The Tryst Alternative Art Fair takes over Torrance, big comedy names hit the Belly Laughs Festival at the Peacock, celebrate South Korea at the Lotus Fest in Echo Park, clean up the beach with L.A. Waterkeepers and more.
Highlights:
More than 175 artists' works will be on display at the third annual Tryst Alternative Art Fair, which celebrates bringing together Southern Californian artists and artists from around the world at the Torrance Art Museum.
Hasan Minaj, Margaret Cho, Kumail Nanjiani, Bobby Lee and more will take the stage at the Belly Laughs Comedy Festival, celebrating Asian-American culture.
The Lotus Festival, a celebration of South Korean heritage and culture, takes over Echo Park with fun stuff for kids, a lantern launch, dragon boat races, food vendors and live entertainment, including a lion dance and ballet performances.
Do your part to keep our beaches clean and plastic-free by heading to the L.A. Waterkeeper beach cleanup. Can’t make it to the west side? North Atwater Park is up next on the calendar for a community plastics sweep on Saturday, July 19.
The Proper Hotel rooftop in Santa Monica is hosting Frogtown gourmet Mexican favorite Loreto all summer long. The space is the perfect spot to watch the sunset while enjoying spicy crudo, bang bang shrimp tostadas, refreshing ceviche or an all-out seafood tower with oysters.
July 11-13 Tryst Alternative Art Fair and NOMAD IV Torrance Art Museum, Del Amo Crossing 21535 Hawthorne Blvd., Torrance COST: FREE; MORE INFO
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Discover Torrance
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The work of more than 175 artists will be on display at the third annual Tryst Alternative Art Fair at the Torrance Art Museum, which celebrates bringing together artists from Southern California and more from around the world. The event features artist-run spaces and galleries that create conversation between artists, and it lets the public in to be a fly on the wall for those collaborations. Together with NOMAD IV happening at the same time, Torrance will light up with live DJ sets, performance art and more.
July 12-13 Belly Laughs Comedy Festival Peacock Theater 777 Chick Hearn Court, Downtown L.A. COST: FROM $129; MORE INFO
Hasan Minaj, Margaret Cho, Kumail Nanjiani, Bobby Lee and more comedians and special guests are taking the stage at the Belly Laughs Comedy Festival, celebrating Asian-American culture. Plus, there’s a special Asian night market with food from favorites like Holy Basil and Hermanos Empandas.
July 12-13 44th Echo Park Lotus Festival 751 Echo Park Ave., Echo Park COST: FREE; MORE INFO
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JuanCarlos Chan
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Los Angeles Dept of Recreation & Parks
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A celebration of South Korean heritage and culture takes over Echo Park with fun stuff for kids, a lantern launch, dragon boat races, food vendors and live entertainment — including a lion dance and ballet performances. The events are all free to attend but if you want to launch a lantern, and I think you do, you can buy tickets. There’s also a 5K run/walk on Sunday.
July 11-13 Daredevil Arts Festival Electric Lodge 1416 Electric Ave., Venice COST: FROM $15; MORE INFO
Performance art, dance, theater, comedy, even clowning — the Daredevil Arts Festival has it all. The line-up includes Psychopomp Dance Theater’s modern reimagining of Der Golem and the feel-good drag-king spectacular, The Ramón Show. Check out individual hour-long shows like John Newspaper & Friends or the dark comedy Brainwashed for a taste of local performers at this first-ever outing for the Venice fest, which features more than 20 original productions.
Sunday, July 13, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. We Outside Soccer Fest: Club World Cup Final Watch Party Intuit Dome Plaza 3930 W Century Blvd., Inglewood COST: FREE WITH RSVP; MORE INFO
Join soccer fans in Inglewood outside the Intuit Dome Plaza to watch the FIFA Club World Cup Final. Enjoy a DJ lineup, food vendors, and more. It’s a great taste of the types of fan events we can expect to enjoy when the World Cup comes to L.A. in 2026.
