The Brief

On the final day of their session, California lawmakers sent Gov. Gavin Newsom a bill banning employers from forcing workers to sit through anti-union meetings — the latest attempt by Democratic politicians to support union activity amid a revived labor movement.

If Newsom signs Senate Bill 399, California would join nine other states that have recently passed laws prohibiting an employer from requiring workers to attend so-called captive audience meetings about their political or religious views.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic vice presidential candidate, signed one such law last year, and has touted it on the campaign trail.

The California bill can cover discussions of employers’ views on political candidates or legislation, but it’s largely aimed at one specific kind of required workplace meeting — when bosses discuss whether workers should unionize.

California workers, following a nationwide trend, have increasingly sought unionization in recent years. Union elections have spiked in the last three years, with nearly 17,000 workers voting at more than 300 California workplaces in 2023. So far in 2024, more than 14,000 California workers have voted in a union election, according to a CalMatters analysis of National Labor Relations Board data.

The National Labor Relations Board has generally allowed “captive audience” meetings for decades — provided employers don’t threaten workers or withhold benefits for supporting a union. But the board’s general counsel under President Joe Biden has sought to crack down on them, arguing they are often used to intimidate employees.

Business groups say the bill would be much broader, and would infringe on employers’ free speech rights. State bans in Connecticut and Minnesota have been challenged in court. Wisconsin in 2009 was one of the first states to ban such meetings; when employers filed suit the following year, arguing it conflicted with federal law, the state backed down and agreed not to enforce it.

The California Chamber of Commerce made SB 399 one of their most fiercely contested bills this year. In a legislative alert on Tuesday, the chamber said the bill would “effectively chill any discussions related to legislation, regulations, or other ‘political matters.’”

In an August letter to lawmakers opposing the bill, business groups argued they already can’t coerce workers to vote for certain candidates or to vote against unionizing, and said because the bill could fine bosses for talking to employees about political views but not other matters, it’s a violation of the First Amendment.

The bill includes exemptions for “political organizations” that employ people whose job duties require them to engage in political activity, but chamber policy advocate Ashley Hoffman said in the letter that it’s too vague.

But supporters say the bill only targets intimidation in the workplace by penalizing employers who punish workers for refusing to attend a “captive audience” meeting.

“If an employer wants to share [their] beliefs at the worksite, that’s fine, but no one should be coerced to listen,” Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes, a San Bernardino Democrat, said on the Assembly floor Friday before voting for the bill.

The bill’s passage last week was a win for unions amid a number of losses this year in the Legislature, especially compared to the 2023 session.

And while the state in the past two years has increased wages for fast food workers and health care workers, and boosted worker benefits such as paid sick days, labor-backed demands to make it easier to unionize or go on strike have been a tougher sell.

“If we just keep doing legislation that makes things better for workers, that's good, but it's not the same power that you're giving workers in the workplace when they're able to strike, when they're able to organize without intimidation,” Lorena Gonzalez, leader of the California Labor Federation, told CalMatters this week.

In 2022, Newsom was reluctant to sign a bill making it easier for farmworkers to form unions by giving them an option to signal their support without employers knowing who was voting. He only gave his approval after the United Farm Workers drummed up political pressure from fellow Democrats, including Biden. That law has now been challenged by growers in court.

Last year, he vetoed a bill to allow striking workers to collect unemployment benefits, a proposal that Hollywood writers and actors said would have helped them through the “hot labor summer” of work stoppages. Unions attempted to revive the bill this year, and it passed the Senate but failed to get enough votes to clear an Assembly committee.

The captive audience meetings bill also passed the Senate last year, and then eked out of the Assembly last week with just over the minimum 41 votes needed to pass (though a handful of Democrats added “yes” votes later). It won final approval in the Senate Saturday on a 31-9 vote.

The chamber is urging Newsom to veto the bill. The governor has not taken a position, and has until the end of September to decide.

Fed up with people living in and starting fires in a historic tunnel under downtown, the city of Long Beach has started building a fortified metal fence to keep them out.

The Jergins Tunnel below Ocean Boulevard has been sealed up for decades, but after the pandemic, when the city’s homeless population saw a sharp increase, it became a problem. People managed to get past the wood panels intended to block access, and firefighters had to douse fires inside at least four times since 2022. People’s charred belongings and makeshift bedding were often visible afterward.

