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California's state parks will stay open, for now.

About 15 parks statewide, including Zmudowski State Beach in Moss Landing, were just three days away from closure in an effort to save the state some cash. (That's down from an initial list of 70 planned park closures, thanks to deals with government agencies, nonprofits and private companies.)

But then, on the evening of June 27, Gov. Jerry Brown signed the state budget—including measures to funnel more cash to the California Department of Parks and Recreation.

State Parks Monterey District Superintendent Mat Fuzie called the Weekly this afternoon with major news: All state parks would remain open, he said, at least for now. That includes the parks that, like Zmudowski, failed to find partnerships.

“We’re being instructed that we are not going to close any park now," Fuzie says, "but if things get bad enough we might continue with the closures.”

"It's great news," says Jerry Emory, spokesman for the California State Parks Foundation. "The top priority is to keep parks open, because as soon as you close a state park, bad things happen."

The agreed-on park partnerships will remain in effect, says State Parks spokesman Clark Blanchard. "The governor's budget has about $23 million for state parks, $10 million of which will be used to continue this July 1 deadline."

At this point, 40 parks on the closure list have signed agreements to remain open, and 25 more are in negotiations, he says. That only leaves five statewide, including Zmudowski State Beach, without stable funding plans. "We're not giving up on those parks," Blanchard adds. "We're going to continue working on finding partners."

He expects resolution in the coming weeks: "It's a testament to local nonprofits, local governments, the Legislature and the governor working together to find a solution."

About 15 parks statewide, including Zmudowski State Beach in Moss Landing, were just three days away from closure in an effort to save the state some cash. (That's down from an initial list of 70 planned park closures, thanks to deals with government agencies, nonprofits and private companies.)

But then, on the evening of June 27, Gov. Jerry Brown signed the state budget—including measures to funnel more cash to the California Department of Parks and Recreation.

State Parks Monterey District Superintendent Mat Fuzie called the Weekly this afternoon with major news: All state parks would remain open, he said, at least for now. That includes the parks that, like Zmudowski, failed to find partnerships.

“We’re being instructed that we are not going to close any park now," Fuzie says, "but if things get bad enough we might continue with the closures.”

"It's great news," says Jerry Emory, spokesman for the California State Parks Foundation. "The top priority is to keep parks open, because as soon as you close a state park, bad things happen."

The agreed-on park partnerships will remain in effect, says State Parks spokesman Clark Blanchard. "The governor's budget has about $23 million for state parks, $10 million of which will be used to continue this July 1 deadline."

At this point, 40 parks on the closure list have signed agreements to remain open, and 25 more are in negotiations, he says. That only leaves five statewide, including Zmudowski State Beach, without stable funding plans. "We're not giving up on those parks," Blanchard adds. "We're going to continue working on finding partners."

He expects resolution in the coming weeks: "It's a testament to local nonprofits, local governments, the Legislature and the governor working together to find a solution."

(7/2 UPDATE: State Parks spokesman Dennis Weber says just one state park, Providence Mountains State Recreational Area, will remain closed "due to vandalism and staffing issues at this remote site.")