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Seattle-area sustainably sourced sandwich restaurant chain, Homegrown, will be closing 10 stores — leaving only two. The closures mean more than 150 employees will be laid off. Homegrown CEO and co-founder Brad Gillis said, as reported by The Puget Sound Business Journal on Monday, that economic impacts, rising labor costs and food prices have led to the decision. “This decision was incredibly difficult to make, but one that we feel was absolutely necessary,” Gillis stated, according to The Business Journal.

California Senate Republicans are calling out Gov. Gavin Newsom for what they say is a "PR stunt," after he announced a new initiative to dismantle homeless encampments across the state through an executive order. The Republicans ripped Newsom in a press release after he announced the initiative Thursday. His office said the governor has ordered "state agencies and departments to adopt clear policies that urgently address homeless encampments while respecting the dignity and well-being of all Californians." "It’s about damn time! Letting people live and die on the streets or in our parks is unsafe and unsanitary," said Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones, R-San Diego.

While there are several reasons for the rate hikes, one important reason is the soaring amount of vandalism and theft befalling car owners — and much of the auto crime is being driven by President Joe Biden’s migrants. The New York Post, for example, reported that two migrants, one of whom was armed with a fully automatic firearm, stole a policeman’s car in New York City. The paper noted that police think the two are Venezuelan migrants. Both were arrested, and police identified them as Jomar Crespo, 21, and Jose Rivera, 20, both of whom lived in Waterbury, Connecticut. However, authorities believe the suspects gave fake names, the sources said. Pressures like these have caused auto insurance rates to rise 21 percent from February 2023 to February 2024, CNN reported in March.

Atlanta-based Wood Partners, one of the country's largest real estate developers, did not provide a reason for its withdrawal, but said it would complete projects already underway in the state. The company said it was "committed to the execution of the construction, lease-up and stabilization of our projects in these impacted markets while continuing to be good fiduciaries for our capital partners," according to a statement from CEO Joe Keough provided to Multifamily Dive. Newsweek contacted Wood Partners on Thursday after the first unconfirmed report of the developer's withdrawal from California appeared on social media, but did not receive a response.

According to news reports, San Francisco Harley-Davidson, located at 3146 Mission Street, shut its doors for good last month. The closure appears to be sudden, as social media pages were still promoting deals and events at the dealership through the end of June. However, the dealership has shut down after being in operation since 1914, KRON4 confirmed on its website. Previously known as Dudley Perkins Harley-Davidson, the business was founded in 1914 by Dudley Perkins Sr. The motorcycle business “was the world’s longest-running family-owned Harley-Davidson dealership until being sold in January 2018.” It was one of the oldest dealers in San Francisco.

A local small business owner is losing his insurance policy after three years of “unfavorable loss” due to claims made after tens of thousands of dollars in damages due to the crime crisis. In protest, he exclusively told “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH that he won’t collect taxes for Washington unless he’s able to find an insurance company willing to cover his business. Nirav Sheth owns four brick-and-mortar small businesses across the Puget Sound region. He said the vandalism and break-ins are constant, forcing him to submit insurance claims to help cover the surging costs of repair. But on June 27, Sheth said he was informed by Allied Insurance Company that he’s losing his coverage. His last day under the policy is September 29, 2024. The decision comes after filing claims totaling over $133,000 over three years. This didn’t even cover all the incidents his businesses suffered.

Harley-Davidson is under fire from conservative commentator Robby Starbuck, who is calling for a boycott over the company’s recent DEI initiatives. Starbuck accuses the iconic motorcycle brand of pushing a "woke" agenda by supporting LGBTQ+ events, promoting DEI training, and aligning with progressive policies. Highlighting the company's sponsorship of Pride events and an LGBTQ+ entrepreneurship boot camp, Starbuck argues that Harley-Davidson's values no longer reflect those of its traditional customer base. The backlash follows similar conservative-led boycotts against companies like John Deere and Tractor Supply for their DEI policies. Harley-Davidson's commitment to DEI under CEO Jochen Zeitz includes aiming for all-electric vehicles by 2030 and supporting the Equality Act. This controversy echoes the broader cultural clash over corporate social responsibility and progressive values.

Federal authorities believe that the migrant TikTok influencer who became a social media sensation for encouraging others to squat in US homes was a sergeant in Venezuela’s military intelligence unit before he illegally entered the country, a federal source told The Post. Leonel Moreno — who went viral for bragging about all the money he was making in government benefits — was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in March for skipping out on the terms of his probation after he crossed the southern border illegally. Since his arrest, intelligence officers have taken a closer look at Moreno’s history and his life in Venezuela, noting that he allegedly was a sergeant of the Venezuelan general directorate of military intelligence, according to a Homeland Security source. Moreno, 27, crossed the border illegally into Eagle Pass, Texas, on April 23, 2022, and was released into the country, but skipped out on required check-ins with ICE, which led to his arrest.

