Chris Larsen, co-founder of Ripple and head of the Clean Break Fund, is pushing for changes to the way California manages its commercial Dungeness crab season. In recent years, the season has been delayed from its traditional mid-November start to as late as January in an effort to reduce whale entanglements, cutting into what fishermen say is their most profitable time of year.

For fishermen like Casey Crowl, the shorter season has taken a toll.

"It's a reduction. It means that you've got to just work that much harder," Crowl said.

What was once a six-to eight-month season is now compressed to about four months, with this year's season ending on April 30 for fishermen who use conventional equipment.  Fishermen can continue crabbing through June 30 by using newly approved, whale-safe pop-up gear.

Missing the holiday demand window has significant financial consequences for the industry.  Larsen said the timing of the season is critical not just culturally, but economically.

"They're missing the critical November, December season, which is also super important for San Franciscans that enjoy that for Thanksgiving and Christmas," Larsen said. "From an economic point of view, that's 90% of the season, 90% of the revenue.  It's when all the demand is. That's when the crabs are out there. And we've missed that now for six years in a row."

Larsen has brought the issue to South Bay congressmen Sam Liccardo and Ro Khanna, who are now co-sponsoring a whale protection bill. The proposal would establish a whale monitoring desk at the San Francisco Coast Guard station to provide real-time tracking of migrating whales, allowing fishermen to avoid high-risk areas.

"I think we've got to try some of the drone technology. If we can spot... 'Hey, here's a whale. Hey crabbers, stay away from this area while these whales are coming by,'" Larsen said.

If the legislation fails, Larsen said he is prepared to fund a legal challenge to current regulations.

"When November 15th comes, we want to see these boats out there. We want to see the whales protected. We can absolutely do both," he said.

But marine conservation experts caution that the issue is more complex.

"When we had the fishery open in those late fall months in November, December, those years we saw a lot of entanglements happen, and so the closures have been put in place to reduce the entanglements," said Geoff Shester PhD, Oceana's senior scientist and fishery innovation director.

State regulators have begun allowing the use of pop-up, or ropeless, fishing gear to help extend the season while reducing risks to whales. But some fishermen said newer pop-up gear is not a viable option for everyone, particularly those with smaller boats or limited crew, leaving them reliant on traditional equipment and vulnerable to ongoing restrictions. Shester said broader collaboration and innovation will be necessary.

"We haven't gotten a chance to talk with Mr. Larsen yet. I think we, and a number of folks who have been innovating, would be very excited to have a conversation about taking that to the next step, because ultimately, I miss having crab at Thanksgiving too," he said.

Many fishermen said they support efforts to protect whales but also want to preserve their livelihoods.

"We have to fight back through the legal system. And as independent fishermen, that's very difficult. It's hard to get everybody organized. So, we're happy to get the help," said John Barnett, president of the San Francisco Crab Boat Owners Association.

Larsen echoed that frustration.

"Beyond frustrating. It really was just grossly unfair to some of the least politically powerful people you'll ever find," he said.

Crowl said he hopes a compromise can be reached soon.

"We've got to keep persevering and moving forward," he said.

The study compared 1,334 cities nationwide, with a population between 25,000 and 100,000 residents. Officials said the best small city to start a business is St. George, Utah, and they had come to this conclusion based on business environment, access to resources and business costs. 

 "There's some truth to that. Pacifica is cut off, and it's probably the worst place for a startup or tech company or something like that," Robby Bancroft, the owner of The Shore Shack in Pacifica, told CBS News Bay Area. "But a small hometown restaurant, it's almost like the best."

Bancroft and his father opened up the restaurant five months ago, a risk he said was worth taking in his quaint hometown. 

"It's like a dream come true, you're literally standing in something that we dreamed of," said the Pacifica native, who has been selected as the 2026 Small Businessperson of the Year for the San Francisco District of the Small Business Administration. 

"I love my community," he added. 

Archie Judan, the president of the Pacifica Chamber of Commerce, said that the city serves a different type of population. 

"I mean it's a beach town. It's quiet, it's where CEOs who work in Palo Alto, they go to escape from, to decompress," Judan said. "Not really focusing on how to create a business or create a name brand that they could actually bring to the market and pursue an IPO." 

He added, "A huge brand awareness campaign really needs to focus on a lot more Pacifica truly as a visitor serving city. It is good to really identify a lot of the good aspects, we have access to the beach." 

Judan said there are about 3,000 active businesses filed in Pacifica, and hopes that the city and entrepreneurs can collaborate more in the future. 

"Being able to maintain a consistent revenue stream that can make the city more economically viable, and that is a domino effect of how successful our local businesses," Judan said. "And that is going to be focused more on a lot of the local support that we get from our residents."

City leaders said that with a new economic development workplan, they hope to keep small businesses open while also attracting new ones with more streamlined planning and permitting guidelines.

"I don't think it's productive to rank any community as the worst of anything. I think it overlooks the critical issues that Pacifica is facing on a day-to-day basis," Pacifica City Councilmember Mary Bier said. "We are a seaside town, so we are heavily regulated by California agencies. We have sea level rise, fire hazards, erosion. And the community that hasn't wanted any development or change, right? And so, we're dealing with those things every day." 

Bier added, "One thing like a single ranking doesn't show is the heart of my community. And the Pacifica community is amazing. We come together all the time, we support each other's families.

The WalletHub study also showed that of the 1,334 small cities ranked, the bottom 10 are all from the Bay Area: just in front of Pacifica in reverse order: Danville, Castro Valley, Saratoga, Belmont, Morgan Hill, Martinez, Brentwood, Los Gatos, and San Carlos. The highest-ranked small city in the Bay Area was Walnut Creek at No. 891, while the highest-ranked in California at No. 160 was Twentynine Palms in San Bernardino County.

Interim City Manager Yulia Carter and City Economic & Housing Manager Gretchen Heckman sent a joint statement on behalf of the city:

The City of Pacifica is deeply committed to supporting a resilient local economy in a way that reflects our community - supporting our businesses, serving our residents, and maintaining the quality of life. Our goal is not just economic activity, but a healthy, vibrant community where people want to live, work, and spend time. 

Rankings like the WalletHub report can be a useful data point, but they do not fully capture the conditions that drive business success in a community like Pacifica. The methodology relies heavily on cost-based and generalized national metrics, which tend to favor lower-cost markets. While affordability is one factor, it does not necessarily translate to stronger long-term business outcomes.

Many of the factors used in the ranking, such as commute times, labor markets, access to capital, and state-level tax structures, are regional or market-driven and largely outside of a city's direct control. Applying these criteria uniformly across evaluated communities can create a limited view of local economic conditions.

Pacifica is also part of a larger regional economy, with proximity to San Francisco and Silicon Valley. That "destination of choice" benefit brings access to talent, customers, and overall strong regional economy for businesses that choose to locate here, which is not captured in this one size- fits-all national ranking. What the ranking also does not reflect is the work happening at the local level. 

The City Manager's Office recently approved, and is actively implementing an Economic Development Workplan that focuses on supporting and retaining our businesses, thoughtfully attracting new ones, and making it easier to navigate City processes by streamlining planning and permitting requirements. We are also working to better connect our small business community with county, regional, and state resources and provide technical assistance so they can thrive. We are not trying to be the cheapest place to do business, we are focused on being a place where businesses can truly belong and succeed. That means building strong partnerships, reducing barriers where we can, and being responsive to the needs of our local business community, while preserving our coastal identity and charm that make Pacifica unique. 

As for Bancroft, he said he is looking forward to the future of working more with the city. 

"Bringing housing to Pacifica and also saving the economy at the same time. So, we're out 5 to 10 years, I hope to see some of these things solved in my lifetime," he said. 

Bancroft said to be ranked the worst isn't the best feeling, but he is hoping that some publicity from this rating can encourage others to come check out the charm of this quiet beachy town. 

