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Orange County Transportation Authority Generates $40 Million in Excess Toll Revenue from 91 Express Lanes for Freeway Projects

Orange County Transportation Authority Generates $40 Million in Excess Toll Revenue from 91 Express Lanes for Freeway Projects

The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) reported approximately $40 million in excess toll revenue from the 91 Express Lanes for fiscal year 2024-25. This revenue is generated after accounting for operating costs and principal and interest payments. Since OCTA acquired the lanes in 2003 for $207.5 million, over $100 million in excess toll revenue has been directly allocated to transportation projects along the 91 Freeway corridor, specifically from the 57 Freeway to the Riverside County border. Additional funds have been set aside in reserves for future freeway and transit projects. The 91 Express Lanes, which opened in 1995 as a private venture, became publicly owned in 2003. Toll prices on the 10-mile tollway, which has two lanes in each direction, fluctuate based on usage, ranging from $2 to $9.65 for vehicles with fewer than three occupants, with the aim of keeping the lanes congestion-free.
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California Faces Healthcare Coverage Rollbacks, Threatening Millions with Loss of Insurance

California Faces Healthcare Coverage Rollbacks, Threatening Millions with Loss of Insurance

California, which previously achieved a near-universal health insurance rate of 95% for its residents, is now experiencing a significant unraveling of this progress. Budget shortfalls and new federal restrictions are leading state leaders to roll back the expanded healthcare coverage system. Projections from the UC Berkeley Labor Center and UCLA Center for Health Policy Research indicate that California's uninsured rate could almost double to nearly 15% by 2030. An estimated 2.2 million people are at risk of losing insurance over the next four years due to combined state and federal cuts. These losses are expected to disproportionately affect undocumented immigrants and low-income Californians, with the uninsured rate potentially more than doubling among Black and Asian Californians. Southern California is anticipated to bear the brunt of these changes due to its larger population of low-income and immigrant residents. The state has already frozen enrollment for undocumented adults in Medi-Cal, resulting i...
Ventura County Star, Camarillo Ventura County Star, Camarillo
Surge of hospice fraud hits Ventura County, experts warn

Surge of hospice fraud hits Ventura County, experts warn

Federal investigators and a hospice care leader said hospice fraud has hit Ventura County.
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Strongest El Niño Event Expected to Impact Southern California

Strongest El Niño Event Expected to Impact Southern California

Southern California is bracing for potentially very wet conditions due to what experts are predicting to be the strongest El Niño event ever observed. El Niño, a natural climate pattern, temporarily warms the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, leading to extreme weather patterns globally. This phenomenon, combined with human-caused global warming, has already raised sea levels by up to a foot along California's coast over the past century. UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain has stated that there is a strong likelihood of wet or even very wet conditions in the region during this event. Additionally, El Niño's warming effect on the ocean temporarily raises sea levels, increasing the risk of coastal flooding. FEMA advises residents to consult flood risk maps, though these may not be comprehensive or up-to-date. Source time: Wed, 19 Aug 2026 11:00:00 GMT.
Variety Variety
Olivia Rodrigo Releases ‘Handmaid’s Tale’-Inspired Song, ‘Serena Joy,’ in a Tiny Run of CDs, With Digital Drop to Follow

Olivia Rodrigo Releases ‘Handmaid’s Tale’-Inspired Song, ‘Serena Joy,’ in a Tiny Run of CDs, With Digital Drop to Follow

It was already clear Olivia Rodrigo is in full feminist mode these days, with her all-female music festival, Daisy Chain Fields, set to take place in California’s Orange County next Saturday. But it’s perhaps even clearer now that Rodrigo is releasing a non-album track, “Serena Joy,” named after a prominent character in “The Handmaid’s Tale” […]
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Stone Brewing and Bumble Bee Foods Announce Layoffs and Facility Closures in California

Stone Brewing and Bumble Bee Foods Announce Layoffs and Facility Closures in California

Stone Brewing and Bumble Bee Foods Announce Layoffs and Facility Closures in California
Palm Springs Desert Sun Palm Springs Desert Sun
Waymo robotaxis approved to expand across 18 California counties

Waymo robotaxis approved to expand across 18 California counties

Waymo received state approval to expand its autonomous ride-hailing service across 18 California counties, paving the way for gradual growth into dozens of new cities.
1Weather 1Weather
Strong El Niño Expected to Bring High Flood Risks to Southern California

Strong El Niño Expected to Bring High Flood Risks to Southern California

A strong El Niño event is developing in Southern California, with experts predicting it could be the strongest ever observed (LAist, 2026-08-18). El Niño, a natural climate pattern, warms the eastern tropical Pacific and often leads to extreme weather, including heavy rainfall. This year, the phenomenon coincides with the highest tides in nearly two decades, further elevating flood risks. Climate scientist Daniel Swain warns of a 'very high and almost guaranteed' risk of coastal flooding, compounded by human-caused global warming, which has already raised sea levels by up to a foot along California's coast over the past century. Inland areas near creeks and rivers are also at risk due to potential extreme rainfall.
USA Today USA Today
It's official: Shadow the bald eagle's new companion is named Kaydee

It's official: Shadow the bald eagle's new companion is named Kaydee

Shadow and Kaydee have been spending a lot of time together in the home he used to share with Jackie in Big Bear Valley in Southern California.
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Southern California Faces High Flood Risk Due to Strong El Niño and Climate Change

Southern California Faces High Flood Risk Due to Strong El Niño and Climate Change

Southern California is bracing for a strong El Niño event, which climate scientists predict will lead to an exceptionally wet winter, potentially exceeding the intensity of past events in 1982 and 1997. This El Niño is expected to cause extreme rainfall and temporarily raise sea levels due to ocean warming. Compounding this natural phenomenon is human-caused global warming, which has already elevated sea levels by approximately a foot along California's coast over the last century, making normal weather patterns more extreme. Experts, including climate scientist Daniel Swain, warn that the risk of coastal flooding is "very high and almost guaranteed," and inland areas along creeks and rivers are also at significant risk. Residents are urged to understand their personal flood risk and consider obtaining flood insurance, as it can take about a month for new policies to become active.
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High Desert Farmers Market Seeks New Location Amid Rising Costs at Victor Valley College

High Desert Farmers Market Seeks New Location Amid Rising Costs at Victor Valley College

High Desert Farmers Market Seeks New Location Amid Rising Costs at Victor Valley College
USA Today USA Today
Why some California kids could be banned from e-bikes

Why some California kids could be banned from e-bikes

Officials could ban kids under 12 from using e-bikes. It comes amid a sharp rise in e-bike injuries in recent years.