The city’s deputy mayor of immigration said Tuesday that officials are anticipating and preparing for the possibility of a large influx of migrants from the southern border to coincide with the city’s hosting of the Democratic National Convention. “We have anticipated through discussions with people at the border also what we see happening at the border and comments made by the Texas governor that we would need upwards of 25,000 beds,” Deputy Mayor of Immigration Beatriz Ponce de León told aldermen at a meeting of the city council’s Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Rights. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott at last week’s Republican National Convention told attendees the bussing of people who crossed the southern border to other cities would continue “until we finally secure our border.”

Microsoft has reportedly laid off a team devoted to diversity, equity and inclusion after pouring millions of dollars into the initiative — becoming the latest major company to ditch the “woke” policy. The Big Tech giant disbanded the DEI team at the beginning of the month due to “changing business needs,” according to a July 1 email obtained by Business Insider. It is unclear how many employees were affected. The decision was a further sign that companies are pulling back on diversity-based initiatives that were put in place following the 2020 death of George Floyd and the subsequent Black Lives Matter protest campaigns.

CNN quietly disbanded its “Race and Equality” team of reporters as part of a major restructuring that included firing 100 staffers this week, according to a report. There were three reporters that made up the unit, which was created by former CNN president Jeff Zucker in the aftermath of the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020. One of the journalists was fired while the other two were reassigned to other departments, according to a newsletter written by black journalist Phil Lewis.

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff on Thursday demanded San Francisco increase funding for police. His comments came after a new local policy took effect restricting officers from conducting pretext traffic stops, which serve as disguises for investigations into other issues. He urged San Francisco to increase the number of officers it employs, accusing the city of having a force of fewer than 1,400 people. The San Francisco Police Department’s data, which includes academy recruits, states it has more than 1,800 sworn officers.

Bud Light, once the nation’s most popular beer, is now the No. 3 brand in the country — a stunning fall from grace for the Anheuser-Busch InBev-owned lager following the boycott over its Dylan Mulvaney ad partnership. Modelo Especial, the Mexican import sold by Constellation Brands, is now No. 1, accounting for 9.7% of beer dollar sales in US stores in the four weeks that ended July 6, according to NielsenIQ data that was analyzed by the Bump Williams consulting firm.

It may just be a legal technicality, or it may be a sign that the FBI smells something fishy with the Oakland PD, as the latest federal subpoena in “Sheng Thao raid-gate” asks for a slew of records from the Oakland Police Department. Now nearly a full month later, we still don’t know why the FBI raided Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao’s home on the morning of June 20. And no one has been publicly accused of any wrongdoing in the affair (yet), at least by the feds. But the FBI does not go around raiding elected officials’ homes, or the homes of their biggest campaign donors, just for kicks. So journalists are certainly sniffing around for clues to what this was all about, and what it could be about if and when anyone is charged with anything. Last week, Oaklandside reported that the FBI had freshly subpoenaed phone directory records from the Oakland Police Department. And in follow-up reporting today, the Bay Area News Group notes that the FBI has also subpoenaed information on federal funds received by the City of Oakland.

Thornton Township trustees Carmen Carlisle and Chris Gonzalez have blocked funding for local services, citing persistent transparency issues with Supervisor Tiffany Henyard's administration. The trustees expressed concerns over unapproved spending and the failure to provide necessary invoices and statements, leading to a standoff with Henyard, who also serves as the mayor of Dolton. The dispute reflects deeper issues of accountability and governance within the township, as trustees aim to implement ordinances for responsible spending. Henyard’s administration denies any wrongdoing and accuses trustees of political maneuvering, highlighting ongoing tensions over fiscal management.

While some corporations don't seem capable of figuring out that the American people aren't into woke policies and DEI initiatives, Tractor Supply Co. (TSC) seems to have deduced the secret code into keeping customers, and possibly even expanding their base. According to Filmmaker and journalist Robby Starbuck, TSC was found to have given $100,000 to an activist group that "worked around the clock" to stop deportations under the Trump administration. The group was called "Conexion Americas' and was previously headed by the National Council of La Raza, a George Soros funded organization.

In a dramatic move, Harvey, IL Mayor Chris Clark ordered police to remove the entire audience from a City Council meeting for clapping. The incident occurred during public comments when Pastor Jonathan Johnson tore up his church’s business license in protest against a municipal ordinance. The mayor, backed by police, responded by clearing the room, citing disruptive conduct. This move has sparked significant criticism, with allegations of Clark leveraging police to silence dissent. The incident highlights ongoing tensions in Harvey, where strict control measures and increased police presence at public meetings are raising concerns about freedom of speech and civil liberties.

