For a long time, Social Security field offices were set up to handle claims on a local basis. But beginning on March 7, the SSA is shifting away from this model to a centralized system where claims are handled on a nationwide level. That's a problem, though, because field office employees tend to be more familiar with local rules and are therefore better equipped to help seniors in their jurisdiction.
The Trump administration has cut over 157 open roles at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center and outpatient clinics across the Bay Area. They warned that cuts will weaken the VA health care system by translating into higher strain on the medical center in the form of "longer wait times, heavier patient loads, reduced services and increased safety risks for the veterans who rely on the VA for care". The nationwide cuts were announced in December, targeting positions that have been vacant for at least a year. The VA has argued that the dissolution of these positions will not negatively affect care.
The administration also closed two other offices with mandates to protect the public from misconduct-the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman and the Immigration Detention Ombudsman-saying the cuts were necessary to limit redundancy. Nonprofit groups sued, arguing that a department with more than 250,000 employees that interacts with 3 million to 4 million members of the public each day needed more oversight, not less.
New data from Bristol-based hospitality recruitment platform Limber shows that average shift hours posted by hospitality businesses in 2025 are down 30% compared with 2022, underlining the depth of pressure facing operators across the industry. According to Limber, average monthly shift hours per business have fallen from 112 hours in 2022 to just 79 hours in 2025, as venues attempt to control costs by running leaner rotas and reducing reliance on flexible labour.
Collectors Rene and Veronica di Rosa first opened their private collection to the public in 1997. Since that time, the museum's exhibits and special programs have focused on established Northern California artists, including Robert Arneson, Joan Brown, Jay DeFeo, Roy De Forest, William T. Wiley, and others. The integration on its 217-acre campus of contemporary new work, outdoor sculptures, nature camps, hikes, the Winery Lake Vineyards, programs at the di Rosa residence, and other features elevates the institution into a culturally significant and ever-changing regional