West
California exodus continues as conservative states attract blue-state residents: Report
Californians fleeing the blue state over its high cost of living are showing no signs of slowing down, according to the latest report by a major moving and storage company.
“The Golden State has a reputation for imposing high sales, income, and property taxes. The cost of living is approximately 50 percent higher in California than the national average, and housing costs can be prohibitive,” according to a report on 2024 moving trends published by PODS.
The report, published May 20, found that more people are moving to the southern Appalachian region, which includes parts of South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama, all conservative states.
“California is number one in all the wrong things,” Will Swaim, president of the conservative think tank California Policy Center, told Fox News Digital on Friday. “Add to that regulations that make building new homes almost impossible, and it’s no wonder that people are moving out.”
HOMELESS CALIFORNIA PAROLEE DRAGGED FEMALE JOGGER BY PONYTAIL ON BEACH IN ATTEMPTED SEXUAL ASSAULT: POLICE
California still tops list for most outbound moves according to new PODS report. ( MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images / ContributorRobert Alexander / Contributor)
Businesses are getting in on the piece of the pie, too. The study noted companies are packing up to southern sunbelt states like Texas, Georgia, Arizona, North Carolina, and Tennessee, according to data collected from Iron Mountain. Why? Because these regions “offer lower operational costs, tax incentives, and better value for employees.”
Los Angeles and San Francisco landed in the top two spots for the cities seeing the highest numbers of residents moving out.
Terry Gilliam, the founder of the popular Facebook group “Leaving California” which has hundreds of thousands of members, told Fox News Digital in an interview the list confirms “you’re not just getting the high-end taxpayers, but the middle class taxpayers are leaving.”
“California is number one in all the wrong things.”
“I think that that’s what California’s been doing for the last many years, is eliminating the middle class, and Governor Newsom loves to brag about how California’s economy is top five in the world, and then he came out bragging about how there’s now more Fortune 500 companies based in California than anywhere else in the country,” Gilliam said. “But that’s for the wealthy, and in reality, the middle class is what’s suffering in California, and that’s why they’re leaving.”
NEWSOM PROPOSES DEFUNDING LAW ENFORCEMENT, PRISONS, PUBLIC SAFETY AS CALIFORNIA FACES MASSIVE DEFICIT
Homelessness in California under Governor Gavin Newsom has increased from 151,00 in 2019 to 181,000 in 2024. (Fox)
Gilliam and members of his group did a 10-day tour of the south, he said, and talked to people in every town who had left California.
“And really what it comes down to is the quality of life for their family, lower cost of living, better schools, politics that align with the way they feel in these southern towns,” he said.
According to the report, four California markets rank in the top 10 for the most outbound moves, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, and Stockton-Modesto.
“The various locations of these cities point to the fact that this is a statewide exodus,” the report concluded.
California saw its first-ever population decline in 2020 when the state imposed rigid lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. From January 2020 to July 2022, the state lost well over half a million people, with the number of residents leaving surpassing those moving in by almost 700,000.
In January, California topped U-Haul’s Growth Index list for having the largest net outbound movers in 2023.
CA SCHOOL BOARD THROWS OUT STATE OFFICIAL AS HE PROTESTS FOR SECRET TRANSGENDER POLICIES: ‘PERVERT CHILDREN’
View of Pacific coast, Northern California ( Carol M. Highsmith/Buyenlarge/Getty Images)
A spokesperson for Gov. Newsom’s office pointed Fox News Digital in an email to the International Monetary Fund’s World Economic Outlook report “noting that California remains the 5th largest economy in the world for the seventh consecutive year, with a nominal GDP of nearly $3.9 trillion in 2023 and a growth rate of 6.1% since the year prior, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.”
“California’s per capita GDP is the second largest among large economies,” Newsom’s office said. “California, which has the most equitable tax system in the entire country, is #1 in the nation for new business starts, #1 for access to venture capital funding, and the #1 state for manufacturing, high-tech, and agriculture.”
Fox News Digital’s Nikolas Lanum contributed to this report.
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Hilo
Tonight: Mostly cloudy. Scattered showers in the evening, then numerous showers after midnight. Lows 60 to 70 near the shore to 52 to 58 at 4000 feet. North winds up to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.
Sunday: Mostly cloudy. Numerous showers in the morning, then scattered showers in the afternoon. Highs 77 to 82 near the shore to 62 to 67 at 4000 feet. Northeast winds up to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.
Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy with numerous showers. Lows 60 to 69 near the shore to 51 to 56 at 4000 feet. Northeast winds up to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.
Kona
Tonight: Partly cloudy. Isolated showers in the evening. Lows around 72 near the shore to 49 to 54 near 5000 feet. Light winds. Chance of rain 20 percent.
Sunday: Mostly sunny in the morning, then partly sunny with isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs 82 to 87 near the shore to around 67 near 5000 feet. West winds up to 10 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.
Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy with isolated showers in the evening, then partly cloudy after midnight. Lows around 72 near the shore to 49 to 54 near 5000 feet. Light winds. Chance of rain 20 percent.
Waimea
Tonight: Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Lows 61 to 71 near the shore to 55 to 62 near 3000 feet. East winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.
Sunday: Breezy. Partly sunny with scattered showers. Highs around 78 near the shore to 67 to 77 near 3000 feet. East winds up to 20 mph increasing to 10 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain 50 percent.
Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Lows 61 to 70 near the shore to 54 to 61 near 3000 feet. East winds 10 to 15 mph decreasing to up to 15 mph after midnight. Chance of rain 50 percent.
Kohala
Tonight: Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Lows 61 to 71 near the shore to 55 to 62 near 3000 feet. East winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.
Sunday: Breezy. Partly sunny with scattered showers. Highs around 78 near the shore to 67 to 77 near 3000 feet. East winds up to 20 mph increasing to 10 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain 50 percent.
Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Lows 61 to 70 near the shore to 54 to 61 near 3000 feet. East winds 10 to 15 mph decreasing to up to 15 mph after midnight. Chance of rain 50 percent.
South Big Island
Tonight: Partly cloudy. Lows around 74 near the shore to around 55 near 5000 feet. Northeast winds up to 15 mph.
Sunday: Breezy. Mostly sunny in the morning, then partly sunny with isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs around 85 near the shore to around 66 near 5000 feet. East winds up to 20 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy. Isolated showers in the evening. Lows around 74 near the shore to around 54 near 5000 feet. Northeast winds up to 15 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph after midnight. Chance of rain 20 percent.
Puna
Tonight: Mostly cloudy. Scattered showers in the evening, then numerous showers after midnight. Lows 60 to 70 near the shore to 52 to 58 at 4000 feet. North winds up to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.
Sunday: Mostly cloudy. Numerous showers in the morning, then scattered showers in the afternoon. Highs 77 to 82 near the shore to 62 to 67 at 4000 feet. Northeast winds up to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.
Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy with numerous showers. Lows 60 to 69 near the shore to 51 to 56 at 4000 feet. Northeast winds up to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.
Waikoloa
Tonight: Partly cloudy. Lows around 72 near the shore to 50 to 55 above 4000 feet. Southeast winds up to 15 mph.
Sunday: Breezy. Sunny in the morning, then partly sunny with isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs 82 to 87 near the shore to around 68 above 4000 feet. Northeast winds up to 20 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.
Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy with isolated showers in the evening, then partly cloudy after midnight. Lows around 72 near the shore to 51 to 56 above 4000 feet. East winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.
Synopsis
High pressure north of the islands will produce moderate trade winds through Monday. Wind speeds will weaken from Tuesday through Thursday as a weak cold front passes north of the island chain. Trade winds slowly return by the end of next week as the stalled front diminishes and the broad ridge builds back over the region.
Short term update
The infrared satellite imagery this evening shows a shallow cold front roughly 600 miles northwest of Kauai approaching the Hawaii region. This frontal cloud band will weaken and stall out north of the state with no significant rainfall impacts. Trade wind speed trends however will decrease as the trough breaks down the ridge north of the island chain. Light large scale winds over Hawaii from Tuesday through Thursday will trigger and expansion of onshore sea breezes during the daylight hours and offshore land breezes overnight. These light local scale winds are driven by diurnal thermal differences between ocean temperatures and island heating/cooling cycles.
The short range forecast grids look reasonable. No updates to the evening forecast.
Prev discussion
Issued at 352 PM HST Sat May 2 2026 Radar and satellite show mostly cloudy skies and scattered showers across most windward and many mauka areas, along with the Kona region of the Big Island, this afternoon. Very few showers have made it to leeward areas, but a good amount of cloud cover has moved in from time to time. Winds were generally out of the northeast at 10 to 20 mph with a few higher gusts, but some leeward areas had west winds coming in off the ocean. These showers will decrease in the Kona region this evening, but otherwise should continue into the night.