July 12-13 'Art Within the Craft' 120 East 8th St., Suite 805, Downtown L.A. COST: FREE, DONATIONS ACCEPTED; MORE INFO
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Courtesy Art Within the Craft
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Production design is often an overlooked but very key part of moviemaking, and a group of local artists is making sure designers get their due at this new exhibit. The pop-up features everything from sculpture to digital works, celebrating those who literally build the worlds we see on the big screen.
Saturday, July 12, 6 p.m. Art, Punk Rock and Gender Roles, a panel discussion with Exene Cervenka Laguna Art Museum 307 Cliff Drive, Laguna Beach COST: FROM $35; MORE INFO
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Eric Stoner via Laguna Art Museum
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Laguna Beach won’t know what hit it when punk icon Exene Cervenka of Punk Band X joins a panel discussion with friend of the newsletter Shana Nys Dambrot (13 Things L.A.) and writer Jenny Doh. The evening marks the close of Laguna Art Museum’s Carole Caroompas: Heathcliff and the Femme Fatale Go on Tour exhibit. Caroompas’ bold work combines punk rock and feminism wrapped in a fine art package.
Sunday, July 13, 10 a.m. Drop-In Tactile Filmmaking Workshop Academy Museum of Motion Pictures LACMA West, 6067 Wilshire Blvd., Miracle Mile COST: $25, FREE WITH MUSEUM ADMISSION; MORE INFO
Check out this "Drop-In Tactile Filmmaking Workshop," where you can make a camera-less movie, animating directly onto 16mm film using materials like markers, tape, pushpins and ink. It’s your last chance to catch the "Color in Motion: Chromatic Explorations of Cinema" exhibit at the Academy Museum before it closes on Sunday. The workshop is followed by curator tours of the show. The unique exhibit looks at the techniques of groundbreaking filmmakers like Len Lye, Oskar Fischinger and Mary Ellen Butte.
Outdoor Pick
Saturday, July 12, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Plastic-Free July Cleanup Challenge with L.A. Waterkeeper Tower 20 2030 Ocean Way, Santa Monica COST: FREE; MORE INFO
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L.A. Waterkeeper
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Do your part to keep our beaches clean and plastic-free by heading to the L.A. Waterkeeper beach cleanup. Can’t make it to the west side? North Atwater Park is up next on the calendar for a community plastics sweep on Saturday, July 19.
Viewing Pick
Sunday, July 13, 7:30 p.m. Love Island USA season finale watch party The Penmar 1233 Rose Ave., Venice COST: FREE; MORE INFO
At this point, I think I might be the only person not watching Love Island USA. But as we are here to serve, I must share with you that the group chat is moving to The Penmar to watch the season finale, and drinks will definitely be flowing as the sun sets over the golf course and on this drama-filled (I assume) season of the reality show.
Dine & Drink Deals
Weekends through Sept. 1, 12 to 8 p.m. Loreto x Calabra pop-up Calabra at Santa Monica Proper 700 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica COST: VARIES, MORE INFO
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Courtesy Calabra and Loreto
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The Proper Hotel rooftop in Santa Monica is hosting Frogtown gourmet Mexican favorite Loreto all summer long. The space is the perfect spot to watch the sunset while enjoying spicy crudo, bang bang shrimp tostadas, refreshing ceviche or an all-out seafood tower with oysters and more. Plus, margaritas and spritzes that go down easy.
July 11, 9 to 11 p.m. French Fry Day: FryLab L.A. Amboy Quality Meats 727 North Broadway, #117, Chinatown COST: $25; MORE INFO
Ahem, name a better holiday than National French Fry Day. I’ll wait. Then head to Chinatown for FryLab L.A. from Chef Alvin Cailan, who is taking Amboy to the next level with an experimental “FryLab” tasting room with Lamb Weston and Spiceology. There are fries, but not just any fries. Expect Bloody Mary fries and Filipino flavor-inspired Picadillo Fries. Plus, beer and ice cream, natch.