Brett Ales, who owns the nearby Beach Hut Deli, said it had gotten so bad that there was a noticeable smell if you got close to the tunnel’s entrance.

After a fire in September last year, the city put together plans for a heavy-duty fence to “improve site security, reduce the potential for vandalism and fires and help protect the structural integrity of the tunnel,” Public Works spokesperson Jocelin Padilla wrote in an email.

A fence is being erected above and along the Jergins Tunnel in Long Beach on Friday, Aug. 21, 2026.

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Thomas R. Cordova

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Long Beach Post

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The city would not say how much the new fence is expected to cost. Padilla said $156,200 has been spent so far on materials and labor, and the project won’t be finished until mid-to-late September.

What is the historic Jergins Tunnel?

The 181-foot-long, 30-foot-wide tunnel was built by local businessman Andrew Jergins in 1927. It allowed pedestrians to visit the old Pike amusement park without dodging cars on Ocean Boulevard.

The tunnel was used regularly until 1967, when Ocean Boulevard was widened and the tunnel’s two entrances were sealed off.

It sat underneath the Jergins Trust Building until 1988, when it was torn down.

The interior of the Jergins Tunnel in 2018.

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Brian Addison

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Long Beach Post

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It sat largely unnoticed by anyone — except for local history buffs — until it got a sudden burst of attention in 2022 when pop star Lana Del Rey released a song titled “Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd.,” with lyrics about the tunnel’s “mosaic ceilings” and “painted tiles.”

Instead of leaving it to decay, some locals have sought ways to revive the tunnel as a monument to Long Beach’s history.

What happened to the plan for a Hard Rock Hotel?

In 2023, city leaders promised a huge makeover. They said the Jergins Tunnel would become a speakeasy and music venue underneath a new 31-story Hard Rock Hotel at the corner of Ocean and Pine.

Construction was supposed to begin in the summer of 2024, with an opening date in spring 2027, but shovels have yet to hit the ground.

Mayor Rex Richardson announces that a Hard Rock Hotel is coming to downtown Long Beach at Ocean Boulevard and Pine Avenue on Monday, Nov. 13, 2023.

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Brandon Richardson

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Long Beach Post

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It’s unclear what the holdup has been. The permits to build it are so old they’re about to expire, but the development company, Steinhauer Properties, has requested an extension, and the city has discretion to grant it, said Craig Nakano, a spokesperson for Community Development.

The city anticipates hearing an update on plans for the hotel as soon as the fall, Nakano said.

Steinhauer Properties did not respond to an email and phone message requesting comment.

More fences to block homeless people

The fence around the Jergins Tunnel is the second to be erected around a downtown landmark recently.

The city spent $811,449 building one around the Billie Jean King Main Library, blocking off much of its outdoor terrace that was often crowded with tents and sleeping bags.

City officials say fewer people are camping out on the terrace, clearing up space for outdoor library programs and saving them $70,000 so far on power washing the sidewalk.

A fence that was recently constructed around the Billie Jean King Library in Long Beach on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026.

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Thomas R. Cordova

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Long Beach Post

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Nevertheless, the fence became a flashpoint for residents concerned about how much it cost and a symbol of Long Beach’s failure to reduce homelessness.

A citizens’ advisory committee on homelessness policy wrote a letter to the mayor and City Council saying that money would have been better spent housing people than clearing them off a sidewalk.

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

Inglewood plans to break ground next month on a $287.5 million network of stadium shuttle buses that are slated to roll out in April 2028, linking the city’s stadiums to the Metro system just in time for the Olympics.

City officials hope the Inglewood Transit Connector —  a pared-down version of the nearly $2 billion automated rail line that was first proposed in 2018 —  will ease traffic pressure on locals and boost foot traffic for businesses in the city’s historic core.

Verona Burks, one of the owners of Little Belize Restaurant on Nutwood Street, thanked the city for working to improve the Market Street area. 

“It has been a pleasure being there, watching it grow,” Burks said during the City Council meeting last week.

The shuttle network is designed to ferry visitors between the stadium and Metro K Line and C Line stations at the north and south ends of the city.

Four transit hubs will anchor the network with parking for cars and bikes along with drop-off points for rideshares. The four hubs include three on Market Street and one at Hawthorne Boulevard and 111th Street.

