L.A. Times - Business

Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings to leave the company, marking the end of an era

Samantha Masunaga, Stacy Perman — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 20:28:15 GMT

Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings will leave the company's board in June to focus on philanthropy and other efforts, the streaming company said Thursday.

David Ellison hits CinemaCon, reiterating pledge to make more movies with Paramount-Warner Bros.

Samantha Masunaga — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 20:04:03 GMT

Paramount Chief Executive David Ellison came to the CinemaCon trade show in Las Vegas Thursday to reiterate his commitment to the theatrical business.

AMC's Adam Aron backs David Ellison's takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery

Samantha Masunaga — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

AMC Chief Executive Adam Aron said he believes David Ellison will hold to his promise of making 30 films a year from the combined Paramount-Warner Bros. company.

This Long Beach startup says it has a patch for California's power problems

Nilesh Christopher — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

This long beach startup powers California's industries using off-grid power

Jury finds Ticketmaster and Live Nation operated illegal monopoly

Cerys Davies, Itzel Luna — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 19:28:22 GMT

The verdict by a Manhattan jury came after a five-week trial and caps a closely watched case that could have far reaching effects across the music industry.

Snap is cutting 1,000 workers in the latest tech layoff

Queenie Wong — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 16:57:12 GMT

Snap Chief Executive Evan Spiegel told employees that the company is trying to cut costs and cited AI tools.

L.A.'s trailblazing home builder is the latest to leave California

Itzel Luna, Roger Vincent — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 20:52:31 GMT

KB Home will relocate its headquarters to Arizona by spring 2027, the home-building company announced last week. It comes after a slew of corporations that have fled the state in recent years.

Trump signs bill reauthorizing federal aid to defense startups

Laurence Darmiento — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 19:39:33 GMT

President Trump on Monday signed the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act, which will fund aerospace and defense startups in Southern California and elsewhere.

Why theater owners are balking at Hollywood's latest mega deal

Samantha Masunaga — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 18:57:18 GMT

Cinema United President Michael O'Leary said his group opposes Paramount Skydance's proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.

Disney begins 1,000 job cuts this week across the company

Meg James — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 15:13:26 GMT

CEO Josh D'Amaro told Disney staff that the fast-changing landscape 'requires us to constantly assess how to foster a more agile and technologically-enabled workforce.'

How Waymo and Waze are pitching in to help solve L.A.'s pothole problem

Itzel Luna — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Waze, a GPS navigation company, is teaming up with Waymo to use the company's self-driving cars to detect potholes in Los Angeles and four other major metro areas.

Hollywood stars line up against Paramount's Warner Bros. acquisition

Meg James — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 16:10:56 GMT

The letter was signed by nearly 1,000 artists and movie creators, including Ben Stiller, Bryan Cranston, Noah Wyle, Joaquin Phoenix, Kristen Stewart and Jane Fonda.

Hollywood offshoring: A look at who's winning the global production race

Samantha Masunaga — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

As other countries have built up their incentive programs, production infrastructure and crew expertise, filming has increasingly moved overseas.

Movie theaters finally emerge from the shadows of the pandemic

Samantha Masunaga — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

After a recent string of successful films such as "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" and "Project Hail Mary," movie theaters are feeling more optimistic about the year ahead.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman addresses Molotov cocktail attack on his home and AI backlash

Queenie Wong — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Questions linger about what motivated the attack against OpenAI's Sam Altman. "We should de-escalate the rhetoric and tactics," Altman wrote in a blog post.

Man charged with arson after fires are set inside Ontario Mills mall

Melody Petersen — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 21:46:29 GMT

A Rancho Cucamonga man was arrested Friday morning after multiple fires were started inside stores at the Ontario Mills mall, officials said.

Blank Street lands on the West Coast

Iris Kwok — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 18:47:07 GMT

The $500-million coffee chain from New York City will start its California expansion in Beverly Hills.

Hiltzik: Trump wants you to invest your 401(k) in crypto and private equity. Should you bite?

Michael Hiltzik — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Trump is opening the door to risky 'alternative investments' such as crypto and private equity in 401(k) plans. But employers have had good reasons to keep them out of their plans.

Chabria: Wipe out a 'civilization'? Minor stuff compared with what just happened in AI

Anita Chabria — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

A real strike on civilization as we know it occurred in Silicon Valley, where a new AI super-brain was locked up because it's too powerful — and unpredictable.

In-N-Out owner says no to automated ordering

Itzel Luna — Thu, 9 Apr 2026 21:34:52 GMT

The beloved California chain has no interest in embracing automated online ordering, the owner, Lynsi Snyder-Ellingson said in a talk at Pepperdine University in late March.

