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New York Post
03-06-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Costco members rejoice after stores make big changes to improve its gas stations
Customers are getting a lot of mileage out of this change. Costco has extended the hours of its gas stations and tacked on more pumps, causing fuel sales to soar and delighting loyal customers fed up with languishing in mile-long gasoline lines. The big-box retailer announced in a Facebook post several months back that the gas stations will now be open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, and 6 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Fox News reported. However, those hours could vary for refueling stations in California and Hawaii. 'Costco remodeled their gas station, and I love it. It's so spacious and each lane has an extra pump,' wrote one satisfied customer on X. 'Been there twice now. Late evening and early afternoon. No lines!! In and out.' Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Time 'We also extended our gas station hours during the quarter to make filling up at Costco more convenient for our members,' Costco CEO Rob Vachris told investors during the company's first-quarter earnings call, the Daily Mail reported. 'Generally, our stations are now staying open an hour later than they did previously, with some opening earlier as well.' Costco also expanded the number of its diesel depots, which are located at Costco Warehouses and are only available to Costco members and Costco Shop Card customers, per the company's site. These changes reportedly paid financial dividends for the retail giant. During Costco's third-quarter earnings call last week, Vachris said that the company had experienced two of its 'all-time highest gallon weeks' in the U.S. in April, which he attributed to 'expanded gas station hours, new gas station openings and lower prices at the pump.' Costco devotees understandably seemed thrilled with the changes. 'Costco remodeled their gas station, and I love it. It's so spacious and each lane has an extra pump,' wrote one satisfied customer on X. 'Been there twice now. Late evening and early afternoon. No lines!! In and out.' 'Found out that the gas station at COSTCO opens at 6AM,' exclaimed another. 'It's on my way to work. No lines and top tier gas for 2.48.' Costco's chief financial officer, Gary Millerchip, noted 'an improvement in overall usage of the gas station.' 'It's early days, of course, but so far, we've been pleased by the member response,' he said. Fuel sales reportedly comprised 12% of total sales for the big-box giant last year. Their affordable gas prices — which are often between 5 and 25 cents cheaper than other stations — and accessible diesel options have been a major incentive for memberships.
Black America Web
09-05-2025
- Business
- Black America Web
Rebuilding Altadena: Small Business Loans Offered To Businesses Impacted By Eaton Fire
Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE Source: Robert Gauthier / Getty The long road to rebuilding the community of Altadena continues, and a new round of financial good news could be the break that local businesses have been longing to hear since the devastating Eaton wildfire ravaged through the community. On Monday, May 5, the Los Angeles County Development Authority along with Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger, officially launched a disaster relief small business loan program for eligible Altadena establishments of up to $75,000. Promising to help businesses in the area to 'recover, rebuild and retain jobs,' qualifying establishments, 'must operate a physical storefront in the areas of ZIP codes 91001 or 91004' and have been fully operational in the Altadena area for a minimum of six months. Other requirements include: providing 'proof of operation through documentation such as business license, lease, or other documentation as deemed appropriate by the Los Angeles County Development Authority,' according to the Los Angeles County Development Authority. Speaking about the new loan program, Barger was optimistic about helping get the community back up and running. 'The Eaton Fire devastated many in our Altadena community, and this program ensures we're providing real support where it's needed most,' she said. 'Small businesses are the backbone of our local economy, and helping them get back on their feet is essential to restoring stability, jobs, and community spirit in the wake of disaster,' Barger continued. Applications for the program began Tuesday, May 6, and will be open through June 3. Additionally, the 15-year loan term — which is said to be distributed directly to Altadena business owners — will have loan payments and interest accrual 'deferred for first 60 calendar months' and 'principal and interest payments will be due and payable starting on the 61st calendar month from funding date over a 10-year amortization.' After such a harrowing start to the year, this may be just the thing that the Altadena community needs to start anew and make the second half of 2025 much better than the first. SEE ALSO: As Altadena Residents Encounter Significant Crime Increase, Authorities Implement AI Cameras To Deter Thieves Nonprofit Purchases Land To Protect Altadena From Predatory Developers SEE ALSO Rebuilding Altadena: Small Business Loans Offered To Businesses Impacted By Eaton Fire was originally published on
Forbes
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Forbes
NOAA's Billion-Dollar Climate Disaster Database Is Going Dark
