LOS ANGELES, Calif. /CALIFORNIA NEWSWIRE/ -- Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass today met with and removed Kristin Crowley as Fire Chief effective immediately. Mayor Bass announced she has appointed former Chief Deputy Ronnie Villanueva, a 41-year LAFD veteran, as Interim Fire Chief. Ronnie Villanueva dedicated 41 years of service to the Los Angeles Fire Department and after just 7 months of retirement, he is ready to hit the ground running as Interim Chief.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /CALIFORNIA NEWSWIRE/ -- This week, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced the following appointments: First, Andrew “Andy” Nakahata, of San Francisco, has been appointed Chief Deputy Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer at the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank. Nakahata has been Director and Western Region Head of Public Finance at TD Securities LLC since 2024.

CULVER CITY, Calif. /CALIFORNIA NEWSWIRE/ -- The Culver City Council awarded 21 organizations $202,223 for the 2025 Performing Arts Grant Program in music, theater and dance events. The Cultural Affairs Commission and staff have implemented Culver City’s Performing Arts Grant Program since its inception in 1994. A Peer Review Panel consisting of seven independent individuals with professional performing arts expertise and non-profit arts experience scored the applications.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /CALIFORNIA NEWSWIRE/ -- This week, while homes are still burning and resources have been widely stretched, Governor Gavin Newsom continues to respond to current and future disaster threats. With recovery efforts already underway to support those impacted by the Los Angeles hurricane-force firestorm, Newsom on Monday expanded the special session of the California Legislature that he convened in November to further boost response and initial recovery efforts for Los Angeles.

SACRANEBTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Today, Calif. Governor Newsom issued an executive order directing state agencies to recommend potential actions to limit the harms associated with “ultra-processed foods” and food ingredients that pose a health risk to individuals, building on the nation-leading nutrition and health standards established in California. “Ultra-processed foods” are known to pose a health risk to individuals, and today’s efforts are designed to support affordable, healthy living and reduce the growing impact of chronic illnesses on Californians.

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Mortgage Capital Trading, Inc. (MCT®), the de facto leader in innovative mortgage capital markets technology, announced their integration with Fannie Mae's new Loan Pricing API. By combining various price factors and utilizing a broader set of data found in bid tapes, the new API provides greater price transparency on certain loans. This is the latest in a series of recent collaborations between MCT and Fannie Mae intended to provide additional benefit and value to mortgage secondary market participants.

ROSEVILLE, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- US Kidney Research Corporation (USKRC) is creating the world's first waterless blood purification device, a pioneering technology with the capability to replace traditional dialysis machines worldwide. A recent groundbreaking discovery in the design of the device's ion transport system, a critical component responsible for removing excess ions from the bloodstream, restoring ion balance, and directing these excess elements to the urine, is significantly accelerating progress and bringing the device closer to completion.

LA JOLLA, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- La Jolla resident Barbara Burton (also known as Barbara Graf) has launched the non-profit organization Neighbors as Family (NAF), aimed at supporting individuals to make connections and create a chosen family in their neighborhoods. There are many people who are no longer connected to their birth family, whether because of dysfunction, estrangement, loss or other reasons.

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Mortgage Capital Trading, Inc. (MCT®), the de facto leader in innovative mortgage capital markets technology, today announced a 27.91% increase in mortgage lock volume compared to the previous month. Industry professionals and stakeholders are encouraged to download the full report for a detailed analysis.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire / -- The Glancy Wine Education Foundation (GWEF) is proud to announce its expansion to become a national scholarship organization through strategic partnerships with the International Wine Center in New York, the American Wine School in the Midwest, and the Association of African American Vintners (AAAV). Combined with the foundation's existing partnership with the San Francisco Wine School, these collaborations significantly extend GWEF's geographic reach, enabling more aspiring wine professionals across the United States access to high-quality wine education.