'It's killing everything.' California's truckers are buckling under country's priciest diesel

Nilesh Christopher — Thu, 9 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Record diesel prices are crushing California's truckers, forcing them to adjust to avoid losses as they grapple with the most expensive pump prices in the country.

Meta, Oracle and Qualcomm share details on layoffs across California

Queenie Wong — Thu, 9 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Recent filings to the California Employment Development Department provide more details about job cuts at major tech companies.

Fire survivors call for audits of Edison's wildfire prevention spending

Melody Petersen — Thu, 9 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Survivors of the deadly Eaton fire call on state lawmakers to pass a bill requiring audits of spending by Southern California Edison and the state's two other big for-profit electric companies on wildfire prevention.

Hiltzik: This pharma company makes a miracle HIV drug, but is blocking access for millions of low-income people

Michael Hiltzik — Thu, 9 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Gilead's lenacapavir could transform the fight against HIV — but only if millions more patients can get it.

Disney plans extensive round of layoffs in the coming weeks

Samantha Masunaga, Meg James — Thu, 9 Apr 2026 01:28:16 GMT

Walt Disney Co. is planning an extensive round of layoffs as Hollywood continues to cut jobs.

Jeff Shell steps down as Paramount president after legal battle with gambler

Meg James — Wed, 8 Apr 2026 15:57:20 GMT

Paramount President Jeff Shell is expected to exit the company after being entangled in a legal battle with a controversial Las Vegas gambler and self-styled "fixer."

AI boom catapults San Francisco median home price above $2 million

Queenie Wong — Wed, 8 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Home prices in San Francisco hit a record $2.5 million in March as wealth from the AI boom flowed through the city.

Federal judge could halt Nexstar-Tegna TV station merger

Meg James, Katie King — Wed, 8 Apr 2026 02:25:40 GMT

Lawyers for TV station giant Nexstar, which owns KTLA, argued that last month's mammoth merger with Tegna would not lessen competition.

Hypersonic aircraft company moves headquarters from Atlanta to El Segundo

Laurence Darmiento — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 12:30:00 GMT

Hermeus, which is developing hypersonic aircraft for the military, is moving its headquarters from Atlanta to El Segundo to access the Southern California aerospace talent pool.

Hiltzik: Exploring the moon while cutting NASA? Why Trump's 2027 budget misfires

Michael Hiltzik — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Trump's budget plan takes aim at programs that make Americans smarter, healthier and safer. What's his real agenda?

'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie' soars to the top spot at the box office

Samantha Masunaga, Stephen Battaglio — Sun, 5 Apr 2026 23:13:33 GMT

'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie' took over the box office this weekend, continuing a strong run for animated films.

Gas is $10 a gallon at a Big Sur station. The owner explains why his prices can't go higher

Salvador Hernandez — Fri, 3 Apr 2026 22:49:53 GMT

Gorda by the Sea, a mini-mart and gas station in a remote hamlet in Big Sur is charging $9.99 a gallon for gasoline, but its owner says he's not trying to price gouge drivers. Gas prices are increasing so quickly, he said, it might actually put him out of business.

President Trump bashed State Farm on social media: Why it didn't come out of the blue

Laurence Darmiento — Fri, 3 Apr 2026 18:45:14 GMT

There's a backstory to President Trump's Truth Social post and it stems from a controversial visit by administration officials to Los Angeles in February.

Downtown L.A.'s cratering real estate market is changing — rich renters are buying their buildings

Roger Vincent — Fri, 3 Apr 2026 10:02:00 GMT

Companies are buying their buildings instead of renting them as office values bottom out around Los Angeles.

Hiltzik: Why isn't the stock market freaking out more over the Iran war? Here's why

Michael Hiltzik — Fri, 3 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The stock market has fallen since Trump went to war against Iran, but why isn't it worse?

Consumers aren't clicking the PayPal button. It's a big problem for California's fintech pioneer

Queenie Wong — Fri, 3 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

PayPal's stock has dropped as it faces a slowdown in branded checkout and more competition from Apple and Google. With a new chief executive at the helm, the company sits at another turning point.

Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant gets final go-ahead to run through 2030

Blanca Begert — Thu, 2 Apr 2026 23:59:02 GMT

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission gave its stamp of approval, ending a three-year process to allow the plant to power on.

Trader Joe's expands with two new locations in California

Itzel Luna — Thu, 2 Apr 2026 15:55:56 GMT

The grocery chain, known for its unique product and affordable prices, has opened two new storefronts since January, and plans to add 18 more before the end of the year.

