Author: Travis Schlepp

A nationwide effort to address limited access to books will bring 100 new Little Free Libraries to communities identified as “book deserts,” with a focus on schools, public spaces and underserved neighborhoods across the United States. The initiative, launched Tuesday, is led by the Little Free Library nonprofit in partnership with beloved children’s author Dav Pilkey and publisher Scholastic. The rollout will continue through July, with each installation stocked with children’s books and designed to increase access to reading materials in areas where they are scarce. Each library will include a curated selection of titles, including copies of Pilkey’s newly…

Southwest Airlines began service Tuesday at Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport in Santa Rosa, California, expanding its California network while introducing a new perk aimed at leisure travelers visiting wine regions. The airline also announced its Sip and Ship program, which will allow passengers to check one case of wine at no additional cost on select flights from participating West Coast destinations starting later this month. The initiative ties directly to the new service in Sonoma County, a major wine-producing region. “We’re excited to open the door to more of California’s incredible destinations, especially the stunning wine region of…

The skies across the greater Los Angeles area were lit up with a stunning show that is becoming increasingly regular over the last several years: a rocket launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base. On Monday, around 7:50 p.m., a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched from the Santa Barbara County military base carrying the latest round of Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit. According to SpaceX, the Falcon 9 launched with 25 Starlink v2 mini-satellites from the Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg. Vandenberg Space Force Base is located along the coast of Santa Barbara County, about 25 minutes southwest of…

Another Pacific Surfliner train will be traversing the coast of Southern California and connecting the Central Coast to the busy industry centers in the Los Angeles basin beginning next month.

Looking for a California vacation but trying to stay within a budget? If you’re planning your next getaway and looking to save cash along the way, officials from a sprawling county in Northern California are encouraging you to give their home a look. Siskiyou County near the Oregon border is one of the largest counties in California with miles upon miles of unspoiled outdoors highlighted by Mount Shasta, among other landmarks. The region is considered an affordable haven thanks to the seemingly limitless outdoor spaces that offer countless free activities, including some of the state’s best hiking, free concerts and…

Investigators in Europe are attempting to track down the thieves who stole more than 12 tons of Kit Kat chocolate candies during transport in Europe.

A lesser known airport in Southern California is continuing its historic growth trajectory. This week, officials from Ontario International Airport reported that passenger and cargo traffic continued to rise in February, reflecting sustained growth at one of the state’s busiest mid-sized airports. The airport reported more than 478,000 passengers traveled through its terminals during the month, a 6.3% increase compared to February last year. The gains were driven largely by international travel, which rose 55.1% to 55,531 passengers, while domestic traffic increased 2.1% to 423,094. Year to date, passenger volume reached more than 971,000, up 5% from the same period…

The museum is scheduled to open to the public on June 26.

United Airlines announced a new economy seating product this week that the carrier says will allow a row of three seats to convert into a more flexible resting space on long-haul flights. The airline said the United Relax RowSM consists of “a set of United Economy seats that can transform into a couch, creating a more comfortable option for customers traveling in the United Economy cabin on long-haul flights.” United said it is “the first North American airline to offer this kind of seating option and holds North American exclusivity on the design.” The dedicated row of three seats includes…

Finding a vacation cruise near your closest port is now easier with a new map-based tool from Cruisebound.