Billionaire Elon Musk on Friday said his artificial intelligence startup xAI is buying his social networking platform X in a deal valuing the company, once known as Twitter at $33 billion. read more
Seattle City Councilmember Rob Saka thinks now is the time for the city to acknowledge the "failure of defund movement." The West Seattle representative's symbolic resolution that "reiterates support for first responders, acknowledges failure of defund movement and embraces focus on underserved communities" will come in front of the council's public safety committee Tuesday. "This Council, in collaboration with the Mayor's Office has made improving public safety an absolute priority," Saka said in the announcement of the proposed resolution. "This is finally the time to acknowledge the lessons of the past and pivot decisively toward a better, future-focused public safety model. We are committed to making everyone in our community feel safe and to enhancing our accountability system." Mayor Bruce Harrell is also ready to declare a new pro-police era in Seattle. read more
The city of Los Angeles has issued just four rebuilding permits in the Pacific Palisades 75 days after a fire devastated most of the coastal community, highlighting the city's struggle with providing basic government services. After the city dedicated significant resources to tearing down a 20-year-old family treehouse earlier this month over permitting disagreements, many individuals highlighted their struggles with obtaining permits for building even simple structures. According to Los Angeles City Councilwoman Traci Park, who represents the Pacific Palisades, only four permits have been issued for rebuilding thus far after a fire destroyed 6,000 structures and leveled much of the community. read more
For the 13th consecutive year, the city of Chicago once again reigned as the nation's homicide capital in 2024 with 573 murders. Ted Dabrowski, the president of Wirepoints, believes that the illness has festered for too long. Even as overall murder rates across the country dipped, Chicago also claimed the top spot for the highest murder rate per capita among big cities at 21.5 per 100,000 population. That's three times the level of Los Angeles and nearly five times that of New York City. "It means we have a real problem and we're sick," Dabrowski told The Center Square. "Until we get serious, this murder problem is going to be a drag on the city in terms of attracting people, attracting businesses and, worse, it's going to keep chasing people away and chasing businesses away. It's something we have to get our hands around."
A luxury RV company is trying to evict a group of squatters who took over a storage lot of campers in the city of Industry. "We've noticed that several of the trailers have been burning," worker Marilyn Martinez said. "There's homeless here sometimes late at night. They're coming in and out." Martinez, who works near the lot, said a city of squatters started taking over the overflow storage area months ago. Since then, they've piled up massive mounds of trash and debris. The company, Black Series RV, said trespassers are now living in at least 50 campers, which are worth anywhere between $40,000 and $100,000. read more
Poor beanie. Life is better when you can read. By now, if you have not mastered that skill, you never will. GDS is alive and well!