Sunday, July 13 FabFitFun x Creamy Boys Melrose and Abbot Kinney COST: FREE; MORE INFO
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FabFitFun x Creamy Boys
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Did someone say free ice cream? Head to 8408 Melrose Place from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. or 1344 Abbot Kinney in Venice from 3 to 5:30 p.m. and score free New Zealand-style ice cream, courtesy of Creamy Boys. There will also be free stuff and prizes from favorite brands like Our Place, Thrive Causemetics, Kopari and more.
Destiny Torres
is LAist's general assignment reporter and brings you the top news you need for the day.
Published June 8, 2026 12:51 PM
California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the creation of the Affordability Response Team, which will focus on investigating unlawful practices that are making life unaffordable for Californians.
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Adam Beam
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AP
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Topline:
The California Department of Justice says it plans to go after people and businesses illegally making life more expensive for residents. Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Monday that the state has launched an Affordability Response Team to investigate potential offenders.
Who is affected? The affordability crisis affects everyone, officials stated, but especially low-income households, communities of color and people with disabilities.
What did the Attorney General say? Bonta said this is an “all hands on deck” moment. “We're thinking about your bills,” Bonta added. “We're thinking about your budgets. We're thinking about your ability to afford living in this state and in this country.”
What will the team be focused on? The group is expected to target eight main focus areas, including household essentials, like groceries, gas and utilities, housing, healthcare, wages and scams. Another focus area includes the “high cost of enjoying life.” The team, for example, will go after hidden fees and business practices that hike up prices for entertainment and travel.
How can I get involved?If you have a complaint about a business who is not complying with consumer protection or other laws, you’re encouraged to submit a report here.
By Christopher Damien and Isaiah Murtaugh | The LA Local
Published June 8, 2026 12:09 PM
An ad paid for by Inglewood Residents for Stadium Accountability, a committee that notes WOW Media as its top funder.
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Isaiah Murtaugh
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The LA Local
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Topline:
Rival petition campaigns have taken the city’s billboard battle from the courtroom to the streets.
Why it matters: Drive down Manchester Boulevard in Inglewood, and you’re likely to see WOW Media digital billboards — from slender, curved signs planted in medians to massive LED screens that stretch across streets — that some residents have called eyesores. What’s less visible is that those billboards are at the center of a corporate power struggle that may be headed to the ballot this November.
The backstory: On one side: WOW Media, which has a financial partnership with the City of Inglewood that could be worth tens of millions of dollars as an aggressive expansion of its billboard network comes online. The city has not publicly endorsed or opposed the ballot proposals backed by WOW, and Mayor James Butts declined to comment on those initiatives. On the other: the operators of SoFi Stadium, the Intuit Dome and the Kia Forum — who want the billboard network gone and have their own advertising interests in the stadium district.
Read on... for the latest on Inglewood's billboard battles.
Drive down Manchester Boulevard in Inglewood, and you’re likely to see WOW Media digital billboards — from slender, curved signs planted in medians to massive LED screens that stretch across streets — that some residents have called eyesores.
What’s less visible is that those billboards are at the center of a corporate power struggle that may be headed to the ballot this November.
On one side: WOW Media, which has a financial partnership with the City of Inglewood that could be worth tens of millions of dollars as an aggressive expansion of its billboard network comes online. The city has not publicly endorsed or opposed the ballot proposals backed by WOW, and Mayor James Butts declined to comment on those initiatives.
On the other: the operators of SoFi Stadium, the Intuit Dome and the Kia Forum — who want the billboard network gone and have their own advertising interests in the stadium district.
Both the billboard company and stadium operators have turned to the same weapon: Petitions to put initiatives on voters’ ballots.
WOW is bankrolling proposals to cap stadium parking fees and raise taxes on event tickets. The stadium operators are pushing a measure to gut the city’s billboard program and the deal with WOW. Each side frames its campaigns as protecting Inglewood residents.
But none of these measures appear to be financed by community members. The money needed to persuade voters is coming from business interests who have major stakes in the upcoming World Cup, Super Bowl and Olympics.
This fight goes back to lawsuits between the city and stadium-linked businesses, including those tied to Stan Kroenke’s SoFi Stadium as well as Steve Ballmer’s Intuit Dome and Kia Forum. Last year, those businesses sued after the Inglewood City Council approved an exclusive contract with WOW Media to build and operate more than 100 digital billboards along some of the city’s busiest streets.
