Business
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Boeing hugs its suppliers instead of squeezing them for money
LYNNWOOD, Washington — Bill Cusick, president of Ran‐Tech Engineering, a manufacturer of metal aerospace parts employing 60 workers near Portland, credits a dramatic change in Boeing’s approach to suppliers with helping his company survive the Machinists strike last fall.
When the strike hit, 90% of Ran-Tech’s business was on hold as ...Read more

Motormouth: Terrible tires?
Q: I just bought a pristine 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLA250, only 60,000 miles, with brand new run-flat tires. Love the car! Hate -- I mean hate -- the ride! My teeth jar going over bumps! These tires are just terrible! My mechanic took some air out of the tires but told me if I want a more smooth, regular ride, I need to buy “regular tires.” I ...Read more

Trump: Nippon will invest in U.S. Steel, but not acquire Pittsburgh steelmaker
President Donald Trump suggested Friday on stage with Japan's prime minister that Nippon Steel will not be allowed to buy U.S. Steel.
"They'll be looking at an investment rather than a purchase," Trump said. "U.S. Steel is a very important company to us. It was the greatest company in the world for 15 years, many years ago, 80 years ago, and we...Read more

Should San Diego rework its ADU bonus program?
The San Diego City Council is considering rolling back an accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, incentive that has earned it high marks among housing leaders but raised the ire of some single-family homeowners.
For every ADU a property owner is willing to build that is deed-restricted for low-income or moderate-income tenants, the law says, they can...Read more

US hiring cools in January; California's outlook is dimmed by looming cuts in government and aid
WASHINGTON — U.S. job growth slowed at the start of the year, the government said Friday, as business services, manufacturing and other major industries held back on adding new jobs amid increased uncertainty about the economy.
The Los Angeles-area wildfires, which began Jan. 7, didn’t have a material effect on the nation’s employment ...Read more

US hiring cools in January; unemployment claims in California increase due to the fires
U.S. job growth slowed at the start of the year, the government said Friday, as business services, manufacturing and other major industries held back on adding new jobs amid increased uncertainty around the economy.
The exceptions were retail, healthcare and government, which accounted for almost all of the 143,000 net new jobs added last month...Read more

Chicago Auto Show goes electric with 2 EV tracks, dozens of models and first appearance by Rivian
The atmosphere is electric at this year’s Chicago Auto Show, with two indoor EV test tracks, dozens of models and several high-profile debuts, including the first appearance by homegrown Rivian.
But with EV sales growth slowing and threats by President Donald Trump to impose tariffs, pause infrastructure build-out and end federal tax credits,...Read more

Robocalls and spam still a scourge. Some carriers get an F for protecting consumers
Phone companies represent a critical line of defense when it comes to warning about or blocking robocalls and robotexts. But most telecom carriers are failing to adequately protect their customers, which is contributing to a rebound in the number of spam messages, according to a report from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group.
About 2 ...Read more

Illinois SEIU passes resolution declaring itself 'under attack' by CTU
The Service Employees International Union State Council, which represents 160,000 workers in Illinois, declared in a resolution that it is “under attack” from the Chicago Teachers Union and condemned a contract proposal by the teachers union that SEIU said would take jobs from their union and give them to CTU.
The teachers union has been ...Read more

Insurance regulators slash Citizens' requested rate hikes for 2025
Insurance regulators spent more than seven months considering the 14% average rate hike proposed for homeowners covered by state-owned Citizens Property Insurance Corp. and ultimately voted thumbs down.
Rate hikes proposed by Citizens in June by Citizens Property Insurance Corp. were slashed in a final order by the Florida Office of Insurance ...Read more

Auto review: Another fresh face for the 2025 Lincoln Aviator
There’s a design consistency to the best luxury car brands, a continuum of style that unconditionally declares what it is. Go back to 1938 and you’ll recognize the BMW 328’s grille. The same is true of Mercedes-Benz. Cadillac became synonymous with egg crate grilles and tailfins, boasting a sinister yet sublimely luxurious vibe. Then there...Read more