"I would encourage people to visit Pacifica. And then I would encourage locals to keep your dollars local as much as possible," Bancroft said. 

On Tuesday, SFO announced the launch of the SFO Gate Explorer program, in which airport visitors without a plane ticket can apply for a pass to be permitted through the security line. Participants would be subject to the same security procedures as ticketed passengers and would need a Read ID or passport to go through security.

Applications for a Gate Explorer pass can be made on the same day of an airport visit and up to 30 days in advance, SFO said in a press release. Other airports across the country have similar programs, which have become increasingly popular as a nostagic slice of travel before 9/11, as well as a vehicle to increase the number of people spending money inside the terminals. 

"Airports are about bringing people together, and this program creates so many new ways for friends and family to connect, whether on arrival, departure, or even a long layover," said Airport Director Mike Nakornkhet in a prepared statement. "This also allows a new audience to enjoy all the shopping, dining, artwork, museum exhibitions and amenities that make SFO so special."

The airport said the number of passes granted per day would be limited to avoid impacting wait times for traveling passengers at security checkpoints.  

SFO is the second Bay Area airport to offer a program allowing for family and friends of flying passengers to see them off or welcome them at the gate. Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport launched its OAK Guest Pass program in December. Other airports in California with guest pass programs include San Diego (SAN), Orange County (SNA), and Ontario (ONT).

The universal practice of visitors accompanying airport passengers to the gate ended abruptly following the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, which led to the creation of the Transportation Security Administration and mandatory security checkpoints, along with secure "sterile" areas of airports where only ticketed passengers are allowed. 

In 2017, Pittsburgh International Airport was the first U.S. airport to allow non-fliers to have access beyond security since 9/11. Currently, at least 20 U.S. airports offer a visitor pass program. 

"I was very dispirited. I'm really concerned about the future of San Francisco," Shereck said. 

Shereck says the neighborhood will try to find some middle ground.

"Given what we can suggest at this point would probably be considering the color of the tower, covering up exposed wires, trying to make the antenna somewhat less obvious in the community," Shereck said. 

The bickering billionaires' appearances at the Oakland, California, federal courthouse foreshadow the start of a legal drama that is expected to brim with intrigue and potentially embarrassing details about the two tech moguls. Musk filed the lawsuit against Altman and Brockman along with Microsoft over its investments in OpenAI, in 2024.

"Fundamentally, I think they're going to try to make this lawsuit...very complicated, but it's actually very simple," Musk said. "Which is that it's not OK to steal a charity."

The jury was selected Monday and the trial is scheduled to take three weeks.

Opening statements began with Musk's attorney, Steven Molo, who quoted OpenAI's mission statement when it was created as a nonprofit for the benefit of humanity as a whole and not constrained by the need to generate financial enrichment for anyone.

Altman and his top lieutenant Brockman, aided by Microsoft, "stole a charity," Molo said, "a charity whose mission was the safe, open development of artificial intelligence."

In the civil lawsuit, Musk accuses Altman and Brockman of double-crossing him by straying from the San Francisco company's founding mission to be a steward of a revolutionary technology. He is seeking damages and to fund the altruistic efforts of OpenAI's charitable arm and Altman's ouster from OpenAI's board.

OpenAI has brushed off Musk's allegations as an unfounded case of sour grapes that's aimed at undercutting its rapid growth and bolstering Musk's own xAI, which he launched in 2023 as a competitor.

In his opening statement, OpenAI lawyer William Savitt told jurors "we are here because Mr. Musk didn't get his way with OpenAI."

Savitt said Musk used his promises to provide funding to bully OpenAI founding members and tried to take control of OpenAI and merge it with Tesla. In fact, he said Musk wanted to form a for-profit company and own more than 50% of it. In the middle of discussions about OpenAI's future, he added, Musk pulled the plug on $5 million quarterly donations he was making.

There is no record, Savitt said, of promises made to Musk that OpenAI was going to remain a nonprofit forever, or open-source everything. What Musk ultimately cared about, he said, was not OpenAI's nonprofit status but winning the AI race with Google.

Molo said the case is not about Musk, but rather Altman, Brockman and Microsoft.

By 2017, about two years after OpenAI's founding, it became clear that OpenAI would need more money, and Molo said the founders eventually settled on the idea of creating a for-profit arm of OpenAI that would support the nonprofit. Terms were capped for investors so they "couldn't make infinite profit."

"There is nothing wrong with a nonprofit having a for-profit subsidiary, but (it) has to advance the mission," Molo said.

Microsoft initially invested $2 billion in OpenAI. Then, in 2022, news spread that OpenAI had done a deal with Microsoft and "this was a horse of a completely different color," he said. It was a "gamechanger," Molo said, that violated "every commitment" OpenAI made not just to Musk but to the world. It was no longer open source, it became a for-profit company for the benefit of the defendants and Microsoft was going to have control, through licensing, of much of its intellectual property, Molo said.

After opening arguments wrap up, testimony will begin with Musk's side presenting a tale chock full of alleged betrayal, deceit and ambition that caused OpenAI to pivot from its founding mission as an altruistic startup to a capitalistic venture now valued at $852 billion.

Musk, the world's richest person with an estimated fortune of $778 billion, is among the witnesses who will testify during the trial.

Altman, OpenAI's CEO, is also expected to testify, along with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, one of the technology leaders who helped fund the late 2022 release of ChatGPT, the chatbot that unleashed the current AI boom that has propelled the stock market to record heights.

Altman's court appearance likely made him unavailable to attend an Amazon event across San Francisco Bay on Tuesday at which both companies announced an expanded partnership.

"I wish I could be there with you in person today," Altman told attendees of Amazon's event in San Francisco via a prerecorded video message. "My schedule got taken away from me today."

Officials in both cities announced Tuesday that a settlement has been reached and both parties will drop their respective lawsuits.

"When more visitors come to the Bay Area, our entire region benefits. San Francisco cares deeply about the success of all of our Bay Area airports and tourist destinations," San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu said in a statement. "We are pleased that we could come to a mutual resolution that accomplishes Oakland's goals while still protecting the San Francisco International Airport® trademark."

In April 2024, the Port of Oakland renamed OAK to "San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport". At the time, the airport said the change was prompted by a lack of "geographic awareness" among out-of-town visitors about where Oakland is located and to boost airport traffic.

Following the port's decision, officials in San Francisco filed a lawsuit alleging the name infringed on the trademark held by San Francisco International Airport. A federal district court judge issued a preliminary injunction against the Port of Oakland, which led the port to appeal the decision to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Soon after, the Port of Oakland renamed the airport again to the current "Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport." At the time, San Francisco officials raised objections to the second renaming.

Under the settlement agreement, Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport must ensure that "San Francisco" does not appear more prominent than "Oakland" in displays or marketing materials. Oakland is allowed to use "San Francisco" or "San Francisco Bay" when referring to a geographic location, for example "the airport is convenient to San Francisco."

The airport in the East Bay will retain OAK as its International Air Transport Association (IATA) code and has agreed not to change to one with "SF" in the name.

Just this week, Meta announced plans to cut 8,000 jobs, about 10% of its workforce. It's the latest in a string of layoffs that have swept through the sector.

So far this year, tech companies have issued more than 92,000 layoffs, according to Layoffs.fyi, a website that has tracked industry job cuts since the pandemic. In total, roughly 900,000 tech positions have been eliminated since 2020.

Employment experts said the result is an intensely competitive job market, even as broader unemployment rates remain relatively low, at 5.4% in California.

For workers like Alejandra Hernandez, the impact has been deeply personal. Hernandez was among the thousands laid off by Meta in November 2022. She said the experience was jarring.

"We were the first round of layoffs," she said.

In a TikTok video posted shortly after losing her job, she described the emotional toll.