What SpaceX and its record IPO have riding on the new race to the moon

Laurence Darmiento — Thu, 2 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

SpaceX is preparing what is expected to be the largest IPO in history as NASA sends up the first Americans to the moon since the last Apollo flight in 1972.

'You're a liar.' Why the world's biggest building boom has run into a wall in California

Nilesh Christopher — Thu, 2 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The blue-collar jobs to build AI infrastructure are moving outside of California

Hiltzik: A proposed new 'fix' for Social Security that harms workers and protects the rich

Michael Hiltzik — Thu, 2 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

A new proposal for saving Social Security would cap benefits at $50,000 per person. Here's how that would hurt the working class but save the rich from a tax increase.

This Californian shoe company was once worth billions. It just sold for $39 million

Itzel Luna — Wed, 1 Apr 2026 16:20:40 GMT

Allbirds became a Silicon Valley favorite when it launched in 2021, known best for its eco-friendly wool sneakers. The company just sold for a fraction of what it was once worth.

Barbie brand takes another hit with festival flop

Itzel Luna — Wed, 1 Apr 2026 11:38:29 GMT

Attendees were promised a ticket into the ultimate dream life at Barbie Dream Fest, a 3-day fan event in Florida. Instead, it felt more like a nightmare.

Oracle lays off thousands in latest sign of tough times for tech industry

Queenie Wong — Wed, 1 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The cuts come as the software giant invests billions of dollars in expanding its artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Gas just hit $6 in Los Angeles. Here's where you can still find it for $5

Clara Harter — Wed, 1 Apr 2026 00:45:46 GMT

Gasoline hit an unwelcome benchmark in the L.A. area as the average price per gallon reached $6. There are still some rare gems of stations where gas remains around $5.

Hiltzik: The Disney/Sora fiasco shows the limits of the AI craze

Michael Hiltzik — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 01:58:37 GMT

Disney and OpenAI thought their billion-dollar deal would underscore the importance of AI for Hollywood's future. Its ignominious collapse proves just the opposite

Mattel goes through another round of layoffs

Itzel Luna — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 18:23:23 GMT

The company behind Barbie and Hot Wheels plans to lay off 65 workers in May, the latest in a series of mass layoffs that have plagued Mattel in the past year.

Californian chocolate recalled for being spiked with Viagra ingredients

Itzel Luna — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 17:21:58 GMT

Two chocolate products, marketed for sexual enhancement, were found to contain active ingredients used to treat erectile dysfunction, the FDA announced Thursday.

Apple turns 50: How a garage startup became a $3.5-trillion titan

Queenie Wong — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The maker of the iPhone, iPad and other popular consumer gadgets hits a milestone this week, reaching its 50th anniversary.

Why Grocery Outlet is closing some stores in California

Iris Kwok — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The bargain grocer is closing under-performing locations, including in San Diego and Orange counties.

California farmers were already struggling. Then came the Iran war

Laurence Darmiento — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The war's disruption of exports and rise in fertilizer prices are hurting California farmers.

Living comfortably costs the most in these California cities

Itzel Luna — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Bay Area and Orange County cities topped the list of U.S. cities with the highest salaries needed to live comfortably, according to a new study.

As oil prices rise, airfares are surging and some airlines might not survive

Caroline Petrow-Cohen — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

United Airlines Chief Executive Scott Kirby said the hike in jet fuel prices triggered by the conflict in Iran could put some airlines out of business.

L.A. social media addiction verdict set to unleash more lawsuits — and force changes

Sonja Sharp — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Civil juries in Los Angeles County and Santa Fe, N.M., recently found that social media companies were responsible for harms their products caused to children. The bellwether cases could now open the floodgates for a deluge of similar lawsuits.

How the landmark verdict against Meta and YouTube could hit their businesses

Queenie Wong — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Meta and Alphabet, the parent company of YouTube, saw their stock price drop this week after a jury found the companies liable for the design and operations of their platforms, harming a young user.

Justin Vineyards pays $1.49 million to settle sex harassment case

Laurence Darmiento — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 23:01:49 GMT

Justin Vineyards & Winery has agreed to pay a $1.49 million to settle a case accusing the company of disregarding sexual harassment complaints by female workers.

Hiltzik: How a custody fight over an old dog showed why lawyers should never trust AI to tell the truth

Michael Hiltzik — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

A California custody lawsuit over an aging Labrador ended with both sides being punished for citing precedents faked by AI.