What's next for Tampa's hurricane-battered Beer Can Island? Cryptocurrency
TAMPA, Florida — Pine Key — the Tampa Bay landmark better known to locals as Beer Can Island — has seen better days.
Hurricane Helene put the private island about eight feet underwater, said co-owner Russell Loomis. The storm destroyed every structure on the island, wiping out the concert stage, tiki bar, giant slide and food truck. ...Read more

Hedge fund, tech firm look to reincorporate in Nevada
Two more companies are looking to reincorporate in Nevada as the state siphons business from Delaware, the long-reigning heavyweight for such out-of-state paperwork.
File-sharing service Dropbox unveiled plans last Friday to move its incorporation from Delaware to Nevada. The San Francisco-based tech firm said in a securities filing that it’s...Read more

As EV vehicles get heavier, they're also getting more dangerous, safety experts say
Electric vehicles have rapidly grown in popularity over the last several years as they’ve gotten cheaper, more powerful and easier to charge. But in some cases, say traffic safety experts, they’ve also gotten more dangerous.
In particular, the proliferation of heavier electric trucks in recent years has raised concerns among safety experts ...Read more

Nevada is the most expensive state to own a vehicle, study says
Nevada is the most expensive state to own a vehicle, according to a new study.
Nevadans pay the most for car ownership, with an average annual cost of $6,118.86, according to a study from LendingTree. Auto insurance rates, fuel expenses, annualized sales tax and repair costs were all factored in to create the average rate.
According to the ...Read more

Auto review: Road trippin' in the VW ID.Buzz to frigid Ohio and back
MARYSVILLE, Ohio — The 2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz EV has rolled up wins this auto awards season — including North American Utility of the Year — because it’s iconic, roomy and just so doggone adorable.
Though the Hoover family may disagree.
The fictional Hoovers, of course, are the most famous (infamous?) owners of a 1978 VW Microbus ...Read more

Auto review: 2025 Porsche Cayenne is no longer a hybrid dream
While Porsche has no problem creating cars with outstanding power and unfathomable beauty, in 2025 their flagship gets better. Not only the addition of the E-Hybrid which rolled out for all of the SUV fleet as an option, but the addition of the Turbo E-Hybrid in 2025, which is a dream for many car buyers.
As recently reviewed in Grasso’s ...Read more

All Quiksilver, Billabong and Volcom stores to close amid Chapter 11 bankruptcy
Quiksilver, Billabong and Volcom brick-and-mortar stores, known for their beach and outdoor apparel, are closing, their parent company said.
Costa Mesa, California-based Liberated Brands said in a bankruptcy filing this week it would shut down 124 locations. The company operates 35 stories in California, including locations in Camarillo, ...Read more

Software giant Red Hat gives owner IBM lift to shed its stodgy identity
At IBM’s Investor Day event in New York City this week, the first the company has held since 2021, a word executives stressed was “software.”
And two other words top IBM brass highlighted again and again were “Red Hat.”
“Hopefully you got the theme of the entire day today of us being a much more software-led company,” IBM chief ...Read more

Energy bill turns focus on Nevada's 'untapped geothermal potential'
Harnessing the heat far below Nevadans’ feet may become easier with the reintroduction of a bill that failed to make it through the last Congress.
Sponsored by U.S. Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nevada, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, the Streamlining Thermal Energy Through Advanced Mechanisms (STEAM) Act aims to speed up lengthy permitting ...Read more
Popular Stories
- Trump: Nippon will invest in U.S. Steel, but not acquire Pittsburgh steelmaker
- Should San Diego rework its ADU bonus program?
- US hiring cools in January; California's outlook is dimmed by looming cuts in government and aid
- US hiring cools in January; unemployment claims in California increase due to the fires
- World inflation at risk of rekindling with Trump's trade war