"I was part of the Meta layoffs this morning. And I am still processing what that means," said Hernandez in the video. "I feel like this is just so surreal and I don't even know what to do with myself."

She said she believed her position was secure at the time.

"You have a high-paying salary. You have phenomenal benefits. I thought I was going to be at Meta forever. I was a lifer. I was never going to leave Meta," said Hernandez.

The Bay Area native later found another job with a tech company in Utah, only to be laid off again last August. After six months of searching for another role in tech without success, she shifted her focus to running her wedding planning business full-time.

"The job market is so unstable right now. And the long-term unemployment is so high that you could be looking at six to 12 months of unemployment," Hernandez said.

Experts said her experience is increasingly common, as waves of laid-off workers compete for a limited number of openings.

"I haven't seen anything like this in, as I say, more than 45 years in the field," said Michael Bernick, a labor and employment expert and former head of California's Employment Development Department. "Even though our unemployment rate is not that high. It's just so competitive to get any job these days."

Bernick is now a legal counsel with the Duane Morris law firm.  He said several factors are driving the trend, including over-hiring during the pandemic and companies shifting investments toward artificial intelligence.

"Part of it is still the residual over-hiring that was done during the pandemic. And part of it is AI taking some of the tasks over, and part of that is companies investing in AI, and thus pulling back on other investments, including in personnel."

Recruiters said job seekers need to be strategic and proactive.

Jeanette Larkin of Santa Cruz Staffing, who has more than 20 years of experience in recruiting and talent acquisition, emphasized the importance of networking in a crowded field.

"Volunteer with something that you're passionate about, whether it's a food bank, a soup kitchen, animals, tutoring, you are not only going to keep your communication skills going and fresh. It's going to feed your soul. You are going to just help so much where it's needed. And you're going to meet other people. And you know what? Finding a job is all about connecting, right?" said Larkin.

She also recommends attending or volunteering at local chamber of commerce events to build connections with potential employers.

For Hernandez, she's open to eventually returning to tech, even as she builds her own business.

"I do keep a pulse on the job market because I don't want to be self-employed forever. I don't think this is my end game, my long-term goal."

In an announcement on April 16, the Food and Drug Administration said Loard's Ice Cream of San Leandro issued a voluntary recall of all products sold in retail-sized packaging.

The ice cream was distributed to the company's parlors in Northern California and sold in storefront freezers. Products were sold in 32-ounce paper containers and 56 ounce plastic cups.

"People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk, eggs, tree nuts, peanuts, soy, or wheat run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products," the agency said in a statement.

The FDA listed more than 40 flavors of ice cream and sherbet that are subject to recall, including chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, banana, mango, rocky road and coconut pineapple, along with seasonal flavors such as eggnog and pumpkin. Officials said the recall was prompted following an inspection by the agency.

Officials said no illnesses have been reported.

Consumers are urged to return the products to the place of purchase for a full refund or a replacement with updated packaging.

The FDA urged consumers who have questions to contact Loard's by emailing hello@silvermoonfoods.com or by calling 415-547-0520 on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.

"Neighbors united will never be defeated!" chanted demonstrators on Wednesday.  

When the owners of Woodmark Apartments in Sebastopol constructed it, the owners accepted money from the USDA with a mandate that it be used for farmworker housing. But when they began taking applications in December of 2024, tenant Beth Gallock said that didn't seem to be a requirement.

"We explained we are not farmworkers. No one in our household is a farmworker. Are you sure we are eligible?" she said. "Yes, you're eligible."

Now, The Pacific Companies is faced with either pushing out the non-eligible residents and find farmworkers to fill the complex or risk losing millions of dollars in federal tax credits over the next 10 years.

Gallock said she's not sure how hard they even tried to find tenants who would qualify.

"We've had a mass exodus of farmworkers. And they're declaring bankruptcy in the wine industry because of the lack of farmworkers," she said. "But I do think that they didn't do due diligence either. We were just easier targets for them to get rent for a year."

This September, the low-income residents say they were asked to sign a new lease agreement, attesting to being farmworkers or they would have to leave.

"We either had to perjure ourselves that we were suddenly farmworkers, or we had to become homeless," Gallock said.

The tenants say either way it's fraud, against them or against the federal government. And they filed a federal lawsuit to stop the evictions.  Their attorney, Anthony Prince, couldn't attend the protest but spoke to reporters on the phone.

"Pacific Companies had engaged in attempted fraud against the United States government, the Department of Agriculture," he said. "And actually perpetrated a fraud by inducing the plaintiffs in this case to sign a lease about which they did not disclose information that should have been disclosed."

CBS News Bay Area reached out to The Pacific Companies for comment on Wednesday but got no response.  But earlier they sent a letter to the tenants saying they tried to get a waiver from the USDA for the farmworker requirement, but it was denied.  

The lawsuit is asking the judge to suspend the eviction proceedings, but Melissa Page said she can't relax until she knows she can stay.  She was living unhoused with her young son and said finding the apartment was like a miracle to her.  

She even inquired about becoming a farmworker but, ironically, she said she wouldn't be paid enough to be able to afford to stay.

"Yeah, I did look into it," said Page. "Because I was willing to do anything to stay.  Because having this home has been life changing for my son."

Secretary of State Shirley Weber's office announced Tuesday that the measure is eligible for the Nov. 2026 general election ballot after supporters gathered more than 600,000 valid signatures, more than the 546,651 signatures needed to qualify.

Supporters said they submitted more than 900,000 signatures for the measure last month.

"Voters now have the chance to unleash a wave of new home construction across our state and make the dream of homeownership a reality for more middle-class Californians," said former state Senate Majority Leader Bob Hertzberg, the measure's chief proponent.

According to the official title and summary, the measure would authorize up to $25 billion in bonds to offer homebuyers fixed-rate mortgages for up to 17% of the purchase price of a "qualified new home." Borrowers would pay at least 3% down.

Homes must be new construction or the first sale of a converted nonresidential property and must be priced below $1 million to $1.5 million depending on the county, with the limit adjusted annually. Meanwhile, borrowers must be California residents for at least one year, plan to occupy the home and earn less than 200% of the area median income.

The measure also requires the bonds to be repaid by homeowners' mortgage payments and not the state.

"Every day, we hear from middle-class Californians who simply want a fair shot at homeownership for themselves and their families – but affordability continues to stand in the way," said Tamara Suminski, president of the California Association of Realtors. "By providing down payment assistance loans – at no cost to taxpayers – this measure tackles one of the biggest barriers and brings the dream of homeownership closer to reality."

Proponents hope to drive construction of about 190,000 new homes through the loan program.

Economists say the next phase of recovery hinges on bringing back international visitors, especially from China, who historically spend more and stay longer.

At Fisherman's Wharf, restaurant manager Luis Ruano is feeling the gap. Standing outside Sabella & La Torre, he calls out to passing pedestrians, hoping to draw in customers.

"These days it's kind of slow. Very slow," said Ruano, who has worked at the restaurant for more than a decade and says business has not fully bounced back.

Some tourists are still making the trip despite higher costs. Lawrence Guillermo, visiting with his family from the Philippines, said airfare has climbed.

"We just purchased a ticket a couple weeks ago, and the price was higher than usual," said Guillermo.

New data from Visit California shows overall travel spending rose last year in both San Francisco and across California. But international spending remains down by about $1 billion compared with pre-pandemic levels, underscoring the uneven recovery.

Industry leaders say tourism growth is already helping stabilize city finances.

"We've already seen the deficit closing and getting better for our city by the increased numbers in the travel and hospitality space," said Alex Bastian, president and CEO of the Hotel Council of San Francisco.

"If we continue to grow and push forward, there's no question the tax base is going to grow."

According to the Bay Area Council, overall international travel to San Francisco has largely recovered. But travel from China remains a major weak spot, with passenger volumes still about 22% below pre-pandemic levels.

