Bay Area city, tech hub, fourth-largest in the region
A roundup of recent business-focused coverage shows ongoing debates over value, pricing and menu strategy across major chains, with updates on Chili’s chicken sandwich strategy, McDonald’s pricing and Aldi’s everyday items shaping consumer choices.
Two college-age women from Fremont were swept from Panther Beach’s keyhole by sneaker waves in Santa Cruz County. One died at the scene; the other died days later in hospital. Rescue crews performed multiple water rescues along a one-mile stretch amid dangerous surf and rising tides.
Automakers have pulled several electric models from the U.S. market even as quarterly EV sales have risen. Q2 2026 U.S. consumer EV purchases have reached 247,226 vehicles, a sequential rise driven by higher fuel prices, new low-cost entrants and state rebates. Manufacturers and startups are responding with cheaper models, but many legacy brands have cancelled or delayed U.S. EV projects.
Agility Robotics has opened a 60,000-square-foot engineering and training facility in Fremont to scale Digit humanoid deployments in manufacturing and logistics, while Tesla and others push similar humanoid programs.
Tesla has reported weak Q2 profits and heavy capital spending on AI, robotaxis and humanoid robots, turning free cash flow negative and sending its shares sharply lower. SpaceX has fallen since its IPO and heavy short interest is piling up. Investors are demanding clearer timelines for robotaxi, Optimus and Tesla–SpaceX collaboration as capital needs rise.
Tesla has escalated its capital expenditure, with second-quarter capex at $5.8 billion and projected annual capex above $25 billion as it expands robotaxi, Optimus, and semiconductor initiatives. Revenue rises, while operating margin declines amid aggressive investments.
Police in Madison shot a suspect who was armed with a knife after a bicycle pursuit through a busy city street. The man died in hospital, four officers are on administrative leave, and a state investigation is underway. The incident has triggered protests and renewed calls for body-worn cameras and police reform.