Category : California

California peach farmers are preparing to remove hundreds of thousands of trees after the bankruptcy of Del Monte Foods eliminated a major buyer for their fruit. The company permanently closed its Modesto and Hughson processing facilities in April 2026, leaving growers with long-term contracts but no nearby cannery able to

A Coca-Cola operation that has been part of Ventura for more than a century is preparing to close, ending one of the longest-running business relationships in the Southern California city. Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling said its Ventura distribution center would permanently shut down on July 10, 2026. The closure would affect

California Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed extending the state’s sales tax to downloaded software and online software subscriptions, potentially raising costs for businesses and consumers beginning in 2027. Under existing California rules, prewritten software sold with a physical item, such as a disk, is generally taxable. The same program can avoid

California drivers faced another increase in fuel taxes beginning July 1, 2026, just as millions of residents prepared to travel for the Independence Day holiday. The state gasoline excise tax increased by 2.2 cents per gallon, while the diesel tax rose by 1.6 cents. The changes were automatic annual adjustments

Hundreds of thousands of Californians could lose CalFresh food assistance under federal work rules that began taking effect on June 1, 2026. The requirements apply to certain adults who do not have a disability and do not live with a dependent child under age 14. Those recipients generally must complete

Los Angeles County lost more residents than any other U.S. county during the year ending July 1, 2025, as high living costs and weaker migration flows continued to reshape the region. The county’s population fell by 53,934, from about 9.75 million to 9.69 million. Although Los Angeles remained the nation’s

Albertsons is reducing its California store network as the supermarket company reviews underperforming locations and invests more heavily in digital shopping and automation. The closures include stores operating under the Albertsons, Vons, and Safeway names. Hundreds of workers have been affected, although some employees have been offered transfers to nearby

Hollywood’s continued job losses are raising concerns that Los Angeles could permanently lose part of the entertainment economy that shaped the region for generations. U.S. employment in motion picture and sound recording fell by roughly 25% from its mid-2022 peak through early 2026. Los Angeles County alone lost an estimated