The Inglewood Transit Connector will link the Metro K and C Lines to Inglewood’s stadium district.

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Courtesy Inglewood Transit Connector

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The largest hub will cover nearly a full city block at the corner of Market Street and Florence Avenue. The intersection is currently home to a shopping center that the city is taking over and demolishing through eminent domain. Some business owners in the shopping center told The LA Local they weren’t ready to move.

Locals will see the largest changes along that Market Street corridor, where the city is also putting money into refreshing sidewalks, landscaping and storefronts. 

Here’s what to expect from the project, according to the city.

• Market Street and Florence Avenue hub: A pedestrian bridge across Florence Avenue will link the K Line’s Downtown Inglewood Metro Station to this transit hub, which will have a five-level parking structure with about 1,000 spaces and seven retail spaces between 90 and 270 square feet each. 
• Market Street and Manchester Boulevard hub: This hub will get a new 38-space parking lot and serve for rideshare drop-off or other transportation functions. 
• South Market Street and Hillcrest Boulevard hub: This hub will be focused on pedicab and bicycle services, and will have a reconfigured parking lot, refreshed lighting and landscaping. 
• Manchester Boulevard sidewalks: Wider sidewalks along Manchester will connect Market Street with Prairie Avenue, the stretch of road that gets heavy pedestrian traffic on event days. 
• Market Street and Queen Street streetscape: The corner of Market and Queen streets will get new sidewalks, seating, bike racks, landscaping and a shaded plaza.

The shuttle project layout leaves room for the city to revive its plan for a rail line in the future, if funding and needs align. 

The largest hub of the Inglewood Transit Connector will be on the corner of Market Street and Florence Avenue in place of the current shopping center. The shuttle network will link the Metro K and C Lines to Inglewood’s stadium district.

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Courtesy Inglewood Transit Connector

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At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Mayor James Butts said the transit network is the single largest project the city has undertaken itself.

“We’re building for opening day in 2028 and for every ordinary day after that,” Butts said. “We’ll have a new front door to Inglewood.” 

All of the project’s budget is covered by a batch of state and local grants, according to the city.

The Los Angeles Unified Board is reevaluating how students, educators and schools use artificial intelligence as some parents call for an in-classroom moratorium. A new board committee on AI use meets for the first time Wednesday.

“I think that success will look like, in a quickly changing world, knowing that we are being proactive to protect our students and safeguard their health, their wellbeing, and their development first and foremost,” said Kelly Gonez, the committee chair. “But also ensuring that we are truly preparing our students for the world that they will emerge into once they graduate from our schools.”

Gonez said the goal is to create AI policy recommendations that could then be voted on by the full board next year.

What’s AI use like in schools?

Recent surveys indicate that many students and educators are using AI, even as research about whether the tools help students learn are mixed.

LAUSD students 13 and older can use AI tools at their teacher’s direction and after they complete a lesson about “digital citizenship,” under current district policy.

The board voted to create the generative AI committee when it adopted student screentime restrictions in June. In addition to Gonez, the committee includes board members Nick Melvoin and Tanya Ortiz Franklin.

A group of LAUSD parents who advocated for those restrictions wants the district to block all student AI use until more research is done.

“I think the current policy needs to be discarded completely, and we need to start from scratch with the foundational question of what is the benefit of these tools in education?” said Anya Meksin, deputy director of Schools Beyond Screens and the parent of a district elementary school student.

How to weigh in in LAUSD's AI policies

The first LAUSD board generative AI committee meeting is 10 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, Sept.2, where district leaders are scheduled to give a presentation about AI in education.

Community members can tune in to the meeting online, over the phone or in person at board room at 333 S. Beaudry Ave.. Registration for public comment starts at 10 a.m. Tuesday.

Meetings are also scheduled for the following Wednesdays at 10 a.m.:

• Oct. 21, 2026
• Dec. 9, 2026
• Jan. 20, 2027
• March 3, 2027
• April 7, 2027

Angelenos have escaped to Santa Barbara for generations. While neighboring Santa Ynez Valley captured the culinary spotlight in recent years, the coastal strip is striking back.

Fueled in part by a surge in commercial and real estate investments, and bolstered by the expansion of the California Michelin Guide, Santa Barbara and neighboring Montecito are experiencing a hospitality boom. (The region received a similar jolt more than two decades ago when the film Sideways spurred interest in Santa Barbara County’s wines and restaurants.)