These L.A. cities want to raise sales taxes after blackjack ban

Itzel Luna — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Bell Gardens and Commerce are seeking a quarter-cent sales tax increase to offset the impact of the state's upcoming blackjack ban, city officials announced Thursday.

FKA twigs sues ex-boyfriend Shia LaBeouf over 'unlawful' NDA

Stacy Perman — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 21:17:40 GMT

Six years after singer FKA twigs settled a sexual abuse lawsuit with her ex-boyfriend Shia LaBeouf, she is suing him, saying the actor is trying to silence her by enforcing an NDA that violates California law.

Warner shareholders to vote on Paramount takeover

Meg James — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Shareholders will decide on April 23 if they want to sell their stock to Paramount, which would advance Hollywood's biggest deal in nearly a decade.

Sony and Honda pull plug on the $100,000 EV that was set to debut in California

Caroline Petrow-Cohen — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

After the Japanese automaker Honda discontinued plans for three of its EVs, its joint venture with Sony announced it's shutting down its luxury EV Afeela.

Landmark L.A. jury verdict finds Instagram, YouTube were designed to addict kids

Sonja Sharp — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 17:31:56 GMT

The outcome Wednesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court is potentially precedent-setting for thousands of other pending lawsuits nationwide and could reshape how tech companies are held accountable for children's harm caused by their products.

Supreme Court makes it harder for music and movie makers to sue for online piracy

David G. Savage — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 16:27:16 GMT

The Supreme Court threw out Sony's lawsuit accusing Cox Cable of contributing to music piracy.

Hiltzik: Here are all the good things we could buy for the billions Trump is spending on his Iran war

Michael Hiltzik — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Trump has spent more than $25 billion on his Iran war and wants $200 billion more. Here's what America could buy instead.

OpenAI will shut down its Sora tool

Samantha Masunaga, Nilesh Christopher — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 23:21:59 GMT

OpenAI said Tuesday it would shut down its Sora AI visualization tool. Disney had planned to invest $1 billion in the company to license its characters to the video platform.

New Mexico social media lawsuit ends in $375-million verdict against Meta

Sonja Sharp — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 22:38:22 GMT

A verdict handed down in a civil trial involving Meta was the first monetary judgment against a social media company for alleged harms its products caused to kids.

Democrats call for review of Paramount's Middle Eastern financial backers

Meg James — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 21:35:42 GMT

Middle Eastern royal families previously pledged $24 billion to help the Larry Ellison family buy Warner Bros. Discovery

Walmart delivery by Google company drone may soon be coming to the San Francisco Bay Area

Queenie Wong — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 17:51:56 GMT

The drone startup has been partnering with retailer Walmart and delivery platform DoorDash to make deliveries in major areas such as Houston, Atlanta and Dallas.

Plus-size fashion chain Torrid to shutter a third of its stores

Itzel Luna — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 17:24:27 GMT

The company plans to close up to an additional 30 low-performing storefronts in the first half of fiscal 2026, said the company's chief executive Lisa Harper.

Zoox robotaxis to roam in more San Francisco neighborhoods and cover new cities

Caroline Petrow-Cohen — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Amazon-backed robotaxi firm Zoox is quadrupling its service area in San Francisco, adding destinations in Las Vegas and preparing to launch in Austin and Miami.

If SoCal hotels, stadiums host ICE agents, employees can miss work, union says as World Cup nears

Suhauna Hussain — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Unite Here Local 11 said in a letter that the presence of federal agents inside or in the immediate vicinity of properties constitutes conditions that trigger employees' right to refuse to work.

Jeff Bezos plans to invest $100 billion to bring AI to factories. Here's what it means for jobs

Nilesh Christopher — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Jeff Bezos is trying to leapfrog into the artificial intelligence race with a $100-billion fund to acquire manufacturers and bring more AI superpowers to factory floors.

Hiltzik: Inside the 1979 Silicon Valley demo that made Apple what it is today

Michael Hiltzik — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

In 1979, Steve Jobs led a delegation from Apple into Xerox's secretive Silicon Valley computer lab. The world would never be the same.

One Beverly Hills developer raises $4.3 billion to finish the massive luxury project

Roger Vincent — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The developers of One Beverly Hills have secured $4.3 billion in financing to complete the project, another milestone for one of the largest real estate projects underway in the country.

As malls and department stores fade, California's Ross and other discounters are booming

Caroline Petrow-Cohen — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 11:08:27 GMT

The company behind Ross Dress for Less and other bargain retailers are thriving as consumers look to save money.