With the upper low to our northeast finally moving away, upper level ridging will be able to strengthen. This will keep moderate to occasionally breezy trade winds with us through Monday as surface high pressure systems to our NE and NW move east across the Pacific. A weak trough (dying cold front) will move toward the area Monday, and pressure falls associated with its approach will veer winds to southeasterly Monday night. Light north to northeast winds behind the trough are expected to develop over western islands Wednesday, perhaps reaching as far east as Maui Wednesday night. With light winds Tuesday through Thursday, expect a few more clouds than normal over leeward areas, and perhaps a brief shower.
Winds will then return to southeasterly Thursday and remain that way into next weekend. PW values will be relatively low throughout the next week. The only day of values noticeably above 1″ will be Wednesday, when convergence from the surface trough will peak. Trades may return next weekend.
Aviation
Moderate to breezy easterly trades will persist through Sunday, with clouds and brief showers favoring windward sites. Expect periods of MVFR conditions in showers, otherwise widespread VFR is expected.
No AIRMETS are in effect.
Marine
No changes to the forecast this evening, and not expecting any significant changes with the morning package.
High pressure to the north-northeast will maintain trade winds through the remainder of the weekend. A front to the northwest will move to the east and help to weaken the ridge to the north. As a result, expect trades to steadily weaken, becoming light and variable by the middle of the week.
The current northwest swell (310-320 degrees) will gradually fade over the remainder of the weekend. Another small swell is expected to arrive late Sunday night/early Monday morning, and will help to maintain elevated surf along north and west facing shores. A storm low near Japan is expected to move to the east and will send a long period northwest swell to the islands. This swell (320 degrees) is expected to arrive Thursday, but currently expected to peak below advisory levels.
The current south swell will hold through the remainder of the weekend, and then gradually decline. As trades steadily weaken, wind waves and trade wind swell will follow with diminishing surf expected along east facing shores during the next several days.
HFO Watches/Warnings/Advisories
None.
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Data Courtesy of NOAA.gov
Idaho
Viral Idaho Domino’s pizza driver ‘Dan the Man’ retires after strangers raise $170K for his act of kindness
An Idaho Domino’s delivery worker whose small act of kindness went viral has retired after kind strangers helped raise more than $170,000.
Dan Simpson, 68, known locally as “Dan the Man,” said the surprise windfall allowed him to step away from years of grinding work from his job with the pizza chain in Boise, Idaho, earlier than planned.
“I got up this morning … and I checked my bank account and there was $163,000, what a retirement gift that was,” Simpson told KTVB Idaho on Friday. The donations have now hit $171,375.
Simpson shot to internet fame in March after a family’s doorbell camera captured him telling a customer he had bought their Diet Cokes with his own money when the store ran out during his delivery.
“Oh, you don’t need to. It’s a good tip,” he told customer Brian Wilson, who offered to reimburse him for the beverage.
The video spread quickly online after Wilson posted it on TikTok, drawing millions of views and prompting him to launch a GoFundMe campaign that far exceeded its original goal.
“What Dan didn’t know is that my wife and I are both visually impaired, so running out to the store for a ‘quick’ pickup is not something that is simple or easy for us,” Wilson told the Idaho Statesman at the time.
“What may have seemed like a tiny inconvenience to solve on his end actually made a huge difference on ours.”
Longtime delivery driver Simpson, who also worked for the Idaho Department of Agriculture, said he’s now ready for a slower pace.
“I’m ready for normal again,” he told KTVB Idaho. “I got up today thinking, well, I’ll never get another phone call for an interview.”
Instead of splurging on his funds, Simpson said he plans to keep things simple and “buy a decent van.”
He hopes to travel back roads, take photographs and possibly head to the coast.
Simpson also spoke openly about his past, including struggles with addiction and time in prison.
“I got in a lot of trouble with drinking and drugs,” he said. “When I got out, I said, ‘That’s it.’ I knew I’d never drink again.”
He said he has been sober for nearly 24 years and worked multiple jobs after his release.
“Ever since I stepped out of prison, I’ve basically worked two jobs and worked hard and tried to do the right thing,” he said.
Now financially stable, Simpson said he wants to help others dealing with addiction.
“Maybe get them grounded in something that doesn’t make drugs and alcohol necessary in their life,” he said.
Despite retiring, he plans to keep delivering pizzas on weekends.
“So thank you, Boise. Thank you, Treasure Valley,” Simpson said. “You made my life quite a little bit easier.”
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