"That obviously really matters because they're spending a longer time visiting, they're spending more than other international tourists," said Abby Raisz, vice president of research.

"Bringing more of them back would have an outsized impact on small businesses, foot traffic and hotel revenue."

Data shows Chinese visitors typically spend two to three times more than domestic travelers. While travel from the rest of Asia has rebounded, the slower return from China highlights a key gap in San Francisco's tourism recovery.

"The rest of Asia has recovered, but the Chinese market is still down significantly," Raisz said. "There's clearly more work to be done to get those visitors back."

City leaders are now working to boost international tourism, including efforts to strengthen ties with China.

For small businesses like those along the Wharf, the stakes are clear.  More visitors could mean a much-needed boost.

San Francisco Travel, the city's tourism bureau, is expected to release updated 2026 tourism projections later this spring.

The case involves a 2019 class-action lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by shopper Brian Keim, who alleged that receipts from Trader Joe's stores displayed the first six and last four digits of his credit card, increasing the risk of identity theft. 

The original complaint was filed in Florida after Keim shopped at a Trader Joe's in Palm Beach Gardens. The case was later transferred to the Central District of California since the retailer is headquartered in Monrovia, Los Angeles County.

The federal Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA) includes a provision prohibiting businesses from printing more than the last five digits of a customer's credit or debit card number on any electronically printed receipt. The 2003 law also allows consumers to recover damages from businesses that fail to comply.

What is the Trader Joe's settlement?

Trader Joe's said it was unaware of any identity theft resulting from the receipts and did not admit any wrongdoing, noting that it chose to settle the lawsuit to avoid further litigation. In February, the company and the plaintiff reached a tentative $7.4 million settlement, which remains subject to final court approval. 

A fairness hearing is scheduled for August, at which a judge will make a final determination on whether to approve the agreement.

Along with offering payments to the plaintiff and for attorneys' fees, the $7.4 million settlement fund will cover payments to people who shopped at Trader Joe's stores between March 5, 2019, and July 19, 2019, who submit valid claim forms. The company has stores in 42 states and Washington, D.C., most of them in California.

How much will eligible customers get under the settlement?

According to the settlement website tj-factasettlement.com, the share of the settlement fund depends on the number of valid claim forms submitted, but the final payment amount is estimated at $102.45 per claim.

Who is eligible to receive a Trader Joe's settlement payout?

Persons who shopped at Trader Joe's between March 5, 2019, and July 19, 2019, and who submit valid claim forms before the due date are eligible. 

According to the settlement website, "Not all Trader Joe's stores printed receipts displaying the first six and last four digits of the card number, and in those stores that did, only a small minority of transactions involved such receipts."

How do you file a claim for a Trader Joe's settlement payout?

Shoppers who receive an email notice or a postcard with a claim identification number have been identified as members of the settlement class. Consumers who aren't sure whether they are included in the class can visit the settlement website to contact the claims administrator for more information.

Shoppers can file a claim by visiting the official settlement website and filling out an online form, or by downloading and printing a claim form to mail in. Claims can also be made by telephone by calling the settlement hotline at 888-444-7415. Shoppers can file a claim even if they don't have physical receipts.

When is the deadline to file a settlement claim?

The deadline to submit a claim for a Trader Joe's settlement payout is June 9. A court hearing for final approval of the settlement is scheduled for August 10.

On Monday, rain was falling at the 3-acre farm in Glen Ellen in Sonoma County. Inside a greenhouse, Erich Pearson examined the 30,000 seedlings that just sprouted five days ago. The owner of the SPARC cannabis company began growing medical marijuana on the down-low in 1998.  

So, when Prop 64 passed in 2016, legalizing weed, he considered it a great cause for celebration.

"It was, at the time," he said, laughing. "You know, it's been a challenge. But all in all, it had to happen, right?  It needed to happen because it also gets people out of jail, which is the foremost important thing."

But as a business, it simply hasn't panned out the way insiders thought, or hoped it would.

"I think we had bigger eyes than the reality of it," Pearson said. "Everybody, from the investment folks coming out to invest in the industry, to founders who were in business, had bigger plans than the regulations would allow."

First, there were the regulations, which allowed counties to drag their feet on permitting farms and dispensaries. Then, of course, there were the taxes.  

Prop 64 was sold to the voters as a cash cow of revenue for schools and services. But as more competition came into the market, the price dropped dramatically. With taxes staying fixed, the growers struggled to survive with that added cost. Of course, that only fueled the black market, which didn't have to pay the taxes.

"They say 60 percent of all cannabis in California still goes through the illicit market," Pearson said. "They still produce cheaper, they have less regulatory burden, they have no taxes. We need to see tax reform still, until we're going to see more consumers in this legal market."

"It is my goal to look at tax policy to stabilize the market," said Governor Newsom at a budget news conference in 2022. But because the taxes were written into Prop 64, they can only be changed by another vote of the people. At one time, cannabis was selling for as much as $1,300 per ounce. Now it's bottomed out at about $300, and many growers have given up and dropped out of the market. But Pearson sees that as a good and necessary thing. Just like during the dot-com bust, the easy investment money is all gone, leaving only those with a solid business plan to carry the legal industry forward as the price rises.  But that doesn't solve the tax problem.

"Had the legislature been able to vote for the same legalization that said, 'We'll control the tax,' I don't think we'd have a problem right now," Pearson said. "I think the legislature would have reduced the tax. The governor supported reducing taxes. He just can't. You know, going to the voters is a whole other level."

Like the Grateful Dead said, it's been a long, strange trip. Still, just like every other farmer, Pearson is looking forward to a brighter day.

"I'm optimistic. You have to be, otherwise work is no fun."

Earlier this month, San Francisco-based Philz confirmed it would remove the rainbow flags from all its locations, with CEO Mahesh Sadarangani issuing a statement that while its support of the LGBTQ+ community was unchanged, "We are working toward creating a more consistent, inclusive experience across all our stores, including removing a variety of flags and other decor."

The company has most of its 82 cafés in the Bay Area, along with locales in the Sacramento area and Southern California, as well as in Chicago, the only city outside of California with Philz stores.

Philz workers, customers, and the LGBTQ+ community widely interpreted the Pride flag removal as a betrayal of the community, which Philz supported and built its brand around. Critics also noted the decision to remove Pride flags and other LGBTQ+ symbols from cafés came less than a year after the company's sale to a private equity firm. 

An online petition to urge Philz to keep the Pride flags up was circulated and immediately tallied thousands of signatures. 

On Friday, the company issued a press release saying that following meetings between Sadarangani, Philz executives and San Francisco Pride leaders, Pride flags would stay up and any flags that were removed would be put back up.

"I made a mistake, and I am sincerely sorry," said Sadarangani in a prepared statement. "To our Team Members, to our customers, and to the LGBTQIA+ community that has been with us since the very beginning, the confusion and hurt we caused around our new policy for Pride flags failed you." 

Sadarangani also said each of the company's stores would feature locally-created artwork "shaped by the voices of Team Members and the neighborhoods they serve, a living expression of the diverse communities Philz is proud to be part of."

"When Philz Coffee removed Pride flags from some of their locations, our community felt it," said San Francisco Pride Executive Director Suzanne Ford in a statement. "That kind of action sends a message, especially right now, when LGBTQIA+ people are navigating a climate that feels more threatening by the day."

Ford added, "What gave me reason to engage with Mahesh was something I don't always see from a CEO in this situation: genuine humility. He reached out, listened and understood that this wasn't about optics. It was about whether queer people, and the employees who show up for them every day, feel safe and seen."

For the first time since the pandemic, the wharf recorded one million visitors last month. According to the San Francisco Examiner, that's a 24% increase since the same time in 2024.