Shortly after that, Mayor James Butts wrote directly to Stan Kroenke seeking to ease tensions with Hollywood Park, where SoFi Stadium is located, and questioned whether a prior development agreement was still valid.
Now, as the city gears up for these major sporting events, the dispute has expanded from a fight over advertising control into a broader debate over public space and city revenue.
Billboard Blight Elimination and Neighborhood Preservation Initiative
Main funders
WOW Media and CEO Scott Krantz
Forum Entertainment LLC and HP [Hollywood Park] Security Co.
Objectives
Cap stadium parking rates at $20 and raise taxes on event tickets
Reduce or eliminate the city’s digital billboard program and its exclusive contract with WOW Media
WOW Media is the main funder of the Inglewood Residents for Stadium Accountability committee. It is backing two proposals: a cap on stadium parking rates and a tax on event tickets.
Stadium-linked businesses are backing a proposal that would roll back or eliminate the city’s billboard program and end its exclusive agreement with WOW.
Those same stadium-linked businesses backing the billboard blight initiative are also behind some of the city’s most visible and controversial digital advertising displays on stadium properties, which have changed Inglewood’s streetscape in recent years.
A person walks past a digital billboard on Prairie Ave. in Inglewood on Saturday, April 18, in Los Angeles, Calif.
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Dania Maxwell
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The LA Local
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Outside these campaigns, WOW already operates large digital billboards across the city, including its “Spectaculars” and twisting digital kiosks along major corridors.
The company promotes them as advertising space for audiences drawn to major sporting events. It has built its brand around aggressive marketing ahead of the city’s upcoming global sports calendar.
In a February Instagram post, WOW wrote: “You need Digital Spectaculars that match the energy. You need massive real estate. You need WOW,” alongside a video clip of a soccer ball bouncing through Inglewood streets.
Taken together, campaign filings, interviews and reporting by The LA Local suggest both sides are fighting not only over policy measures, but over control of high-value advertising space in Inglewood.
When asked why WOW was backing initiatives apparently unrelated to its billboard network, CEO Scott Krantz said the company is pushing for stadium operators to contribute more to the city.
“Our commitment has always been to invest in Inglewood, and that commitment goes far beyond our network,” Krantz wrote, adding that WOW wants Inglewood to remain a strong and financially stable “City of Champions.”
Inside the stadium admissions tax initiative
At the center of one of the competing measures is a proposal to change how Inglewood taxes stadium tickets.
Inglewood has long relied on ticket taxes for revenue. But when the Staples Center opened in 1999 and the Lakers and Kings left the Forum, collections fell from about $700,000 to $225,000. By 2009-10, they were down to $20,000.
That changed with the stadium boom, including SoFi Stadium and the Intuit Dome.
A digital billboard is seen on Manchester Avenue at Spruce Avenue in Inglewood on Saturday, April 18, 2026, in Los Angeles, Calif.
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Dania Maxwell
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By 2022–23, the city collected $23 million in admissions tax revenue, boosted by major events including the NCAA football national championship game and WrestleMania. Admissions taxes from all ticketed events accounted for nearly 9% of the city’s general fund, according to budget documents.
A cap limits how much the city can collect. Under current rules, each venue pays up to $15 million annually.
The proposed Inglewood Fair Share Admissions Tax Tier Reform and Cap Removal Initiative, funded by WOW media, would eliminate those caps and restructure how venues are taxed.
If approved, it would set a 2.5% ticket charge for mid-sized venues, while larger venues like SoFi Stadium would continue paying 10% per ticket, but without the $15 million cap.
What the parking fee initiative would mean on game days
Above Mel Garcia’s neighborhood, the Intuit Dome looms over the rooftops like an alien spacecraft. On game days, streets are crowded with vehicles.
“The parking is wild, a lot more traffic,” Garcia said. Sometimes he sees residents renting out driveway spots, other times he sees visitors trying to sneak into street parking spaces.
