EKA Managing Partner Kellie Hawkins, Partner Alex Cherin, and Partner Jeff McConnell joined Long Beach community leaders and supporters at the 2026 Mayor’s Trophy Golf Tournament, hosted by the Long Beach Century Club.
The annual tournament brings together business and civic leaders in support of amateur athletics across Long Beach. As the Century Club’s largest annual fundraiser, proceeds help fund scholarships, student awards, and athletic programs throughout the community. EKA was proud to join in an event that brings Long Beach together in support of its youth and athletes.
The half-cent sales tax increase approved by voters in June takes effect Thursday, October 1, raising the countywide base rate from 9.75% to 10.25% through October 2031. Cities with their own local taxes will go higher, with West Hollywood moving from 10.5% to 11%. The measure is expected to generate about $1 billion annually for the County general fund, with spending priorities focused on healthcare services, public hospitals and clinics, and public health programs, backed by annual independent audits. Groceries and prescription medications remain exempt. Businesses selling into the County will need to update point-of-sale systems before October 1, and Measure ER allocations are expected to be programmed into the County’s supplemental budget on September 29.
The dismantling of the region’s lead homeless services agency accelerated this month, with LA County’s new Department of Homeless Services and Housing emerging as the center of the regional system. Mayor Karen Bass stepped down from the LAHSA Commission on September 9, saying the joint city-county governance model is not functional. Days later, the Ninth Circuit stayed the August court order that had protected LAHSA’s access to federal funding, and on September 15 LAHSA’s board voted not to compete in the County’s RFQ process for its remaining core duties. The County has already shifted over $300 million in Measure A funding to its new department. For providers, contracting and the region’s federal funding application are consolidating under County control, with a federal status conference set for October 27.
County High Road Training Partnership Fund offers up to $6.9 million for workforce development
Los Angeles City Council reviews proposed Capital Infrastructure Program
LAHSA’s Unwinding Accelerates as the County Takes the Wheel on Homeless Services
Los Angeles Harbor Commission Elects Beatrice Hsu President, Yolanda De La Torre Vice President
LA County Issues Temporary Ban on Data Centers Across Unincorporated Areas
Bass and Raman pick up major endorsements as the mayoral runoff intensifies
The City Council voted 10-2 on September 8 to direct the City Attorney to draft an ordinance extending Fair Work Week scheduling protections to the fast-food industry, covering more than 2,500 large chain restaurants and an estimated 50,000 workers. The protections require schedules at least two weeks in advance and 10 hours of rest between shifts, along with a mandatory paid training on workplace rights. Labor groups backed the measure, citing unstable schedules that strain workers’ finances and caregiving, while the California Restaurant Association argued it adds costs for an industry that has long been a pathway to business ownership. Multi-location businesses must comply by next April, with single-location employers given until October 2027.
Long Beach Approves Budget Cuts to Fire, Police and City Jobs
Large surf damages Long Beach coast and prompts evacuations on the Peninsula
Senior affordable housing on South Robertson moves forward
Autonomous vehicle urgency ordinance fails to pass as council meeting
Long Beach adopts revised $4 billion budget, preserving library staffing and hours
One Beverly Hills short-term-rental proposal heads toward City Council
Los Angeles County opens investigation into Farmers Insurance wildfire-contamination claims
As the Coast Begins to Crumble, the Clock Ticks on Moving San Onofre’s Radioactive Waste