Data centers under scrutiny by California lawmakers as fears rise about health and energy impacts

Katie King — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Due to health and energy concerns, the California Legislature is considering bills to prohibit data centers from being exempted from the state's stringent environmental law and impose new tariffs on new major energy users that strain power supplies.

Amazon MGM Studios' 'Project Hail Mary' rockets to the top of the box office

Samantha Masunaga — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 23:25:12 GMT

The Ryan Gosling-led "Project Hail Mary" hauled in $80.5 million in the U.S. and Canada this weekend, marking a big win for Amazon MGM Studios.

California considers restrictions on social media for kids

Queenie Wong — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

California is considering restrictions on social media for kids

California attorney general asks judge to block Nexstar-Tegna merger

Meg James — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 23:12:08 GMT

The move comes after Nexstar wins FCC approval and finalizes its $6.2-billion takeover

Gasoline price gouging in California draws a warning

Blanca Begert — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 22:17:29 GMT

Some gas stations are charging over $7 for gas in California. Not all of that price can be explained, the state warned.

Paramount deal for CNN and Warner Bros. draws concerns about news independence

Meg James — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 21:33:57 GMT

The Ellison family would control CNN and CBS News if the merger is approved by government regulators.

San Diego County agency selling water to keep its high rates in check

Ian James — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 18:46:36 GMT

The San Diego County Water Authority has reached a deal to sell some of its water to part of Riverside County.

Pentagon's Anthropic bashing rekindles Silicon Valley's resistance to war

Queenie Wong — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Technology companies are backing Anthropic after it sued the Trump administration over its designation as a supply chain risk.

Uber and Rivian plan to bring robotaxis to California

Caroline Petrow-Cohen — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Uber plans to invest up to $1.25 billion in Rivian through 2031 to bring robotaxis to San Francisco and other cities.

Nexstar finalizes acquisition of Tegna's TV stations, despite opposition

Samantha Masunaga — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 00:26:58 GMT

Nexstar Media Group has closed its deal to buy Tegna, despite opposition from some state attorneys general.

Testing for toxins in smoke-damaged homes could be mandatory. What to know

Laurence Darmiento — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

A bill has been introduced in the California Legislature to reform how insurers handle smoke damage claims following widespread complaints from January 2025 fire victims.

Lone survivor of fiery Cybertruck crash was trapped by electronic doors, lawsuit says

Caroline Petrow-Cohen — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The only survivor of a 2024 Cybertruck crash in Piedmont sued Tesla on Tuesday, saying he was trapped inside the burning vehicle due to design flaws.

Hiltzik: Ted Cruz and his GOP colleagues are pushing yet another tax break for the 1%

Michael Hiltzik — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Republicans are pushing — again — for a cut in the capital gains tax, but no one else thinks it's a good idea.

Disney's new CEO says his focus is on storytelling and creativity

Samantha Masunaga, Meg James — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 19:35:51 GMT

Walt Disney Co.'s new chief executive Josh D'Amaro plans to focus on storytelling, creativity and technology as he leads the storied entertainment company.

Disney's Josh D'Amaro era begins following Bob Iger handoff

Meg James, Samantha Masunaga — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 17:31:14 GMT

D'Amaro begins his tenure as the new chief executive of The Walt Disney Co. as Bob Iger steps into a senior advisory role ahead of his planned retirement in December.

'The Pitt' and a kids' science show from Jimmy Kimmel receive film tax credits

Samantha Masunaga — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Medical drama 'The Pitt' and a 'Family Guy' spinoff are among the 16 shows that were awarded tax credits for filming in California.

Airfares set to take off as fuel prices fly

Caroline Petrow-Cohen — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

With the war in Iran restricting the oil market and sending prices up, U.S. customers will likely have to shell out more for airfare soon.

SoCal's defense startups secure vital funding boost

Laurence Darmiento — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

A bill to reauthorize Small Business Administration programs that fund defense startups in Southern California and elsewhere passed Congress on Tuesday.

Industry groups sue California over Truth in Recycling law

Susanne Rust — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Agriculture, packaging and restaurant trade groups are suing California in federal court, arguing the state's Truth in Recycling law violates their free speech.

Edison executive pay soars despite devastating Eaton fire

Melody Petersen — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Edison International boosted the pay of its top executives last year despite their responsibility for the safety of the company's electricity lines before the deadly Eaton fire, which destroyed a wide swath of Altadena and killed 19 people

California will get $540 million for water projects, Trump administration announces

Ian James — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 21:20:31 GMT

The Trump administration has announced $540 million in spending on water infrastructure projects in California. Much of it will go to repair aging and sinking canals in the Central Valley.