The Basque restaurant has been open for just a year, but is regularly packed.

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Cathy Chaplin

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LAist

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With a string of buzzy new openings this past year — like Little Mountain and Monte’s in Montecito and Dom’s Taverna in downtown Santa Barbara — and more high-profile debuts on the horizon, including the return of legendary chef Thomas Keller to Southern California at the Coral Casino, the current momentum shows no signs of abating.

Underpinning this expansion are Santa Barbara’s long-standing institutions delivering genuine hospitality, alongside the region’s unrivaled bounty: pristine seafood, unmatched seasonal produce and world-class wines. This combination of heritage and innovation has transformed the American Riviera into a bona fide gastronomic destination.

While experiencing every notable establishment would easily require more than 48 hours, this ambitious itinerary covers significant ground. It purposely bypasses some well-trodden staples already in heavy rotation among Angelenos — such as Loquita, Bettina, Caruso’s, Cold Spring Tavern, La Super-Rica Taqueria and the like — to focus on lesser-known gems and standout newcomers.

Here is how to spend a gloriously food-centric weekend eating and drinking your way through Santa Barbara.

Friday

Happy Hour:

Arrive between 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. to snag $2 off all drinks and food.

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Cathy Chaplin

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LAist

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Set your out-of-office message by midday Friday and escape north via the 101 or aboard Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner. Well-made drinks upon arrival are non-negotiable, and the veteran bartenders at The Pickle Room deliver exactly that.

Arrive between 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. to snag $2 off all drinks and food. Order a signature Pickletini or classic Old Fashioned, pair it with a fried-to-order Reuben egg roll and settle into a space steeped in history.

The venue was once Jimmy’s Oriental Gardens, Santa Barbara’s last Chinese-owned business in its New Chinatown. When the Chung family closed the beloved restaurant in 2006, after 59 years, the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation stepped in to buy the property. Today, Clay Lovejoy operates both the adjoining Three Pickles sandwich shop and the bar.

For a slice of local Chinese American history, peruse the life-size photo exhibit dedicated to the founding Chung family along the bar’s back wall.

Kick off the weekend with The Pickle Room's signature Pickletini or classic Old Fashioned.

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Cathy Chaplin

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LAist

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Dinner:

The energy inside Dom’s Taverna is electric. Though open for just a year, the Arts District dining room is already packed with local couples, friends, and families.

Most people are here for Chef Dominique Crisp’s Central Coast spin on Basque cooking.

“It's intrinsically Basque to take whatever amazing ingredients are available, make them part of your menu, not really fuss it up,” Crisp said.

Herbaceous smashed papas brava at Dom's Taverna.

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Cathy Chaplin

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LAist

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Backed by strong ties to regional purveyors like 805 Seafood and La Pluma Farms, the menu changes almost daily. On a recent night, locally caught bluefin starred in both a crudo and pasta special, while the day’s oysters hailed from Morro Bay.

The menu is anchored by mainstays like wonderfully herbaceous smashed papas brava and arroza al forno made with morcilla from La Española Meats in Los Angeles’s South Bay. To drink, owner Raj Nallapothola’s Laie vermouth, served simply on the rocks with an orange slice and a green olive, cuts beautifully through the rich menu.

For the finale, a spoonful of whipped housemade Basque cheesecake topped with Osetra caviar delivers a perfect, decadent balance of sweet and savory.

Saturday

Coffee:

The third-wave coffee scene in Santa Barbara and its surrounding communities is exceptionally stacked, anchored by trailblazing stalwarts like Dune Coffee and Handlebar Roasters alongside hip newcomers like Little King.

Joining the lineup is Dawn, a breezy cafe attached to the State Street Drift hotel. With its central location and inviting indoor-outdoor seating, Dawn is a fetching option for classic espresso drinks, matcha, seasonal sippers — and prime people watching.

Breakfast:

Treat yourself with French Bordier butter at Oat Bakery.

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Cathy Chaplin

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LAist

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Ease into the day at Oat Bakery, a serene Scandinavian-inspired shop located just off State Street, with additional locations in Goleta and Montecito. Inside the minimalist, jewel-box space, co-owners and spouses Louise Ulrich-Fontana and Lou Fontana showcase a tightly edited lineup of Danish breads and pastries baked with locally sourced grains and minimal added sugar.

