airbnb Airbnb Bans Party Houses Following Fatal Halloween Shooting in California Airbnb announces an immediate ban on party houses and new safety measures after a Halloween shooting at a rented California home leaves five people dead. The company is creating a rapid response team and expanding manual screenings of high-risk reservations.
uber Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash Fund Ballot Initiative to Protect Contractor Status Major gig economy companies back a 2020 ballot measure to override California's AB-5 and keep drivers as independent contractors. The initiative offers new wage guarantees and benefits while maintaining flexible work schedules.
kincade fire Bay Area Residents Face Unsettling Reality as Kincade Fire and Shutoffs Hit Home The Kincade Fire and widespread PG&E power shutoffs force Bay Area residents to accept that devastating wildfires are now a persistent local threat. Communities report a growing sense of helplessness as the fantasy of escaping these disasters quickly fades.
pg&e PG&E Expands Planned Blackout to Nearly 1 Million Customers Amid Wildfire Fears Pacific Gas and Electric cuts power to 940,000 customers in Northern and Central California to prevent wildfires during extreme wind conditions. The massive shutoff leaves over 2.5 million people without electricity as the region faces its most severe weather threat in recent memory.
pge PG&E Cuts Power to Nearly One Million Customers to Prevent Wildfires Pacific Gas and Electric initiates a massive planned blackout affecting up to 2.7 million people in Northern California as extreme winds threaten to spark more wildfires. Governor Gavin Newsom declares a statewide emergency as massive blazes force hundreds of thousands to evacuate.
pge PG&E Plans Third Round of Power Shutoffs Affecting Nearly One Million Customers PG&E initiates massive weekend blackouts across 38 counties and immediately warns of a third planned shutoff starting Tuesday. The utility takes these extreme measures to prevent its equipment from sparking wildfires during historically strong winds.
nasa NASA Prepares to Fly Its First All-Electric X-Plane NASA receives the fully electric X-57 Maxwell at its California research center, marking the agency's first crewed X-plane flight in two decades. The aircraft will undergo rigorous ground and flight testing to advance electric aviation standards.
fcc Federal Court Limits FCC Authority, Allows State Net Neutrality Laws A federal appeals court significantly weakens the FCC's net neutrality repeal by ruling the agency lacks the power to block state-level protections. Although the court upholds the broader repeal, one judge describes its foundational logic as completely detached from modern broadband reality.
california California Landmark Law Forces Gig Companies to Reclassify Workers California's governor signs AB5, a groundbreaking law that requires gig economy companies like Uber and Lyft to treat their workers as employees rather than independent contractors.
ab5 California Passes Landmark Gig Worker Protection Bill AB-5 California officially enacts AB-5, a sweeping law that requires companies like Uber and Lyft to classify gig workers as employees rather than independent contractors. Ride-hailing giants are already pushing back and exploring a 2020 ballot initiative to overturn the legislation.
waymo Waymo's California Robotaxi Pilot Carries Over 6,200 Riders in First Month Waymo completes 4,678 passenger trips with self-driving minivans during its inaugural California pilot month, averaging 156 rides daily. The employee-only program provides early insights into the potential demand for commercial autonomous vehicles.
tesla NTSB Confirms Tesla Autopilot Active During 2018 Fire Truck Crash A preliminary NTSB report reveals that a Tesla Model S strikes a parked fire truck in California while Autopilot is engaged for nearly 14 minutes. Investigators note the driver keeps hands off the wheel for the vast majority of that time despite multiple visual and auditory warnings.
uber Uber and Lyft Fund $60 Million Ballot Initiative to Preserve Driver Contractor Status Uber and Lyft each commit $30 million to a 2020 ballot initiative aimed at keeping California drivers as independent contractors in response to Assembly Bill 5.
electric vehicles U.S. Electric Vehicle Registrations Double Driven by ZEV States New electric vehicle registrations in the U.S. double compared to the previous year, reaching 208,000 units. California and other Zero Emission Vehicle states lead this rapid market expansion.
argo ai Ford-Backed Argo AI Secures California Testing Permit for Autonomous Vehicles Argo AI receives a California DMV permit to test one self-driving vehicle with two drivers, expanding its footprint beyond Pittsburgh, Miami, and Detroit. The move comes as the Ford-backed startup prepares for a planned 2021 commercial launch.