At the same time, travel eSIM provider Nomad eSIM has compiled data from online reviews of top attractions around the world, and for the second year in a row, Fisherman's Wharf had the most mentions of the term, "tourist trap," based on its reviews. The runners-up are Temple Bar, Ireland, followed by Las Ramblas, Spain. 

The company cited that one person wrote, "A few blocks down is Pier 39, which has a lot to see, but good lord it's just another tourist trap of course." Another reviewer wrote, "Full of tacky tourists with overpriced and underwhelming food." 

Eddrena Hall, a San Francisco native who works at Textures Vintage at the Whard, disagrees. 

"Not a good reflection of what our town offers, or what the tourists can do here," she told CBS News Bay Area. 

"Bigger attractions have closed over the years, and like everybody is sad about that. But new things are popping up, there's a lot to do throughout the city," she added. "We're operated and ran and owned by San Francsico natives. So, I think we just draw in a lot of people. Because not just tourists come here, there's people in the neighborhood that live here, there's a guy that comes in every other Wednesday because he wants to see what new things we have."

Georg Zottl, who is visiting from Austria, was spending some time with his family at the wharf. 

"We went to the Golden Gate Park, afterwards to the beach, and here to Pier 45," he said. 

He did mention that he noticed some things were different than back home. 

"It's raised up, the prices are very high," he said. 

A few steps away were several shuttered stores. But community leaders said that through a $1.4 million investment, they are transforming the promenade into a vibrant corridor. 

"We feel very welcome, and lots of things to do here," Zottl said. 

CBS News Bay Area reached out to SF Travel for comment and has not yet heard back. 

The executive director of Fisherman's Wharf Community Benefit District provided a statement, saying the wharf is evolving, new businesses are opening, and the area is expanding in ways that make Fisherman's Wharf more accessible and engaging. 

"The only trap is the assumption that Fisherman's Wharf is a static destination. It's a dynamic, evolving neighborhood where history and new experiences complement one another, and longtime institutions stand alongside new businesses. There's a clear commitment from the community to maintain and advance the waterfront as a world-class destination for everyone," said Bri Maughan, the district's executive director. "This is a place where over a century of San Francisco's working waterfront history is still alive and visible. Family-owned legacy businesses continue to define the district's character, along with an active fishing fleet that remains essential to the Bay's identity."

AFSCME 3299, which represents 42,000 UC service and patient care technical workers, announced on Wednesday that workers will strike on May 14 at all 10 UC campuses and five medical centers, along with other research labs and clinics operated by the university. 

The union said that its labor action stems from the university's refusal to bargain over housing aid for its lowest-paid workers and the imposition of contract terms such as higher healthcare rates, despite legal requirements to bargain over such changes. AFSCME has said its low-wage workers have been priced out of their communities and has also alleged that UC has withheld necessary information during negotiations.

The employees involved include frontline workers at UC Medical Centers, such as medical and surgical assistants, respiratory therapists, and licensed vocational nurses. The service workers include custodians, groundskeepers, food service workers, drivers and security personnel across the UC system. 

The open-ended nature of the strike and its designation as a response to unfair labor practices is an escalation in tactics by the union, which conducted two-day strikes against UC in February 2025 and November 2024. An indefinite strike makes it difficult for the university to budget for the cost and duration of replacement labor, while the unfair labor practice invoked by the union means strikers cannot be permanently replaced, unlike in economic strikes. 

AFSCME 3299's labor action is an acknowledgment that the short-term strikes have not advanced the union's position in its negotiations with the university. 

"For more than 2 years, AFSCME 3299 has worked to negotiate successor agreements that address the acute affordability crisis facing the University's frontline service and patient care workforce," said AFSCME Local 3299 President Michael Avant in a prepared statement. "Instead of bargaining in good faith, UC has imposed terms that amount to pay cuts and refused to bargain over the housing crisis that is most responsible for our members being forced to sleep in their cars and in homeless shelters."

AFSCME 3299's workers have been without a contract since 2024, and the union says they are among the lowest-paid workers in the UC system. It also noted that while the highest-paid employees can obtain sub-market rate home loans through university programs, its lower-paid employees are generally not eligible.

In a press statement, the University of California said it was disappointed in the union's decision to move toward an open-ended strike, claiming the two sides have made "significant" progress at the bargaining table. 

"Since bargaining began in January 2024, UC has increased its proposal from roughly 25% total pay growth to 32.3%, while adding up to a $1,000 ratification bonus and strengthening year-over-year wage increases," the university said. "UC has also added longevity payments for long-serving employees, and new caps and offsets to help manage rising health care costs. This represents substantial movement and a good-faith effort to respond directly to employee priorities."

UC also said it "categorically" disagreed with the claims of unfair labor practices, and their merit will be determined by the state's Public Employment Relations Board in the coming weeks.

AFSCME 3299 said it would provide details of picket times and locations next month.     

"This settlement will create a safer environment for our children online, and I hope that it will serve as a bellwether for how online interactive platforms allow our state's youth to use their products," the Democratic attorney general said Wednesday.

Roblox, which is used by nearly half U.S. children under 16, will give $10 million over three years to support programs like the Boys & Girls Club and other nondigital activities, Ford said. It will also fund a law enforcement liaison position to respond to safety concerns about the platform and fund an online safety awareness campaign, Ford said.

The settlement, which was agreed upon in lieu of litigation, includes enhanced protections for minors who use the app, such as requiring age verification for all users and restricting nighttime notifications for minors. The gaming platform faces litigation in other states, including Texas and Kentucky, which allege it fails to protect children.

"Roblox is proud to have worked alongside Attorney General Ford to reach this landmark agreement, which builds on our work to establish a new standard for digital safety," Roblox Chief Safety Officer Matt Kaufman said in a statement.

Kaufman said the agreement creates a blueprint for how industry and regulators can work together to protect children.

The settlement comes as prosecutors have filed lawsuits against social media companies over the role they play in children's lives. Last month in California and New Mexico, social media companies like Meta and YouTube were found liable for designing their platforms to hook young users and were ordered to pay over $375 million in penalties.

Ford also has lawsuits pending against Meta, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube and Kik, alleging the companies failed to implement safety measures for children.

As part of the agreement, Roblox will implement facial age estimation technology to limit younger users' chats to only those in similar age groups. Adult users and users under 16 will not be allowed to chat unless they are communicating with a trusted friend, Ford said. A trusted friend can be added through a QR code or their phone contacts to ensure the child knows the person outside of the platform, he said. The company will also monitor activity to see if a user lied about their age, he said.

Roblox will create kids accounts for users under ages 16 that blocks access to adult-rated content and provides games vetted for suitability. The agreement also expands parental oversight to users under 16. That oversight was previously available for users under 13.

Donch'e King, supervising criminal investigator at the attorney general's office, said half a million online predators pursue children at any given moment, often across multiple platforms. The majority of predatory contact occurs through chat rooms and instant messaging, he said. He urged parents to communicate frankly with their children about the platforms they are on and to report concerns to law enforcement.

"Protecting Nevada's children is not an option; it's our duty," King said.

Esther Harkreader has lived in the Mission District neighborhood for 20 years. For her, it's like home. 

"I don't even have to say anything. I just walk in and say, 'Hi.' And they say, 'How many?' And they make my food. They know me. They are good neighbors," Harkreader said.

El Faro has been in the Mission since 1961, known for its famous super burrito. But as the economy booms in San Francisco, so does the rent. The daughter of the family-owned business says her mother was caught off guard by the rent increase. 

"To our surprise, it was almost a double raise, so it was like 73% increase after we did some math," Patricia Kocourek. "(My mother) spent her adult life coming from Mexico here. She's very attached sentimentally."

Customers, like Harkreader, can feel that community connection firsthand.

"She has given me free burritos on my birthday before, and they've become good friends, I feel like, you know? I read the story last night, and I almost cried," Harkreader said.

