Media City Groove

A new report from the consumer advocacy organization Public Citizen showed 88 corporations, reporting a combined $105 billion in pretax income last year, paid no federal income taxes after spending $852 million on political campaigns and lobbying. Eileen O’Grady, researcher for Public Citizen, said the companies saw a combined 3,000% return on their spending by avoiding nearly $22 billion in taxes they would have had to pay if not for laws passed during the first and second Trump administrations.

SCAMS/Unclaimed Life Insurance— Unclaimed life insurance scams are making a comeback. Sadly, new victims are falling for the fraud. Some of them have reported the scam to the Federal Trade Commission. Here’s how the latest version works. The scammers impersonate lawyers. They send out random snail mail letters claiming one of their clients, with your last name, just died and “you’re the heir to a life insurance policy worth millions.” Sounds good, but don’t fall for it.

USA/Pedestrian Deaths— By Suzanne Potter,  producer, California News Service, a bureau of Public News Service Big trucks and SUVs are contributing to a sharp rise in pedestrian deaths, which have increased 75% since 2009 in California and nationwide, according to a new investigation from The New York Times. The Times found that about 3,000 pedestrians who were killed between 2016 and 2024 would be alive today if vehicles had not increased in size in recent years.

Southland/Hot Temps— The summer heat is on! The temperatures are expected to sizzle throughout the Southland today. Even the coastal region will be in the warm 70s, with the lows in the 60s. The Los Angeles area will hit the 80s, while temperatures will climb into the 90s for the valleys and the triple digits in the Inland Empire. It will be over 100 in the deserts and around 110 in Palm  Springs.

USA/Supreme Court Ruling— By Edwin J. Viera, producer, West Virginia News Service, a bureau of Public News Service. The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld West Virginia’s and Idaho’s bans on transgender athletes, allowing more than two dozen states to keep similar policies in place. The high court handed down its decision on Tuesday, June 30. The court ruled the bans are consistent with Title IX and the federal Equal Protection Clause.

Dangerous heat gripped the East Coast and parts of the Midwest over the long Fourth of July weekend. Also, hotter temperatures are expected in California and the Southwest in the coming days. Health officials are reminding residents to check on older adults. However, medical experts say another vulnerable group is often overlooked: children. Warning Signs Doctors warn that kids can overheat and become dehydrated much more quickly than adults.

Holidays/July 4,  2026— America’s 250th birthday! America has never been defined by where we came from, but by what we have chosen to build together. Our story has always been one of progress-imperfect, challenging, and unfinished-but always moving forward because each generation accepted the responsibility to leave our nation… — Democratic Hispanic Caucus of Florida (@FlaHispanicDems) July 4, 2026 Still gives me chills. Happy 4th of July, America.

Public polling shows mixed feelings about celebrating America’s 250th anniversary this Fourth of July, but many Americans still plan to gather with loved ones — and fire up backyard grills. A new Gallup Poll found more than three-quarters of respondents say the nation’s founders would be disappointed with the current state of the U.S. Still, nearly half of adults plan to celebrate with loved ones this weekend.

High Court Ruling on Brthright  Citizenship— By Terri Dee, producer, Indiana News Service, a bureau of Public News Service. The U.S. Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to remove or limit birthright citizenship. The 6-3 vote was handed down today. The ruling concerns children born in the United States to parents who are in the country illegally or who have temporary immigration or visa status.

US Supreme Court rules on mail-in ballots— The US Supreme Court took the steam out of President Trump’s attempt to derail mail-in ballots before the midterm elections this fall. The high court handed down a ruling today upholding states’ rights to count mail ballots as long as they are postmarked by Election Day and received within a period established by state law. The vote was 5-4.