The initiative claims the cap would bring more stability to game days and push drivers toward commercial lots instead of residential streets.
Tens of thousands of vehicles can enter the city during NFL games and concerts, and the city issues an average of 41 parking tickets per major event, according to city documents.
Stadium parking prices can climb into the hundreds of dollars, as they have for the FIFA World Cup this summer.
The city has continued to adjust. On May 12, the City Council approved an ordinance allowing churches and some businesses with large lots to sell parking spots during events.
A signature battle to the ballot
Signature gathering — and signature removal — have also become part of the broader fight.
WOW-backed canvassers appear to have been collecting signatures for initiatives that would cap stadium parking rates and raise taxes on event tickets while also asking voters to withdraw support from the rival campaign seeking to curb WOW’s billboard network.
The LA Local obtained photos of a petition asking voters to remove their names from the Billboard Blight Elimination and Neighborhood Preservation Initiative.
The LA Local obtained photos of a petition asking voters to remove their names.
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Courtesy of the Blight Elimination and Neighborhood Preservation Initiative
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The Inglewood City Clerk confirmed the petition had been filed but did not respond to questions about when it was submitted, who filed it or how many signatures it sought to remove from the rival campaign.
When asked about the effort, Krantz, the WOW CEO, did not directly confirm involvement but also did not deny it. Instead, he argued the city’s stadium businesses have created an “uneven playing field” that benefits themselves at the expense of others.
“The initiatives we support are designed to protect Inglewood from another attempt by stadium owners to take more from residents, small businesses and the city services that support critical infrastructure,” Krantz wrote.
John Shallman, a spokesperson for the billboard blight campaign who used to work with the LA Clippers, said WOW used its stadium-related petitions to target the roughly 13,000 signatures his group had collected.
“While WOW was publicly promoting separate stadium-related initiatives, it was also funding and organizing efforts designed to reduce support for ours by asking voters who had already signed to withdraw their names,” Shallman told The LA Local.
Shallman said canvassers were carrying multiple clipboards and asking some voters who had already signed the billboard initiative to remove their support. The LA Local could not independently verify those claims beyond confirming the petition had been filed with the city.
Krantz previously wrote to The LA Local that the billboard blight initiative was a “private interest power grab” by stadium owners designed to funnel advertising dollars to the billboards on stadium property.
“Their own massive signs — including future signs — are conveniently exempt from this initiative,” Krantz wrote. “The stadiums share none of their advertising revenue with Inglewood residents.”
The WOW-funded campaign directly discloses that they oppose the billboard blight ballot initiative in financial filings with the California Secretary of State. The stadium businesses did not similarly list their opposition to the parking and event tax initiatives.
The lawsuits remain unresolved, and the initiatives are being processed by the city to see if they’ve met the standards for inclusion on the fall ballot.
The Ballmer Group is a funder of The LA Local, but their support doesn’t influence our coverage. To learn more about our funders and commitment to editorial independence, click here.
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From left, Sergio Vazquez, Dinah Amante, and Alex Dolgoter work in a lab at Inovio Pharmaceuticals, a biotech company in San Diego, on June 4, 2020.
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K.C. Alfred
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The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images
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Topline:
Businesses and some lawmakers urge state leaders to reject the governor’s budget proposal to permanently limit R&D tax credits.
Why now: California’s life sciences industry is sounding the alarm over a proposal from Gov. Gavin Newsom that would permanently cap corporate tax credits. The proposal is projected to contribute a few billion dollars in revenue to California annually, but opponents say the state’s life sciences industry would be seriously threatened by having their tax subsidy reduced.
Why it matters: Tax credits allow businesses to reduce costs by lowering their final tax bill (as opposed to a deduction, which lowers the overall taxable income). The proposed change, which would go into effect in tax year 2027, would limit the credits businesses can claim each year. The proposal was designed to ensure “that larger corporations pay a minimum level of tax,” while not having a negative effect on small businesses, according to the Finance Department.
Read on... for more on the proposal.
California’s life sciences industry is sounding the alarm over a proposal from Gov. Gavin Newsom that would permanently cap corporate tax credits.