Ce'Myah Bacchus attends a nearby school in the neighborhood and says the owners always take care of her, even when she is short on cash.

"I'm pretty sad, honestly, because it's been here for so long. The burritos are so great. And the people there are just so nice. Any time I don't have enough, they give me a discount," Bacchus said.

The restaurant was able to pay rent for the month of April, but they say the future remains uncertain. 

Currently, El Faro is listed on Facebook Marketplace for $225,000. They say so far, they haven't gotten any offers close to their asking price.

In 2019, a company called Catalyst Properties approached the city of Larkspur with an idea. They convinced the city to pair up with a newly formed organization called California Community Housing Authority, or CalCHA, to create tax-free bonds as a way to purchase existing apartment complexes, turning them into middle-income affordable housing.

"CalCHA, when it purchases a property within a member jurisdiction's boundaries, the project becomes tax exempt," said Larkspur's mayor, Stephanie Andre.

That means not only are bondholder profits tax-exempt, but the complexes themselves no longer have to pay property taxes. So, in 2020, Catalyst and CalCHA purchased Serenity at Larkspur, a huge complex near the ferry terminal, for more than $226 million. And Mayor Andre said all of that money came from the borrowed bond funds.

"They certainly took on more debt than they should have," she said. "I also think that, because this novel structure was new at the time, I don't think that the cities and counties that joined it really understood how this was going to work."

Almost immediately, the project ran into trouble. Andre said, with some rents exceeding $3,000 per month, Serenity struggled to attract tenants because the rental formula they used was sometimes higher than even market rates.  

"This property was only 50 to 60 percent leased to middle-income tenants," she said, "which fell short of the goals that were in the bond document."

After five years, CalCHA'a debt exceeded its revenues, and a few weeks ago, it sold the complex to a company called Pacific Multifamily Investors, at a loss of more than 50 million dollars. And the complex has since been renamed as "Finch at Larkspur."  In a written statement, CalCHA attributed some of the project's problems to the pandemic adding, "In working with bondholders, it became apparent that the best route forward for the bondholders was to sell the Serenity project. Ultimately, the bondholders agreed to the highest offer from a market rate apartment owner."

That's right, the new owner is a market-rate landlord, which means there are no restrictions on how much they can charge for rent or who they can rent to. Mayor Andre said the city learned the hard way that middle-income affordability projects do not have the same regulations as low-income projects. And in many cases, she said, cities have little say about the terms of the contracts or its enforcement.

"None of that was ever brought back to the city of Larkspur for review or approval prior to the transaction," she said.  "That should have been part of the initial discussions."

Larkspur has since ended its relationship with CalCHA. In this case, the city had no money invested in the project, but they did lose out on about $15 million in tax revenue over the last five years. The mayor said the good news is that the sale of the complex will mean they will resume paying property taxes again. But she said there are other Bay Area cities that have entered into the same agreement with CalCHA, and she advises them to pay close attention to the details of the deal and not be distracted by the word "affordable."

But AbdAllah Abou-Ismail has found a way to make the city foot the bill.

"I was like, you know what? This is my reason for biking every day," he said.

Every morning, he hops on his bike and pedals his way toward a free lunch. Call it a bit of roadside economics: The city of Palo Alto pays him to stay out of traffic. And instead of low-grade road rage, he starts his day on the right foot.

"Actually, my energy levels got a lot better once I started biking. Before I would get to work a lot more sleepy, but with the bike, I come into work 100% I can hit the floor. No downtime, no nothing," he said.

It's all thanks to a program called "Bike Love," which tracks his commute and pays him $5 a day — up to $600 a year — to spend at local businesses. It's one of several efforts the city has rolled out to get drivers to shift gears. The initiative runs through an app called Motion, which tracks trips automatically on your phone, whether you're on a bike, e-bike or scooter. 

Pat Burt, a Palo Alto city council member who serves on the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, said the goal is simple.

"We want this to be a means where they get addicted to biking and as a result, they're healthier, mentally and physically, and happier," he said.

According to the Palo Alto Transportation Management Association, the program kept nearly three million car miles off local roads last year and cut more than a thousand tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

Not everyone thinks it goes far enough. Billy Riggs, a professor at the University of San Francisco who studies transportation innovation, says these programs tend to target people who are already biking.

"This is cute, it just can't be about cute solutions," he said.

As for Abou-Ismail, the payoff is simple — and daily.

"By the time I reach work, I've already had a small little adventure, and five bucks into my account," he said.

The attorneys issued a consumer alert Tuesday reminding parents, along with manufacturers, retailers and users about state laws on the sale and use of the bikes.

"Sometimes, what looks like an e-bike or is marketed as an e-bike is not a bike at all. We are seeing a surge of safety incidents on our sidewalks, parks, and streets," Bonta said. "Bike riders and parents: If your or your teen's electric two-wheeled vehicle goes too fast, it might be a motorcycle or a moped — not an e-bike."

In a statement, Bonta's office pointed to a study by the University of California, San Francisco finding that rider injuries from e-bikes nearly doubled each year from 2017 to 2022. A study from the University of California, San Diego showed injuries among e-bike riders under 18 in San Diego soared 300% between 2019 and 2023.

San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins added, "Unfortunately, many retailers are marketing and selling two-wheeled vehicles as 'e-bikes' when they do not qualify as electric bicycles in California."  

While acknowledging e-bikes can make cycling faster, easier and more accessible, along with reducing reliance on fossil fuels, the  attorneys said such vehicles can pose safety risks if they are modified to go faster.

Bob Mittelstaedt, a safety advocate who visits school campuses across the region to track the rising number of "e-motos," spoke to CBS News Bay Area in December about the growing issue.

"This is like driving a motor vehicle without a driver's license and without DMV plates," said Mittelstaedt.  

Under state law, two-wheeled vehicles that go more than 28 mph with pedal assistance or 20 mph with a throttle are not e-bikes. Such vehicles are classified as mopeds or motorcycles, which require additional licensing and age requirements to operate or sell.

In addition, only e-bikes that are Class 1 or 2 can be operated by people of all ages. Class 3 bikes, which are also known as "speed pedal-assisted electric bicycles," can only be operated by riders 16 and older with helmets.

State law requires all e-bikes to have a permanent label disclosing what class it belongs to, the bike's top assisted speed and the wattage of its motor.  

Officials said that not all two-wheeled vehicles with electric motors are considered e-bikes. Any two-wheeled vehicle that provides pedal assistance above 28 mph or throttle assistance above 20 mph, has a motor with more than 750 watts of power or does not have operable pedals may require registration with the DMV, along with proper licenses and adequate insurance to operate.

Parents were also reminded to check for additional rules from their local school district or community on how and where e-bikes can be operated.

In addition to alerting parents and consumers, the attorneys warned e-bike sellers to only sell or advertise vehicles that fall into the three classes and not to sell or advertise vehicles that are intended to be modified to exceed applicable limits.

The decision by the Pacific Fishery Management Council to allow limited commercial and recreational salmon fishing off the coast is a win for the state's salmon fishing industry, which has grappled with years of season closures due to dwindling fish stocks. The council, which manages fisheries off the West Coast, barred commercial salmon fishing off California for the past three years. It voted last year to allow some recreational fishing for the first time since 2022.

The council is an advisory group to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, which makes the final decision but historically has followed the council's rulings. The secretary's decision will be posted in the Federal Register within days.

"It is great news for everyone — for the fishermen, for seafood lovers and the environment because it means that salmon populations are back to a much healthier state," California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot said ahead of the decision.

The federal council has said forecasts for Chinook and coho salmon off the West Coast look promising this year, though the season will open with some restrictions.

"Salmon are part of the cultural fabric of California, and I'm delighted more Californians will have the opportunity to enjoy these magnificent fish whether that's in the water, on the end of their fishing lines or on their dinner plates," said Meghan Hertel, the director of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. 

