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New homes are getting smaller, but kitchens are getting bigger.  Those are two of the key trends in the new housing market, two experts said at the National Association of Real Estate Editors conference held this month in New Orleans.  “The biggest trend happening now in housing is not the features inside the home. It’s the size of the home,” National Association of Home Builders researcher Rose Quint said during a June 17 panel on new home trends.  The median size of a new single-family home last year was 2,146 square feet, recent U.S. Census data show. That’s 300 square…

By Ryan Sabalow | CalMatters A California state senator had thick slurred speech, appeared drowsy and was unsteady on her feet when officers interacted with her at a Sacramento hospital following a car crash last month, according to a search warrant a judge signed authorizing police to perform a DUI blood test. Sen. Sabrina Cervantes’ blood would later show no evidence of intoxicating substances, and Sacramento County prosecutors declined to file charges. Now, Cervantes is threatening to sue the Sacramento Police Department, alleging officers targeted the Democrat representing Riverside because of her race and sexual orientation. Her attorney, James Quadra,…

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER WASHINGTON (AP) — A top Justice Department official nominated to become a federal appeals court judge said Wednesday that he never told department attorneys to ignore court orders, denying the account of a whistleblower who detailed a campaign to defy judges to carry out President Donald Trump’s deportation plans. Emil Bove, a former criminal defense attorney for the Republican president, forcefully pushed back against suggestions from Democrats that the whistleblower’s claims make him unfit to serve on the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Bove’s nomination has come under intense scrutiny after the whistleblower, a fired department lawyer,…

Los Angeles is in need of a bailout. On March 3, Los Angeles City Controller Kenneth Mejia informed Mayor Karen Bass and the City Council that revenue for the current fiscal year was on track to fall “$140 million short of the adopted budget.” The “primary sources of shortfalls,” Mejia wrote, were “business taxes, sales taxes, and the City’s revenues from grants, licenses, permits fees and fines.” The forecast for the fiscal year that begins on July 1 was no better. “Our best estimates are that revenues will actually decline slightly,” the controller wrote, and “that creates a huge challenge…

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Wednesday that President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs will likely push up inflation in the coming months, even as some Republican senators suggested the chair was biased against the duties. On the second day of his twice-yearly testimony before the House and Senate, Powell said that consumers will likely have to shoulder some of the cost of the import taxes. Most Fed officials support cutting rates this year, Powell added, but the central bank wants to take time to see how inflation changes in the months ahead.…

Six current Empire Strykers players were part of the winning team claiming this year’s The Soccer Tournament (TST) prize. Mounir Alami, Brandon Gomez, Momo Gueye, Jose Gonzalez, Alan Perez and Andy Reyes all were members of the Bumpy Pitch FC side that defeated Pumas de Alabama 2-1 in dramatic target score time on Monday, June 9, to capture the Cary, N.C.-based tournament’s $1 million prize. “The chemistry that we found with Bumpy Pitch FC was incredible,” Gomez said. “I was blessed to be put on the field with guys who are so experienced.” Gomez was named to the all-tournament team…

The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”  that the House of Representatives passed on May 22 includes a 3.5% tax on outbound remittance money sent primarily by immigrants to their families abroad. At first glance, this may seem like an easy way to generate revenue. But in reality, it’s a short-sighted, harmful policy that will hurt the very people who can least afford it, push money transfers into the shadows and ultimately damage the state and U.S. economy. I can say this with confidence based on research I conducted for my book, “Remittances and International Development: The Invisible Forces Shaping Community” (Routledge, 2020). In the…

Recently, a Reddit user asked: How do you decide whether to repair or replace a broken appliance? The user’s decade-old induction range wasn’t working properly, but replacing it would be expensive. Still, they liked the range and it fit perfectly in their home, so they were hesitant to buy a new one. Reddit users suggested finding the repair manual, researching a DIY solution and seeking out a factory-authorized repair person. Here’s what home and appliance experts recommend if you find yourself in a similar situation: 1. Try a low-cost fix Sometimes the owner’s manual contains troubleshooting tips that lead to…

By MIKE CATALINI NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver pleaded not guilty Wednesday to federal charges accusing her of assaulting and interfering with immigration officers outside a New Jersey detention center during a congressional oversight visit at the facility. “They will not intimidate me. They will not stop me from doing my job,” she said outside the courthouse in Newark after the brief hearing. McIver, a Democrat, was charged by interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba, a Republican appointed by President Donald Trump, following the May 9 visit to Newark’s Delaney Hall. Immigration and Customs Enforcement uses the privately owned, 1,000-bed facility…

The Buss family’s sale of the majority ownership of the Lakers to Dodgers controlling owner Mark Walter is expected to close in the third or fourth quarter of this year. In a Wednesday morning news release distributed by Business Wire, both sides confirmed that Jeanie Buss will remain governor of the franchise and continue to “oversee all team operations on a day-to-day basis for the foreseeable future.” The sale of the Lakers from the Buss Family Trust to Walter came at a valuation of approximately $10 billion, making it the largest sale of a North American professional sports team all-time.…