Turmoil erupted in Thornton Township as Supervisor Tiffany Henyard faced a rebellion during a council meeting when trustees refused to approve routine bill payments. The trustees' protest stemmed from Henyard’s exclusion of key proposals that aimed to impose limits on the use of Township funds for personal promotion, travel guidelines for officials, and caps on salaries. These measures followed accusations against Henyard of using public money for personal gain and lacking transparency. Despite her attempts to advance the agenda, the trustees’ silence highlighted their mistrust and demand for financial transparency. This standoff has intensified scrutiny on Henyard, already under FBI investigation and facing public outrage over mismanagement allegations. The community remains divided, with calls for accountability and proper governance in the wake of this ongoing controversy.

California is reeling from a surge of layoffs, hitting its economy hard. Companies like Intuit, AT&T, and Amazon are leading the charge, shedding thousands of jobs. Intuit alone has cut 1,800 positions as it braces for AI advancements. With California’s unemployment rate now the highest in the U.S. at 5.3%, concerns mount over the state’s economic stability. Critics point to high minimum wages and burdensome regulations as key factors driving businesses away. Elon Musk's recent decision to relocate X (formerly Twitter) and SpaceX from California underscores the growing exodus of companies. Musk cites detrimental legislation and excessive taxation as pivotal reasons for his departure. As job losses pile up, many argue that California's policies are proving unsustainable, pushing both businesses and residents to seek more favorable conditions elsewhere.

The Biden administration has been flying migrants from California, which is being overrun, to Texas — where Gov. Greg Abbott’s tough border control measures have deterred illegal crossings into the state, The Post can reveal. For the last month, pricey Border Patrol charter flights on commercial-sized planes have been hauling border crossers from San Diego to Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, sources told The Post. Sources say the flights, which have been operating every week, cost an estimated $80,000 and are known for being “extremely expensive.” Photos also show dozens of migrants shackled by the ankles boarding the planes, which are operated by a contractor, in San Diego.

Elon Musk says the X, formerly Twitter, headquarters in downtown San Francisco is moving to Austin, the billionaire entrepreneur tweeted Tuesday afternoon. Musk’s post on X comes in a thread showing his distaste for California’s future direction. Musk added his other company, SpaceX, will move its Hawthorne (Los Angeles County) headquarters to Starbase, Texas. “This is the final straw,” Musk said in reference to a tweet about Gov. Gavin Newsom signing AB 1955 about transgender children. “Because of this law and the many others that preceded it, attacking both families and companies, SpaceX will now move its HQ from Hawthorne, California, to Starbase, Texas.”

The Secret Service blamed local police for failing to secure the rooftop from which gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump, insisting it was outside the perimeter the federal agency was tasked with protecting. Instead, securing and patrolling the factory grounds of AGR International Inc. — located about 130 yards from the stage where Trump was speaking Saturday — was the responsibility of local Pennsylvania police, Secret Service representative Anthony Gugliemi said, according to the New York Times. The Secret Service was only tasked with covering the grounds where Trump’s rally took place, with local police being recruited to assist with those efforts and secure the area outside the rally.

Thornton Township trustees Carmen Carlisle and Chris Gonzalez have blocked funding for local services, citing persistent transparency issues with Supervisor Tiffany Henyard's administration. The trustees expressed concerns over unapproved spending and the failure to provide necessary invoices and statements, leading to a standoff with Henyard, who also serves as the mayor of Dolton. The dispute reflects deeper issues of accountability and governance within the township, as trustees aim to implement ordinances for responsible spending. Henyard’s administration denies any wrongdoing and accuses trustees of political maneuvering, highlighting ongoing tensions over fiscal management. #TransparencyIssues #TownshipGovernance #FiscalResponsibility

It’s become more difficult for residents of south suburban Dolton to attend village board meetings. They now face roadblocks, barricades, long lines, capacity limits, metal detectors and a heavy police presence that some say is being deployed to discourage opposition to Mayor Tiffany Henyard. Dolton’s acting police chief has said the steps are necessary to protect Henyard from “countless” threats she’s faced. However, the police department’s own records show only four threats resulted in police reports from February 1 through April 7, around the time the extra security was put in place. Two of the alleged threats were sent to Mayor Henyard via social media, the others came in the form of an email and phone call. None appear to have resulted in an arrest or charges, according to the police reports. Dolton took three months to respond to WGN Investigates’ records request, far longer than required by law.

A pair of Denver councilmembers on Wednesday implied that the surge in illegal immigration over the past 18 months is linked to an increase in crime in some neighborhoods they represent. Councilmembers Amanda Sawyer and Stacie Gilmore shared anecdotal stories of crimes occurring in “hot spots” in their respective districts during a committee hearing. Both law enforcement and city officials, including the Johnston administration, use the phrase "hot spot" to denote an area with a spiking crime rate. The city, for example, earlier designated five areas as "hot spots" — places that, by design, will be getting law enforcement's focus in the administration's campaign to curb gun-related crimes. The specific areas are not necessarily the most violent places in the city, but they had experienced a significant increase in violence over the past year.