As Gavin Newsom makes his increasingly frequent appearances outside the state — seemingly preparing for a 2028 presidential campaign — one of his stock messages is that California’s economy is
Question: Hi Robert, your article has helped us over the years, time and time again. Thank you for keeping this going. We look forward to reading it and learning new ways to help ourselves with our home. We’ve been able to save a considerable amount of money by learning through your article and then being brave, executing with your direction. Today we have a question regarding flooring in a bathroom. We installed new flooring in most of our upstairs, using hard wood. We love that but know that bathrooms can be a problem with wood. Could we go with a faux wood in there, now that we are ready to replace the flooring? I know the Pergo-type flooring can have wood looks, we could get to a close match. What are your thoughts on this choice? Thanks for your help. — Mary and Tom V. Answer: Mary and Tom, Pergo is an option, though be sure to check on the height difference with your existing wood floor. Transitions can be installed — just make sure that the variance will not be a problem. This goes for all other material possibilities, too. As far as the Pergo itself, I personally prefer a tile product in a bathroom. I like that it is less temperamental with the moisture of a bathroom, and it is much more forgiving with that, in the event there is a leak. If you were to choose tile as your option, I’d encourage you to go with a slightly textured option, to lessen the slip factor. Smooth tile can be extremely slippery when wet, so be sure to make your choice with this in mind. Best of luck. Robert Lamoureux has more than 40 years of experience as a general contractor, with separate licenses in electrical and
Even after living here for 20 years, I still hear American English phrases I don’t understand. Just this weekend I heard someone say: “Don’t just phone it in.” I’ve come to understand this translates into English-English as: “Don’t be half-soaked.” See, being
By Janice Hisle Contributing Writer The Justice Department’s new fraud-fighting unit, formed in April, recently announced its first round of prosecutions in Minnesota: 15 defendants accused of $90 million in fake
By Jack Phillips Contributing Writer U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday released new terms of a possible agreement between the United States and Iran, saying the regime must immediately open the Strait of Hormuz
By Chris Summers Contributing Writer The European Commission has fined Chinese online retailer Temu 200 million euros ($232 million) for failing to do enough to stop the sale of illegal products within the 27-member European
By Bill Pan Contributing Writer Federal regulators have paused the review of Union Pacific’s proposed acquisition of Norfolk Southern, an $85 billion deal that would create the United States’ first transcontinental freight railroad. Union Pacific’s
California was once the state where families came to build a future. Today, for millions, it has become the state they are struggling to afford, struggling to trust and, increasingly,
The campaign for Gov. Gavin Newsom’s successor may be all but over after the votes from next week’s primary are counted, even with an election needing to be staged in
By Zachary Stieber Contributing Writer A CIA official has been arrested after law enforcement authorities found hundreds of gold bars and millions of dollars in cash in his home, according to
By Naveen Athrappully Contributing Writer The Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division filed a lawsuit against the University of California-Los Angeles over alleged failure to protect Jewish and Israeli students on campus. The
By Ryan Morgan & Emel Akan Contributing Writers WASHINGTON — The United States and Iran have tentatively agreed upon a 60-day memorandum of understanding to extend their current ceasefire and enable further
By Aldgra Fredly Contributing Writer Former President Joe Biden filed a lawsuit on Monday in a bid to block the Department of Justice from releasing audio recordings and transcripts of his private conversations with
Have you heard? Democracy is literally dying in America unless Democrats can draw congressional districts based on race, count illegal aliens in the census, and forbid showing an ID to
My wife and I just returned from a three-week vacation in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It is the fastest-growing city of its size in the United States. Building is booming
Thank you, Patrick Lee Gipson, for your comments (commentary, May 23) about what you learned from running for office. If only all candidates were as thoughtful as you are now.
Paul Rivera, a little-known former Clinton White House aide and senior adviser to the losing 2004 John Kerry presidential campaign, became famous recently as the author of the Democratic National
Gavin Newsom is trying to finish his governorship on a high note, claiming he has written “a balanced budget structurally for 18 months” that would give his successor some breathing
With summer just around the corner, we’re about to see a familiar and welcome sight across Santa Clarita: kids riding bikes to parks, meeting up with friends and enjoying the freedom that comes with
By Zachary Stieber Contributing Writer Uganda on Wednesday announced it is closing its border with Congo in a bid to curb Ebola. The National Task Force on Ebola Response, chaired by Ugandan Vice