Lahaina, Maui, Thursday, August 11, 2023 - Buildings still smolder days after a wildfire gutted ... More downtown Lahaina. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) There are many ways to ignore climate reality. One of the most effective is to stop measuring it. That's what the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) just did. Quietly, without much public fanfare, the agency announced that it will retire its Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters database after 2024. This isn't just an administrative footnote. It's a seismic shift — one that will blind regulators, businesses, and the public to one of the clearest metrics we had on the cost of climate chaos. And if you run a business that lives in the physical world — supply chains, real estate, agriculture, energy, insurance — you should be paying attention. For more than 40 years, NOAA's database tracked extreme weather and climate disasters that cost over $1 billion — standardized, inflation-adjusted, and aggregated from private insurers, reinsurance models, and local governments. The result was one of the most reliable trendlines in climate policy: 403 events since 1980, nearly $3 trillion in damages. And rising fast. In the last five years alone, the annual average ballooned to 24 such disasters. In 2023, the record was 28. This wasn't just a tally. It was a window — showing how decisions made in boardrooms, town councils, and federal agencies added up in the face of a warming world. It wasn't a tool for attribution, strictly speaking. NOAA was careful to note that the database didn't focus on assigning blame to climate change. But when billion-dollar disasters become more frequent, more intense, and more expensive, you don't need attribution to see the pattern. Now, that window goes dark. NOAA says it's ending the database due to staff reductions. But those reductions didn't fall from the sky. They were designed. This is part of a larger pattern under the Trump administration — a quiet dismantling of climate infrastructure. Labs are closing. Research divisions are being gutted. Recent budget proposals have outlined a 27% cut to NOAA's funding, including the elimination of its Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research. This office has been central to advancing our understanding of climate systems and developing predictive models that inform everything from agriculture to disaster preparedness. Furthermore, the administration has proposed significant reductions to the Environmental Protection Agency's budget, targeting programs that support renewable energy and environmental justice initiatives. The Energy Star program, which has guided consumers toward energy-efficient products for decades, is also on the chopping block. You can call this austerity, but that's too generous. This the slow, procedural asphyxiation of information. Kill the programs. Retire the datasets. Make it harder for the public — and yes, for business — to see what's coming. The private sector thrives on clarity. You can't hedge against risks you can't see. And this database was one of the few places where public and private data came together to offer that clarity. It pulled from proprietary sources — reinsurance models, private claims, damage assessments — that most companies can't independently access. Insurance companies, in particular, depend on historical data to assess risk and set premiums. Without reliable government data, they may face greater uncertainty, leading to higher costs for consumers and businesses alike. This is a problem. As climate risk accelerates, as insurers recalibrate premiums, as asset managers weigh environmental exposure, we are choosing to know less, just when we need to know more. That's not just a political problem. It's an economic one. Swiss Re recently projected that global insured losses in 2025 will hit $145 billion — growing 5 to 7 percent annually. These aren't abstract figures. These are rising costs passed to customers, absorbed by governments, borne by communities. When institutions turn away from reality, others have to pick up the slack. Some in the private sector will try. But they'll do it with less transparency, more fragmentation, and fewer incentives to serve the public interest. And let's be honest: most companies don't have the time or resources to replicate federal-scale data infrastructure. Nor should they. So the question isn't just what data we've lost. It's what capacity we're losing — to think clearly, to plan wisely, to act collectively. The cost of climate change is growing. But now, the price of seeing that cost is too.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Edmonton Oilers rally to win Game 5, put Kings on the brink of elimination again
Kings right wing Quinton Byfield reacts during the second period of his team's Game 5 playoff loss to the Oilers Tuesday night at Arena. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times) Edmonton's Mattias Janmark pushed the Kings to the brink of playoff elimination, scoring off a rebound early in the third period to give the Oilers a 3-1 win in Game 5 of their first-round Stanley Cup playoff at Arena. The Oilers, who lead the best-of-seven series 3-2, can end the Kings' season for a fourth straight season with another victory. Janmark's goal marked the fourth time in five games the Kings have given up a game-tying or go-ahead score in the final 13 minutes of regulation. It was also the third consecutive come-from-behind win for the Oilers, the first time they've done that in the franchise's playoff history. Advertisement Evander Kane had Edmonton's first goal while the lone Kings' score came from Andrei Kuzmenko, both in the second period. The Oilers' Ryan Nugent-Hopkins closed out the scoring with an empty-net goal in final minute. The Oilers had the stronger opening 20 minutes, during which they took the first 11 shots, building a 19-4 advantage for the period. But Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper, who on Monday was named one of three finalists for the Vezina Trophy, proved why, leaving Edmonton with nothing to show for all that effort. Kings left wing Andrei Kuzmenko gets tangled up with Oilers defenseman Brett Kulak in the first period. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) That allowed Kuzmenko to put the Kings in front 3:33 into the second period. The winger parked himself in front of the net and was shielding Edmonton goalie Calvin Pickard when he reached out to redirect a pass from Anze Kopitar near the blue line. The goal, the Kings' eighth power-play score of the series, came eight seconds after Darnell Nurse went off for tripping. It also marked the fourth time in five games that the Kings scored first. Advertisement Kopitar's assist was his seventh in five games while Adrian Kempe, who also assisted on the goal, has six. However the lead lasted less than three minutes before Kane tied it on a wrist shot from the high slot. That goal came seven seconds after the Kings killed off a tripping penalty to Drew Doughty. Kings left wing Kevin Fiala goes after the puck against Oilers center Leon Draisaitl in the first period. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) Edmonton then went in front to stay 7:12 into the final period when Janmark scored off the rebound of a shot by former King Viktor Arvidsson that Kuemper had pushed out to his stick side, not knowing that Janmark was perched just inside the circle. Kuemper deserved a far better fate after turning away 43 shots. He has faced 93 shots in the last two games. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hernández: With their season in danger of ending, Lakers are running out of answers