Recreational fishing along a stretch of the coast spanning about 50 miles south of San Francisco to the Mexican border already began this month, according to the Golden State Salmon Association. Sportfishing to the north, including in waters off San Francisco, will begin in June. Commercial fishing along the coast will begin in May.

The council voted to limit commercial fishing to only a few days and set quotas for the number of salmon that can be caught.

Biologists say the Chinook salmon population declined dramatically after years of drought, disrupting the fish's migration upstream to lay their eggs. Many in the fishing industry say rules from the first Trump administration also allowed more water to be diverted from the Sacramento River Basin to agriculture. That caused even more harm by increasing river temperatures and dropping water levels when baby salmon were trying to make it from their spawning beds to the ocean.

But recent wet winters have brought in more cold water, which the fish need to spawn.

Salmon populations have also bounced back in areas where they were long absent due to river restoration efforts, Crowfoot said.

After four hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River were removed in 2024, salmon returned to spawn in waters along the Oregon-California border where they hadn't for decades. The state has since removed barriers that prevented the passage of salmon in other waterways, including on Alameda Creek in the San Francisco Bay Area, Crowfoot said.

Much of the salmon caught in the ocean originate in California's Klamath and Sacramento rivers. After hatching in freshwater, they spend three years on average maturing in the Pacific, where many are caught by commercial fishermen, before migrating back to their spawning grounds, where conditions are more ideal to give birth. After laying eggs, they die.

Preserving a healthy salmon population is crucial for the environment and the state's economy, Crowfoot said.

"Salmon are an iconic species in California and critically important to our tribal communities and our fishing sector," he said.

Vance Staplin, executive director of the Golden State Salmon Association, largely blamed state and federal water management policies for low salmon stocks in recent years. The fishing season closures had a large impact on the state's fishermen, bait shops and companies that make fishing equipment, he said.

"People don't understand how big of an industry salmon is to California," he said.

Some Philz coffee lovers are also saying they will take their business elsewhere.

In San Francisco's Castro District, Aegean Delights is right next door to Philz Coffee. In its front display, owner Petros Fanourgiakis proudly displays the rainbow flag.

"Since the late '70s, that flag has been a symbol of the area over the years," he said.

Fanourgiakis opened his business roughly six years ago with his wife. With pride flags displayed along Castro Street, he says this is the symbol of the neighborhood.

"To me, it represents the city," he said. "It represents this area. So, for us, if makes me feel like it's Castro right. That's kind of why we have it out there and it's famous."

In his home in Glen Park, former San Francisco Supervisor Jeff Sheehy proudly displays a hand-sewn flag given to him by the creator of the rainbow flag, Gilbert Baker.

"This means liberation," he said. "This means freedom but most importantly, love."

To him, the flag lets people know that everyone is welcome.

"Around the world, the rainbow flag is an international symbol of safety and acceptance for everybody," he said. "Not just for LGBTQ people."

Philz Coffee brewed its first cup in the Mission in 2003, but was bought by a private equity firm last year. The company released a statement by Philz Coffee CEO Mahesh Sadarangani:  

"At Philz, we have always believed everyone who walks through our doors deserves to feel welcome and safe, and that belief is at the core of everything we do. Our longstanding support of the LGBTQIA+ community is unchanged. We are working toward creating a more consistent, inclusive experience across all our stores, including removing a variety of flags and other decor. This is a change in how our stores look, not in who we are. Our allyship runs deeper than what is on our walls. It shows up in who we hire, how we treat one another and in our annual Pride Month Unity celebration, which returns this June as it has every year. Unity is fundamental to how we operate."

While the company plans to remove a variety of flags and decor, some people are questioning the new policy.

"It's kind of a bummer," San Francisco resident Ash Conner said. "Like you're in the Castro. It's a historic place. There are flags everywhere."

"I understand that Philz is no longer going to have a gay flag so I'm not going to take my business there anymore," Brett Waxdeck added.

Waxdeck decided to give Aegean Delights next door a try after hearing the news, but Fanourgiakis doesn't believe another business has to fail for him to succeed.

"We always love having more customers but not at others' expense," he said. "Hopefully for us, people just come in and enjoy their time here. I love all stores being open around me. So, the more stores around me, the better."

The proposal is to convert a Safeway grocery store along the 1600 block of South El Camino Real into a nearly 400-unit housing complex. The developers said that 55 of them would be designated for low-income households. 

"We need more affordable housing in San Mateo. We need more housing built — period — in San Mateo," Gary Magill, a San Mateo resident, told CBS News Bay Area. 

He said he's been living in the neighborhood for the past eight years. As a freelance videographer, he said it's a challenge to make ends meet. 

"It's definitely been difficult to earn a living wage in San Mateo and afford the increasing costs like electricity, gas," he said.

Developers said that they would reconstruct the Safeway grocery store into what they call a "modernized" version of the market that would fit in with the housing complex. 

"We already have a lot of grocery stores in my opinion," Magill said. 

Dino Antoniazzi, who has been living in San Mateo for more than 30 years, said he is against the proposal. 

"We don't have to be this high in density in this area in a neighborhood. And a lot of people are against it, but yet there are a lot of people that just want it. It's all about money, all about developers, all about the city," he said. 

Antoniazzi added that new construction would add to the traffic at an already busy intersection. He said that the Safeway grocery store has been convenient for him and his neighbors, as the common market standing in the area. 

"This was a kind of little quiet gem in the neighborhood. And all of a sudden, it's going to be exposed to quite a few people," he said. 

"I don't think we have a housing crisis. We have a commercial building crisis, where we keep building a lot of things. And then, of course, we have to start providing for all those people. So, if they don't build it, they won't come. If you build it, they will come," Antoniazzi added. 

CBS News Bay Area spoke with city officials about what's next with the proposal. 

"The city is very supportive of housing and housing development applications, because we recognize that key need. But at the same point, supporting and maintaining key services like grocery stores is also a top priority for the city," Zachary Dahl, the community development director for the city of San Mateo, said. 

He said this is the first step of the development approval process, and that once the application is deemed complete, Align Real Estate would need to hold a community neighborhood meeting. 

Once the formal and complete application is submitted, city officials will then go through the standard review process and decide whether to move forward with a formal hearing. 

Dahl added that the city is looking at 25 total projects, including proposed, approved, and under construction plans. He said that they are discussing the building of a total of 6,500 units, of which more than 1,000 would be affordable units. 

"More opportunity for middle to lower class income earners to be able to afford to live here and not have to live paycheck to paycheck," Magill said. 

Under this project, the developers hope to include more than 130 retail parking spaces and separate residential parking spaces in below-grade parking. As for the Safeway employees, the developer said that they would help to temporarily reassign staff to nearby stores. 

"Make sure that the grocery store use can serve the community all the way through the process," Dahl said. 

The move is expected to bring cheaper fares, more travel options, and fewer long drives for North Bay passengers. 

It could also have a ripple effect on the local economy.

Local leaders say Southwest's arrival will significantly increase the number of travelers flying in and out of the airport this year, a development they call a major step forward for both convenience and economic growth.

Southwest, one of the nation's largest airlines, marked its debut with an inaugural flight from Las Vegas and a ribbon-cutting celebration.

"It's a huge impact," said airport manager Jon Stout. "We're going to see a lot more visitors, and a lot more opportunities for our local residents. It gives us more travel options."

The airport has been steadily growing in recent years, and Stout projects a 30% increase in available seats compared to last year.

Passengers on the inaugural flight were enthusiastic about the new service.

"It was amazing. I've waited 30 years for this to happen," one traveler said. "Thank you, Santa Rosa!"

Southwest will offer nonstop flights to several major cities, including Las Vegas, Burbank, San Diego and Denver, adding new competition for airlines like Alaska and American.

