Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES – October 06, 2026 -- AGON has unveiled the AGP257FT, a gaming monitor built around an overclocked 1050Hz refresh rate and a 0.1ms MPRT response time, aimed squarely at competitive and professional esports players.

The Oxide panel pushes pixel speed beyond typical LCD limits

The AGP257FT runs on a native Oxide panel that pairs fast-response liquid-crystal materials with an integrated GIA circuit design, enabling the 1050Hz refresh rate at 1920 x 1080 resolution. AGON says this architecture overcomes the slower voltage-response delays found in conventional LCD panels, resulting in smoother motion, reduced frame delay and quicker visual feedback during fast-paced gameplay.

Los Angeles – October 06, 2026 -- Don Francisco's Coffee has rolled out its 2026 Holiday Collection, featuring two limited-time flavors: Maple Pecan and Holiday Blend.

Starting in October, both coffees are available at donfranciscos.com and select grocery retailers in 12-ounce ground coffee bags and 12-count single-serve pods compatible with Keurig brewers. Amazon shoppers can also find the coffees in larger 20-ounce bags and 24-count pod packs, though availability and formats may vary by retailer.

Both blends use 100% Arabica beans for a seasonal flavor profile.

Maple Pecan is a medium roast combining sweet maple, toasted pecans, and caramel undertones. Holiday Blend is a medium-dark roast with a nutty aroma, creamy chocolate notes, and a caramelized finish.

Los Angeles – October 06, 2026 -- COCOCOZY's 3-Piece Bouclé Comforter Set is back at Costco stores nationwide and on Costco.com starting Fall 2026, following a sold-out 2024 debut that drew viral attention online.

The set includes a comforter and two matching shams

The collection comes in Queen and King sizes, available in Ivory and Charcoal Grey. It pairs a plush bouclé comforter with two coordinating pillow shams, aiming for a layered, textured bedroom look.

Designer Colette Shelton says the goal is accessible luxury

"I'm thrilled to return to Costco to give even more people the opportunity to bring COCOCOZY style into their homes," said Shelton, founder of COCOCOZY and a tech entrepreneur. "With this bouclé set, we wanted to create the ultimate cozy bedding that feels beautiful, stylish and special."

Los Angeles – October 06, 2026 -- A Los Angeles startup called OneStopSwap has signed up nearly 3,000 preregistered users ahead of a targeted mid-2027 U.S. launch for a marketplace that lets people buy, sell or directly swap used items in one place.

The platform arrives as secondhand commerce grows sharply among younger shoppers. Bank of America Institute reported that Gen Z made up 41% of secondhand fashion sellers year-to-date in 2026, up from 37% in 2024. The number of Bank of America customers selling through secondhand retailers rose 16% year over year in March, with average monthly revenue per seller up 13%.

Y2K mall brands are fetching unexpected resale prices

A Miami Herald report published Oct. 2 described rising Gen Z demand for Y2K-era brands like Forever 21, Abercrombie and Juicy Couture. Citing Vogue Business, it pointed to a pair of Forever 21 shorts that originally retailed for under $30 later reselling for $198.

Los Angeles – October 06, 2026 -- A phone call that sounds like your child, spouse or parent pleading for emergency cash could be an AI-generated fake, according to a new warning from Mercury Insurance (NYSE/NYSE TX: MCY).

The FBI's 2025 Internet Crime Report logged more than 22,000 complaints involving artificial intelligence, resulting in nearly $893 million in reported losses. The agency has flagged voice cloning and other AI-generated content as tools criminals use to make impersonation scams more convincing.

Scammers Use Public Audio to Clone Familiar Voices

Voice-cloning technology can recreate realistic speech from audio samples pulled off social media videos, podcasts or other online content. Criminals then call a relative posing as a loved one, claiming an accident, arrest or other emergency, and demand immediate payment while insisting the victim not contact anyone else.

Los Angeles – October 05, 2026 -- THIS IS CRAZY!, a benefit play exploring mental illness and family survival, arrives at The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills for a single performance on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, with tickets on sale now.

The show previously debuted in New York, drawing talent including Jane Fonda, Edie Falco, and Mark Ruffalo, and raised nearly $500,000 for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). One hundred percent of proceeds from the Los Angeles performance and afterparty will again go to NAMI.

The Los Angeles cast features Marisa Tomei and Rosanna Arquette.

The ensemble also includes Lois Smith, Rudy Pankow, Rob Morrow, Rachel Hilson, Colette Hayes, Luke Ferrari, and Olivia Oguma, with additional names still to be announced.

Los Angeles – October 04, 2026 -- The General Insurance has launched a nationwide sweepstakes offering one winner a fully restored, drivable replica of the iconic Street Fighter car plus a cash prize of $25,400.69. Entries are open now through November 18, 2026.

The build debuted live at ComplexCon in Los Angeles

The vehicle, unveiled at the pop culture convention, recreates the pixelated car players have smashed on screen for decades. The design includes custom pixel-patterned upholstery, new leather seats, upgraded speakers and a coin-slot change holder that doubles as a seat warmer.

Los Angeles – October 03, 2026 -- Govee, which it calls the No. 1 brand for household permanent outdoor lights in the U.S., has launched a nationwide Halloween campaign titled "Turn Up the Spooky. Slay Halloween." starring actress Sarah Michelle Gellar.

The campaign's TV commercial shows Govee Outdoor Lights transforming a typical home into a cinematic Halloween setting, using color and lighting effects to build after-dark atmosphere.

Gellar Shares Her Own Approach to Outdoor Decorating

Rather than lighting up an entire exterior, Gellar recommends focusing on one feature, such as a roofline, tree or front facade. "Leaving some areas darker will make the lit areas feel more dramatic," she says.

Diamond Bar, Calif. – October 02, 2026 -- The South Coast Air Quality Management District Governing Board has approved $60.2 million in additional funding for its GO ZERO Incentive Program, which pays homeowners and small businesses to swap gas furnaces and water heaters for zero-emission heat pumps.

The expansion follows a $21 million pilot launched in September 2025 that helped more than 3,000 single-family homes and 700 multifamily units switch from gas to electric systems. Multifamily funding was fully reserved within two weeks of launch, and single-family funding ran out in under six months.

New funding splits $60.2 million across three pools

The expanded program allocates $20 million each to single-family and multifamily rebates, with another $20 million distributed to either category based on demand.

Cerritos, Calif. – October 02, 2026 -- NEOWIZ and Beard Papa's are launching a limited-time BrownDust2 collaboration on October 9, 2026, at participating Beard Papa's locations across the United States, running through November 9.

Two character-inspired cream puffs anchor the promotion

The Zenith Puff features seasonal pumpkin spice custard in a cinnamon-topped eclair, while the Wilhelmina Puff combines vanilla custard, white chocolate and vanilla Oreo cookie crumble eclair. Both are named after fan-favorite characters from the BrownDust2 game.

A 6-Pack Combo Gift Set bundles treats with collectibles

The set includes one of each limited-time puff, one Chocolate Puff, one Cookies & Cream Puff and two Original Cream Puffs. It also comes with acrylic character standees, character can badges, a sticker sheet and an exclusive in-game reward code, while supplies last.