The proposal is projected to contribute a few billion dollars in revenue to California annually, but opponents say the state’s life sciences industry would be seriously threatened by having their tax subsidy reduced.
Tax credits allow businesses to reduce costs by lowering their final tax bill (as opposed to a deduction, which lowers the overall taxable income). The proposed change, which would go into effect in tax year 2027, would limit the credits businesses can claim each year. The proposal was designed to ensure "that larger corporations pay a minimum level of tax,” while not having a negative effect on small businesses, according to the Finance Department.
The proposal is the latest attempt to get corporations to pay more taxes in California, where voters will likely be considering a ballot initiative to tax billionaires in November. The life sciences industry, which says its annual economic impact is nearly $400 billion, is speaking out about the proposed cap. The tech industry is concerned. Dozens of lawmakers are urging the state’s top lawmakers to reject the new limit.
“The answer to the state’s long-term budget challenges is not to weaken the sectors driving California’s economy and generating state revenues,” 50 assemblymembers wrote to Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas and Senate Pro Tem Monique Limon on May 22.
The current state corporate tax rate is 8.84%, down from 9.6% in 1980 and 9.3% in 1987. California has been either the fourth or fifth largest economy in the world over the past few years; in 1985, with a higher tax rate, it ranked seventh in the world by gross domestic product. Corporations have also been paying less in federal taxes since 2017, when President Donald Trump slashed the federal corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%.
The proposed tax credit cap would largely reduce the state’s research and development credit and would affect the largest corporate taxpayers — fewer than 100 — in California, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office’s analysis of the proposal.
Rowan Isaaks, the LAO economist who did the analysis, testified at a recent budget subcommittee hearing. He told CalMatters that lawmakers’ questions and comments indicated skepticism about whether the tax credits were actually incentivizing new research. “These companies were gonna do this R&D anyway,” he said.
The life sciences industry is opposed
California’s life sciences industry disagrees, saying the proposal would add to its existing challenges. Representatives say it’s the latest regulatory and policy curveball the state keeps throwing at businesses.
Though California led the nation in venture capital funding for life sciences in 2025, “our global biomedical leadership is not guaranteed,” Sam Chung, senior vice president for government relations for industry group California Life Sciences, told CalMatters. “All these bills take a chunk of flesh out of our leadership.” (He is also concerned about proposed legislation that would change California antitrust law, which he said could have big consequences for the industry.)
Drug development requires lots of time and money, Chung said. If California reduces the tax credits biotech companies have long relied on, companies may relocate to other states with more generous credits, he said. He’s also worried about competition from China, and of some U.S. venture capitalists’ interest in Chinese biotech.
Darien Shanske, a UC Davis law professor who helped draft the proposed billionaire tax and has floated a similar limit on business tax credits, said he doubts other states’ tax credits outweigh California’s — even if the credits are reduced by this proposal. He also cited the state’s other benefits, including its education system, which is supplying the researchers the industry needs.
As for California’s argument that the proposal protects smaller businesses, Chung said businesses of all sizes are important, adding that mergers and acquisitions are the “lifeblood” of drug development.
“Scientists who develop something need big companies’ backing,” Chung said. “It’s a very symbiotic relationship. Everyone needs to work together to get to the finish line.”
The life sciences industry is also facing uncertainty over federal funding under the Trump administration.
At a time when research grants from the National Institutes of Health have been cut or are at risk, “to not have that, and then not have support from the state as well, is kind of a double whammy,” said Tim Scott, president and chief executive of another industry group, Biocom. The proposal would not eliminate tax credits, just cap them.
Scott, a biotech entrepreneur, told CalMatters that reducing R&D tax credits could threaten hiring. The life sciences industry — including biotech, pharmaceuticals and medical devices and equipment — employs more than 336,000 people directly and 1 million people directly and indirectly, according to a 2026 report by California Life Sciences.
“That R&D tax credit keeps those jobs here, it keeps the facilities being built here, and without it it becomes much more problematic,” he said.
The industry report showed that the Bay Area had 107,000 direct industry jobs in 2025, while San Diego and Los Angeles had about 54,000 each and Orange County had about 47,000.