Minnesota center Rudy Gobert tries to move to the basket under pressure from Lakers guard Austin Reaves, left, and forward Rui Hachimura, right, during the Timberwolves' 116-113 win in Game 4 on Sunday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) As the Lakers departed from the court at Target Center with their heads down, white towels were being whirled everywhere around them. The crowd was doing more than celebrating the home team's 116-113 victory on Sunday afternoon. The 19,289 fans here could see what was happening. They could feel what was happening. Advertisement Four games into this first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Lakers haven't figured out what to do. Read more: LeBron and Lakers falter late in loss to Minnesota, moving to brink of elimination They haven't figured out how to stop Anthony Edwards. They haven't figured out how to stop the Timberwolves from overwhelming them in the paint. They haven't figured out how to stop their opponents from grabbing offensive rebound after offensive rebound. Now, they're down three games to one, and another defeat will finish their season. Two days after stomach problems reduced him to practically being an on-court spectator, Luka Doncic returned to score 38 points. Advertisement That didn't matter. LeBron James contributed in every dimension of the game, finishing with 27 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists, three steals and three blocks. That didn't matter either. Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle celebrates during the fourth quarter of a 116-113 win over the Lakers in Game 4 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs Sunday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) At this stage of the season, against this particular opponent, their shortcomings are outweighing the strengths, and coach JJ Redick doesn't sound as if he has any answers. 'Certainly played well enough to win,' Redick said. 'Gave the effort to win.' Redick complained about a couple of late-game calls,and he was justified in doing so, but a referee's whistle won't be what saves the season. The Timberwolves present matchup problems for the Lakers, and the Lakers might not have the necessary personnel to reverse their deficit. Advertisement As well as Doncic and James played, Edwards outshined them both, scoring a game-high 43 points while also contributing nine rebounds and six assists. The Lakers' desperation was perhaps best represented by Redick's second-half substitutions: There weren't any. 'We just made a decision at halftime,' Redick said. Lakers forward LeBron James, top, fouls Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards in final seconds of Game 4 on Sunday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) The team's third-quarter starters — Doncic, James, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and Dorian Finney-Smith — played the entire second half. 'Those guys,' Redick said, 'gave a lot.' The Lakers scored a series-high 36 points in the third quarter to take a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter but predictably ran out of gas against a Timberwolves team with a deeper roster. Advertisement 'This is the playoffs,' Doncic said. 'Fatigue shouldn't play a role.' That doesn't mean it won't. 'It was tough,' Finney-Smith acknowledged. The team's lack of a center came into even sharper focus, as Jaxson Hayes never reentered the game after picking up his second foul just four minutes into the game. If the Lakers are to come back from this three-games-to-one deficit, it will start with Doncic, who was said by Redick to be throwing up 'all afternoon' leading up to their Game 3 defeat. Doncic said he spent the day between Games 3 and 4, 'mostly laying down.' 'Today,' Doncic said, 'I felt better.' And the Lakers started better. Advertisement They did in the opening quarter what Redick implored them to do, which was to take better care of the basketball. They committed only one turnover in the first 12 minutes of the game, after which they were ahead, 32-28. They weren't as careful in the second quarter, however. The Lakers turned over the ball four times in the opening five minutes of the quarter. Their lead quickly vanished, and they went into halftime with a 61-58 deficit. The Lakers deserved to be down by more, but James and Doncic kept them in the game by themselves, the two stars carrying nearly the entire offensive load as Reaves' minutes were limited by early foul trouble. Advertisement James and Doncic scored 22 and 21 points in the first half, respectively. The last time the Lakers had multiple players score 20 or more points in a single half of a postseason game was on May 31, 2002 against the Sacramento Kings. The two players who did it then: Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal. Only three Lakers other than James and Doncic scored in the first half: Hachimura, Finney-Smith and Hayes. The Lakers opened the second half with a 14-0 run, with a three-pointer by Reaves extending their lead to 72-61. They were ahead by as many as 12 points, only for the Timberwolves to do against them what they have done the entire series. Sign up for our weekly newsletter on all things Lakers. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