Travelers say the added competition could translate into lower fares and more flexibility.

"I have to work tomorrow morning," said Stacey Donato, who traveled from North Carolina. "I had to get here by noon today to make sure I'm on time for my clients tomorrow, so that's always a concern."

Southwest executives say that competition benefits customers.

"Competition is great for the customer," said Andrew Watterson, chief operating officer of Southwest Airlines. "We're a pro-consumer company. Having more choices for customers is great, so it's up to us to hustle and win their favor."

For local businesses, especially in Wine Country, the impact could extend beyond convenience.

Thera Buttaro, who runs a real estate and vacation rental business, says easier access could translate into more bookings.

"That will help over time with easier access. Maybe 10 to 20 percent," Buttaro said. "Check back next year, and we'll see."

Tourism leaders say improved air service could also draw more visitors from across the country.

"That connectivity eastward to markets like Chicago and New York, which are really big fans of wine country, is going to make an enormous difference," said Claudia Vecchio, president of Sonoma County Tourism. "It will impact not only the number of visitors, but also overall awareness of Sonoma County as a destination."

More destinations are already in the works. Southwest plans to add seasonal service to Austin starting this fall.

With the addition of Santa Rosa, the airline now operates at 14 airports across California.

Then, it takes patience. Scrolling. Texting. Checking emails.

"Our market is really strong and robust right now. We have a really strong buying and selling market," said Kilbourne, an East Bay real estate agent.

But one thing she can't account for is market uncertainty.

"And of course we are always watching the news and seeing how it impacts the market," she explained.

The current cause of that uncertainty is the ongoing war with Iran.

"It would be the one thing that could impact our market is if these numbers remain volatile," Kilbourne added.

The conflict has unsettled the housing market across the country.

The day before the war, the average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage was at its lowest point in the past three years, 5.99 percent. But unlike most of the country, real estate agents in the Bay Area aren't fully feeling the impacts. Buyers, however, are.

Nigel Hughes, who tracks housing markets across the country, says there has already been a noticeable shift.

"We have seen just this week the Mortgage Bankers Association say that applications are down 10 percent in just this past week," said Hughes, director of market analytics at Homes.com.

Hughes says buyers had just started to get comfortable with rates around six percent, and that the higher that number goes the more that comfort begins to slip.

"That's what impacts the treasury yield, and the treasury yield impacts the mortgage rates. So, a 30-year mortgage rate going up to 6.5 percent makes your monthly payment more expensive," Hughes shared.

He says the current state of the market highlights just how bullish the Bay Area housing market remains.

"In February, San Francisco prices were the third highest in the nation, and the number of home sales was the second highest in the nation," Hughes said.

That's good news for someone like Kilbourne. But she also knows how quickly that can change.

"We saw that in COVID. When COVID hit, our rates went down dramatically and then our market spiked. Then after COVID, the rates increased and the market fell," she explained.

Because in this business, what hasn't happened yet can matter just as much as what has.

Sewing machines hummed, scissors snipped, patterns stretched across the tables. What was happening there felt less like a hobby and more like a movement.

Christine Williams, a student at The Sewing Room, said it felt like something of a rediscovery.

"Grandmas used to make their clothing like it was nothing," Williams said. "As it turns out, it's something."

Nine months earlier, Williams had never even touched a sewing machine. Now, she was making her own pair of pants.

"I'm really not thinking much at all when I'm sewing," she said. "It's the only time during the day I'm not thinking. I'm just super focused on getting a straight line."

Williams had already designed a jacket and a top from scratch, using a method known as zero-waste sewing. Patterns were planned so precisely that every inch of fabric ended up in the garment, nothing left on the floor, nothing headed for a landfill.

She's not the only one threading that needle. Christine Knobel, The Sewing Room's lead instructor, said enrollment jumped 40% in the last year as a new generation put pedal to the metal.

"It's been really refreshing to see so much increased interest in sewing, especially from young people," Knobel said.

It's part of a much bigger pattern. For a growing number of people more concerned about cost, waste, and learning practical skills, sewing was suddenly back in style.

A recent study shows that the global sewing machine market was picking up speed, from $4.7 billion in 2025 to more than $6 billion by 2033.

For those who stuck with it, the rewards could be personal.

"I feel like I'm wearing my dream wardrobe because I am," Williams said.

When most people get laid off, they update their résumés. James Houlahan preheated his oven.

"It's pretty brutal, and since nobody's hiring, I just figured I need to make a job for myself," he said.

So the San Francisco Bay Area resident went back to a family recipe and decided to take a risk, with a whisk. He started making pavlovas, a light, meringue-based Australian dessert, crisp on the outside and soft in the middle.

"It's something my mom and I always joked about whenever we'd bring a pav to a party, this thing kills," Houlahan said. "So we figured, someone's gotta make a business out of this."

So he did, out of his own kitchen in Alameda. 

And that's not a loophole. A 2019 law called MEHKO, or Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation, allows people to cook and sell food right out of their homes. Since then, more than 1,000 of these home kitchens have opened across California, operating under a growing but still patchwork system.

There are rules: food must be made from scratch and sold the same day. Not every county is on board, but there is now a push to expand it statewide.

Roya Bagheri, the executive director of The Cook Alliance, the nonprofit behind MEHKO, said the law is gaining momentum across the country as other states consider their own versions. 

"The cost of getting something like a food truck or a brick and mortar restaurant is so high, this creates an access to enter the food industry," she said.

A study by the group showed more than a third of home kitchen operators have used MEHKO as a stepping stone into something bigger.

But for some, the law is still a little undercooked. Jot Condie, president and CEO of the California Restaurant Association, warned that some counties may not have the resources to take it on.

"If they don't have the budget, there may not be a rigorous inspection procedure, and that is a huge concern for us," Condie said.

As for Houlahan, he's betting on his own kitchen and his mother's name: Marianne's Pavlovas. And his customers, like Flora Tso, are already sold.

"Nowadays it just gives us more choice," she said.

Applications opened on Monday for eligible business owners in the district, with the city offering to pay up to $30,000 per business for visible improvements. The city is investing $400,000 of American Rescue Plan Act grant funding into the corridor.

"It's really, for the city, a first step in our work to really help define the future of the corridor, the character of that corridor," said Dave Zellers, the city's director of Community and Economic Development.

Jason Fontela, owner of Hometown Car Wash, applied for the funding first thing this week.

The hand wash and car detailing business has been a Fairfield staple since the 1950s.

"A lot of our customers are very loyal, and we appreciate them," Fontela said.

On a rainy day like Wednesday, it is typical the weather drives customers away.

"It's a little bit tough for us as, you know, a small business against all of these giants up and down the street here. But we're trying to make do as we can," Fontela said.

Fontela hopes the city's investment will help boost business in the corridor. 

"Kind of give the little guy a second chance," Fontela said.

The city is putting the North Texas Street business district in the spotlight as other local investments, like building a new recreation center, are underway. 

Nearby, construction along West Texas Street is also promising some major improvements. 

The city, with this grant funding application, hopes to provide a simple facelift for Fairfield businesses. 

"Signage, landscape softening, lighting and parking, again, keeping it simple and focused to maximize the dollars," Zellers said.

The city's goal is to make the bustling stretch of road more inviting and more pedestrian-friendly, hopefully driving new business to the area. 

"We're also doing a six-month pilot project, where several days a week, we are sending out cleaning crews to sweep the sidewalk up, picking up trash, things like that to provide that little lift, little extra attention right now to that area," Zellers said.

Fontela says if his application is chosen, he wants to spend the money on a new parking lot, signs, lighting and to create a sitting area for customers to wait while the hand washers work their magic.

He hopes other business owners along the corridor also get the chance to cash in.

"They need a lot of help here, and this is something that's going to help a lot of small business owners, you know, see that second wind and more light at the end of the tunnel," Fontela said.