Opponents say businesses can probably afford it
Proponents of the cap point out that what has been a “very generous” R&D tax credit wouldn’t be going away. California’s standard corporate tax rate is 8.84% of a company’s net income; the tax credit cap would be $5 million or 50% of that, whichever is greater. The cap would not apply to net operating losses.
“This tax break in particular is the second largest-corporate tax break (the state provides),” said Shanske, the UC Davis law professor. He said under the current system, companies have been able to “stockpile” the credits for research done long ago to the point where they can avoid paying tax to California.
“If you imagine that there’s a program where the state actually wrote a check to the biggest, richest companies in the state, I think there’d be an outcry,” Shanske said. The LAO analysis estimates that “check” the state writes is about $3.5 billion a year, based on how R&D tax credits currently work.
The May budget revision assumes the cap would raise $850 million in 2026-27, and $1.7 billion to $1.8 billion annually between 2027-28 and 2029-30.
Isaaks, the LAO economist, said a possible alternative would be for legislators to restructure R&D credits to make them more targeted.
What will state lawmakers do?
Businesses wrote to lawmakers that sectors such as semiconductors, software, clean technology, aerospace, advanced manufacturing and artificial intelligence also rely on R&D credits — which has been limited to $5 million for tax years 2024 to 2026, also at the governor’s request because of budgetary concerns.
“The contradiction underlying this proposal is difficult to ignore,” they wrote. “The May Revision itself reflects revenues significantly higher than previously projected, driven in substantial part by California’s innovation economy and the economic activity generated by research-intensive industries.”
In their letter to Rivas and Limon, 33 Democrats and 17 Republicans in the state assembly said “limiting incentives for research and development may generate short-term budgetary gains, but risks long-term economic consequences.”
Nick Miller, a spokesperson for Rivas, said the Assembly is taking a close look at the governor’s proposals. Limon’s office referred CalMatters to state Sen. John Laird, chair of the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee.
“California's innovation economy is enormously important, but we're also facing significant fiscal challenges,” Laird said in an emailed statement. “Our job is to carefully weigh those considerations as we work toward a balanced budget.”
The World Cup kicks off this week, and there will be watch parties all over town.
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Irfan Khan
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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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In this edition:
Foodie Week at Century City, a talk with sculptor Eugene Daubs, the World Cup kicks off and more of the best things to do this week.
Highlights:
Paint en plein air like Matisse, Renoir and other French masters who headed to the Riviera to be inspired by the light and the sea. We have our own little slice of beach heaven right here in Crystal Cove near Newport Beach, and twice a week all summer long you can learn to paint and enjoy the fresh air.
I don’t even know where to start! From the first coin toss on Thursday, countless local bars, public viewing spaces, fan zones, museums, and more will be showing all the World Cup games, so you don’t miss a single kick.
Just ahead of America’s 250th birthday, historical sculptor Eugene Daubwill talk about some of his favorite artworks, like his sculptures of Sacagawea, Rosa Parks and more at the El Segundo Public Library. Daub will sign copies of his new book Eugene Daub: Portraits, Medals, and Monuments, which will be available for purchase.
Century City Mall has attracted some of the buzziest restaurants in the city, and this week many are featuring specials for the center’s Foodie Week.
It’s a very sports-focused week. From the NBA Finals to last weekend’s French Open (I’m still catching up on sleep from getting up too early!) and Freeway Series, to, of course, the first games of the World Cup starting Thursday, there’s really something for every type of sportsball fan. But if you’re not set on gluing yourself to a TV, there’s still plenty to do.
Music-wise, Lyndsey Parker at Licorice Pizza notes that Monday will be a bittersweet night, as the Regent hosts a celebration of life for Gregg Foreman — of Cat Power, the Delta 72 and many other bands — who tragically died in April. Members of She Wants Revenge, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and many more will come together to honor this local hero.
On Tuesday, Rush continues their comeback at the Forum (they’ll also be there Thursday and Saturday), while Quintron & Miss Pussycat with Dagger Polyester bring their revue to the Bob Baker Marionette Theater.
