The Guardian · CaliforniaBudget proposal released on Friday outlines president’s desire to revive former federal prison in San Francisco Bay
Donald Trump is asking for $152m to restore Alcatraz, a former federal prison off the coast of San Francisco, according to a budget proposal released on Friday for the 2027 fiscal year.
Last May, Trump first called upon the Department of Justice, the FBI and Homeland Security to rebuild the prison. He heaped praise on Alcatraz’s reputation in a Truth Social post.
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Uwa Ede-Osifo · Fri, Apr 3, 2026, 5:09 PM
The Guardian · CaliforniaUS president makes baseless claims about fraud in blue states and says JD Vance will lead clampdown as ‘fraud czar’
Donald Trump announced a fresh crackdown on “fraud” in Democratic states and tapped JD Vance to lead the charge. Officials swiftly announced a string of arrests in California.
In a Truth Social post on Friday, the US president announced that his vice-president was now “in charge of ‘fraud’ in the United States”, claiming the problem is “massive and pervasive” and that Vance’s new role as “fraud czar” will be “a major factor in how great the future of our country will be”.
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Maya Yang in New York and Dani Anguiano in Los Angeles · Fri, Apr 3, 2026, 3:04 PM
The Guardian · CaliforniaCalifornia House members tour Otay Mesa center, which has faced allegations of poor conditions and sexual assaults
Two California lawmakers conducted an oversight visit on Thursday at Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Otay Mesa detention center, an immigrant detention facility that has faced allegations of overcrowding, poor conditions and sexual assaults.
The visit had been previously scheduled. But Mike Levin, a Democratic congressman, told the Guardian he planned to conduct more unannounced visits following a federal court ruling that struck down the Trump administration’s policy of forcing members of Congress to announce oversight visits seven days in advance.
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Roque Planas · Fri, Apr 3, 2026, 11:45 AM
The Guardian · CaliforniaShop around, coast downhill, band together – drivers tell of how they’re dealing with the costliest gas in the US
Jack Nooney has pretty much made peace with the traffic since moving to Los Angeles five years ago, but recent soaring gas prices have certainly added another layer of insult to his daily commute. The musician and full-time grocery deli employee drives from his San Fernando Valley apartment to Santa Monica daily. While it’s just nine miles each way, with LA traffic that often equates to a whole gas-burning hour.
Nooney, who makes $20/hour, says it’s become glaringly clear that fuel costs will eat up more of his already tight budget. Angelenos are now paying on average nearly $5.90 a gallon – and some stations are charging a shocking $8 a gallon. The outsized prices are directly related to the Iran war, which has created the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market, according to the International Energy Agency.
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Victoria Clayton in Los Angeles · Fri, Apr 3, 2026, 6:00 AM
Astoria & Co.LA uses Jan Toporowski’s financialization framework for debt stress tests, liquidity buffers, and leaner pension risk before the next market freeze.
Clara Harter · Sat, Feb 14, 2026, 2:57 PM