The dense, satisfying hygge buns are laced with cinnamon and packed with dates and walnuts, while the flaky frøsnappers feature an almond marzipan filling under a crust of toasty sesame and poppy seeds.

For the ultimate morning fuel, order the Danish breakfast: a crusty sourdough bun sliced and slathered with French Bordier butter, layered with Gouda and brightened with apricot-jalapeño jam. Grab a loaf of the bakery’s signature sesame charcoal sourdough for the perfect edible souvenir.

Lunch:

This family-owned restaurant draws crowds with its hyper-local catch, including box crab, sea urchin, and rock crab.

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Cathy Chaplin

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LAist

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Stearns Wharf is packed with touristy attractions, but the 46-year-old Santa Barbara Shellfish Co. is a refreshing exception. Perched on the West Coast’s oldest working wooden pier, this family-owned restaurant draws crowds with its hyper-local catch, including box crab, sea urchin and rock crab.

Order the uni, and it comes plated alongside its outer shell, spines still subtly moving. Delicately steamed crabs arrive with drawn butter and hefty metal crackers for extracting their meat.

Whether seated on the L-shaped patio with expansive views of the Pacific or along the dining room bar overlooking the busy open kitchen, there are no bad seats at this bustling pier-side eatery.

Cocktail Hour:

While staying overnight at Montecito’s storied San Ysidro Ranch starts at $2,500, the idyllic property, originally a Spanish land grant, has several food and beverage venues open to the public. Stroll the meticulously maintained grounds with a spritz, martini, or margarita in hand by ordering from the Garden Walk drinks menu available at The Speakeasy and The Stonehouse restaurant; live music starts at 5 p.m. daily.

For a secluded, moodier affair, duck into the eclectically appointed cocktail bar The Speakeasy — cool stone walls, low wooden ceilings, plush red booths and bold animal prints — for rare spirits and expertly made drinks.

Walk-ins are welcome, but reservations are encouraged on Fridays and Saturdays.

Dinner:

Little Mountain, a nine-month-old hotspot in Montecito’s Upper Village.

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Cathy Chaplin

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LAist

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Chef Diego Moya may be new to the Central Coast, but he has quickly mastered the region's micro-seasons. At Little Mountain — a nine-month-old hotspot in Montecito’s Upper Village — the Chilean American chef dazzles diners nightly with a skillful, less-is-more restraint centered around a wood-fired kitchen.

Moya trained globally at famed institutions like Paris’ L’Arpège and Bangkok’s Nahm, and most recently served as executive chef at Racines in New York.

On a recent visit to Little Mountain, freshly caught local lingcod was transformed into an irresistible ceviche with burnt tomato and basil. A gorgeous flank of ruby-red tuna came lightly brushed with guajillo, and paired with ripe honeydew and a fermented pepper-and-melon gazpacho. Even simple koshihikari rice, fortified with housemade butter and white sesame seeds, becomes a main event under the chef’s care.

Beverages — including wines, cocktails and spirit-free selections — mirror Moya’s culinary ethos, focusing on small-scale, sustainable and low-intervention producers.

Little Mountain is an important opening not just for Montecito, but for all of Southern California.

Sunday

Brunch:

Bistro Amasa is tucked into the ground floor of the 155-year-old Upham Hotel — the oldest continuously operating hotel in Southern California.

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Erin Feinblatt

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Courtesy Bistro Amasa

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Tucked into the ground floor of the 155-year-old Upham Hotel — the oldest continuously operating hotel in Southern California — Bistro Amasa is just the place for Sunday brunch.

Executive chef Julian Martinez and restaurateur Jesse Gaddy, the hospitality pros behind local favorite Barbareño, opened the restaurant late last year, bringing chill yet refined vibes to the historic Victorian property.

Grab a seat on the wraparound patio overlooking a quieter stretch of downtown and settle in for brunch classics done right. The shakshuka with vadouvan-spiced tomato ragu, over-easy eggs, and sautéed kale offers pure comfort; the grilled pan de cristal served alongside is ideal for sopping.

For something sweet, a small stack of pancakes made with house ricotta is served with butter and preserved lemon syrup. A slate of whimsical cocktails is on hand for the boozy brunch crowd, including a requisite espresso martini and a summery strawberry shrub highball spiked with vodka.