Wednesday, Rod Stewart and special guest Richard Marx play the Hollywood Bowl, the Church congregates at the Fonda and Earl Sweatshirt plays the Hollywood Palladium. On Thursday, FIFA World Cup fever kicks off, with Snoop Dogg at the Santa Monica Pier and Peso Pluma playing the Adidas Home of Soccer event at BMO Stadium.
Writer, historian and curator Hugh Ryan will be in conversation with author Michelle Tea to discuss his new book about LGBTQ life in the '90s, My Bad: A Personal History of the Queer Nineties and Beyond. The talk goes along with the exhibit at FIDM, Obsessed: Fashion and Nostalgia in the ‘90s, open now through June 27. The gallery will be open late as well.
Paint the Park
Mondays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Crystal Cove State Park Los Trancos Lot Newport Beach COST: $110; MORE INFO
Paint en plein air like Matisse, Renoir, and the great French masters who headed to the Riviera to be inspired by the light and the sea. We have our own little slice of beach heaven right here in Crystal Cove, and twice a week all summer long, you can learn to paint and enjoy the fresh air.
Alt:adena
Tuesday, June 9, 7 p.m. Good Neighbor Bar 2311 Lincoln Ave., Altadena COST: FREE; MORE INFO
The second of three community-healing conversations in June is happening at Good Neighbor Bar. This week, Alt:adena focuses on the theme of the land and rebuilding. All are welcome at these events, which are aimed at convening “fire survivors, builders, organizers, and technical experts united by a shared curiosity, whether by choice or lived necessity.”
Tiny Desk Concert
Wednesday, June 10, 7 p.m. The Regent 448 S. Main Street, Downtown L.A. COST: $35.75; MORE INFO
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LAist
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The winner of the 2026 Tiny Desk Concert contest, Cure for Paranoia, is out on tour and will take the not-so-tiny stage at the Regent downtown with special guests Noa Bar and Jacquie Lee. Quite the upgrade from Bob Boilen’s desk in DC!
World Cup watch parties
From Thursday, June 11 Various locations COST: VARIES; MORE INFO
The World Cup is coming to SoFi Stadium, and there will be watch parties all around town.
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Patrick T. Fallon
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I don’t even know where to start! From the first coin toss on Thursday, countless local bars, public viewing spaces, fan zones, museums and more will be showing all the World Cup games, so you don’t miss a single kick. As a starting point, you can check out our guide to watch parties for all the participating countries.
Photography Meets Sculpture
Wednesday, June 10, 7 p.m. Beverly Hills Public Library 444 N Rexford Drive, 2nd Floor, Beverly Hills COST: FREE; MORE INFO
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Get a preview of LACMA photography department curator Eve Schillo’s upcoming exhibition, Photography Meets Sculpture: Talking about Photo Hybrids, at this event hosted by the Photographic Arts Council Los Angeles. The exhibit will tour Southern California next summer as part of LACMA's Local Access initiative.
Eugene Daub: Sculpting Through History
Thursday, June 11, 5:30 p.m. El Segundo Public Library 111 W. Mariposa Ave., El Segundo COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Just ahead of America’s 250th birthday, historical sculptor Eugene Daub will talk about some of his favorite artworks, like his sculptures of Sacagawea, Rosa Parks and more, at the El Segundo Public Library. Daub will also sign copies of his new book, Eugene Daub: Portraits, Medals, and Monuments, which will be available for purchase.
Foodie Week
Through Sunday, June 14 Westfield Century City 10250 Santa Monica Blvd., Century City COST: VARIES, MORE INFO
Century City Mall has attracted some of the buzziest restaurants in the city, and this week, many are featuring specials for the center’s Foodie Week. Some of the highlights include Katsuya’s $65 three-course prix fixe menu at dinner, while Super Peach also has a $65 prix fixe. Eataly's rooftop restaurant has $35 lunch and $65 dinner prix fixe menu, and my favorite, Venchi, has buy one gelato, get the second half off, plus 20% off all gelato to-go containers.
