72 million through CAL FIRE to support wildfire risk reduction.

The announcement was made by the Press Office of Governor Gavin Newsom.

Twelve large-scale projects are being funded through the Forest Health Program.

The state approved 13 additional projects under its wildfire emergency proclamation.

These approvals follow treatment of 2 million acres in previous years.

Projects include fuels reduction, prescribed burns, and ecological restoration.

Funding comes from the Timber Regulation and Forest Restoration Fund and California Climate Investments.

Governor Newsom signed an executive order to speed up project approvals.

An early action budget includes $170 million for wildfire resilience.

California added a second C-130 Hercules airtanker to its firefighting fleet.

CAL FIRE is using Uncrewed Aerial Systems and AI for fire detection.

A public dashboard was launched to track wildfire resilience work.

Over 2,200 landscape health projects are complete or underway.