Home Sales Skyrocket | Hacked Crosswalks Mock Musk, Zuckerberg: CA Business News

CALIFORNIA — This week in California business news: home sales in the state have reached their highest level in years, Amazon is expanding its robotaxi service in California and one Golden State City Council is forcing grocery stores to make coupons more accessible to shoppers.

Additionally, hacked crosswalk audio recordings in the Bay Area are mocking Silicon Valley billionaires.

But before getting to the biggest business stories in the Golden State, here are some of the best consumer deals of the week:

Freebies, Deals And Steals

To celebrate the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Chipotle is offering buy-one-get-one entrees for diners who wear a hockey jersey on Monday. Get all the details at Chipotle's website.

It's "Smasher Week" at Sonic Drive-In, which is offering the Double Sonic Smasher Burger for $1 for the first 1 million customers who order through the Sonic App. The promotion runs until April 27 or until the 1 million redemptions are reached.

Check out this week's top headlines for California business news on Patch:

• How An Upcoming UC Strike Will Impact Campuses
• The Bay Area Has More Billionaires Than Anywhere On Earth
• Amazon Expands Its Robotaxi Service To Another CA City
• San Diego Forces Grocery Stores To Make Coupons More Easily Available
• Hacked Crosswalk Recordings Mock, Impersonate Tech Billionaires In Silicon Valley
• CA Home Sales Reach Highest Level In Years
• 3-Bedroom Bay Area Homes Available For $164K
• Newsom Aims To Win Back Canadian Tourists Amid Trump-Era Tensions
• China Targets Boeing In Trade War, Orders No Jet Deliveries: Bloomberg
• CA Food Banks Brace For Funding Cuts, And Not Only From The Trump Administration
• CA Shuts Down Commercial Salmon Season For The 3rd Straight Year
• Rooftop Solar Power Owners Could See More Cuts To State Incentives
• Should CA Bars Be Able To Serve Drinks Until 4 A.M.? Readers Weigh In

The Bottom Line

• Facing a $1.1 billion pre-tax impairment related to its California refineries, Valero Energy Corp is considering shutting down one of its Northern California refineries within a year. Officials at the company say the decision reflects increasing regulatory and cost pressures in California, driven by the state’s emissions goals and proposed refinery transparency laws.
• A consumer advocacy group filed a lawsuit to block insurers from charging California customers for $500 million in costs associated with the deadly Los Angeles fires, a surcharge ordered by the state to help the FAIR Plan — the state’s insurer of last resort — to help it pay out claims.

More Restaurant News

Shops & Hops Craft Beer Stroll Returns To Danville

Enjoy the best of Downtown and support the local museum.

Tri-Valley Craft Competition Coming To Livermore

Guests can watch 17 of the Tri-Valley's best bartenders battle it out to make the most delicious cocktail.

Package Pairs Napa Valley Wine Train With Palace Hotel San Francisco

In celebration of the hotel's 150th anniversary, the package pairs a luxurious hotel stay with an exclusive journey aboard vintage railcars.

San Francisco Will Allow Alcoholic Drinks To-Go In One Neighborhood

The Board of Supervisors will allow this neighborhood to have open-container alcoholic drinks on some of its streets during certain events.

Petaluma Moms Team Up To Transfer Bar Shut Down By City Into Kid-Friendly Cafe

They say necessity is the mother of invention and in Petaluma, two mothers are teaming up to invent a new kind of coffee shop.

More Retail News

Novato Farmers’ Market Returns

Fresh produce, artisan booths, and activities for kids are all available at the weekly Farmers’ Market.

New Strip Center Planned For South Temecula, Near 15 Freeway

The center's location is planned just off Temecula Parkway. Quick Quack Car Wash and Dutch Bros. coffee are named as tenants.

More Business News

Proposed Express Lane Changes Include Half-Price Tolls

An informational meeting will be held next month.

Sponsored Vacation-Rental Parties Shattering Coachella Valley Neighborhoods, Officials Say

When the promoters are making $50,000 on one party, the "fines don't really matter." RivCo's supervisors say new rules on short-term rentals need "teeth."

SoCal Leader Calls For Establishing Public Bank To Pay For Housing

"We can wait, or we can lead," San Diego County Board of Supervisors acting Chair Terra Lawson-Remer said. "San Diego County, let's lead."

389 Riverside County Properties To Be Auctioned In 'Tax Sale'

Bidding on tax-delinquent properties begins later this month. Here's how to participate.

Students Help Protect Seniors Against Scams

Adya Gupta and her group Impactt Kids have been running trainings to help seniors spot and avoid phone and internet scams.

San Francisco Sues 4 Tenderloin Businesses Accused Of Operating Drug, Gambling Dens

The city filed several lawsuits against the property owners and managers of the stores for operating illegal operations.

CA Allocates $10 Million for SoCal Coastal Rail Improvements

The money will help pay for constructing a catchment wall along Mariposa Point and a revetment and seawall in the problematic area.

San Diego Says 'No' To Home Rental Price Fixing Based On AI Software

This week, SD City Council banned the software as a "modern-day price-fixing service that directly or indirectly inflates rent prices."

Nonprofits Eligible For Grants Of Up To $15K

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is offering grants to local nonprofits that support STEAM education and community service.

Marin County May Partially Fund Affordable Housing Project For Workers

The Oak Hill Workforce Housing Project is now in year five of planning.

Film Archive Burns In Massive Fire

"It's still there with this burned out whole, it's so sad."

California Sues To Stop Trump From Imposing Sweeping Tariffs

"No state is poised to lose more than the state of California."

Mark Zuckerberg Called To Testify In Facebook Parent Meta's Antitrust Trial

The lawsuit was initially filed against Meta—then called Facebook — in 2020, during Mr. Trump's first term, before being amended in 2021.