San Francisco Chronicle

Amazon has announced plans to shutter two facilities in California, potentially resulting in the loss of hundreds of jobs. The company said it would offer the displaced employees opportunities to transfer to other workplaces before resorting to permanent layoffs.

A self-taught naturalist fascinated with San Francisco coyotes has wowed crowds with her knowledge and striking photos of the animals. But animal control officials say she’s a problem. Read more: https://lnkd.in/ghpMhbpn

Lyft,?the San Francisco ride-sharing company, announced on Wednesday that it will?lay off?about 1% of its workforce and restructure its business model. The move aims to scale back its fleet of dockless bikes and scooters to reduce costs ahead of an anticipated challenging quarter.

The?impending closures?of two Nordstrom stores and Saks Off 5th in downtown San Francisco have added more fuel to the debate over?the role of crime?in?pushing retailers out of the city’s core. Here’s what the data shows.

Apple has implemented a rare wave of layoffs, affecting about 100 positions within its services group. The job cuts include roles primarily associated with the Apple Books app and Apple Bookstore, with the company shifting its focus to other divisions.

Owners of six ocean-facing homes in?Stinson Beach?who roped off areas of the beach as private property are in violation of county law and must either remove the barriers or obtain permits to keep them. The decision?followed an anonymous complaint?earlier this month from a person who claimed that owners of six beachfront properties at Stinson had recently used posts and rope to cordon off areas in front of their properties that should be open to the public. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gciz3qpq

California’s?expensive FAIR?Plan has gone from an “insurer of last resort” to one of the largest?insurers?in the state — and new data shows exactly where it has grown.

The Chronicle analyzed data from the U.S. Department of Education and university websites and found the average attendance cost at California’s elite private universities, not accounting for financial aid, increased by 20% since 2019. Even at schools that are part of the University of California and the California State University systems, where tuition is subsidized by the state, tuition hikes are expected over the next few years, while the cost of housing and meals is also quickly rising with inflation.

There’s been a major shake-up in how you buy and sell your home in America — and those in the Bay Area’s ultra-pricey and ultra-competitive housing market are watching closely to see how these changes might affect them.

Napa Valley visitors spent an average of $281 per day in the popular wine region last year, according to a new report. But the $281-a-day figure can be misleading. It includes day-trippers, who accounted for 62% of visitors in 2023, and people who stayed with a friend or relative. While day-trippers spent an average of $213 a day, hotel guests spent more than double that: $474. Moreover, wine lovers should expect to spend significantly more than those averages, which include tourists who did not go wine tasting.