Free Republic

Winemakers are pulling the cork on California. Another giant in the world-famous wine growing region is shutting down and slashing staff, making it the fourth since the start of 2026. Jackson Family Wines has stopped production at its Carneros Hill facility in Sonoma’s Carneros region, laying off more than a dozen employees, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notice filed with California authorities on Feb. 12. *** Jackson Family Wines is known as one of the top US wine producers, the sixth-largest wine company in the country. *** It owns the Kendall-Jackson label and about 40 other brands, producing...

Electric car maker Tesla has rolled out its new Model 3 vehicle - the company's cheapest car to date. The first 30 customers - most of them employees of the company - received their cars on Friday. Chief executive Elon Musk said the Model 3 was the "best car for its cost, either electric or gasoline". Prices start at $35,000 (£26,650), which the firm hopes will bring mass market interest. The price is still higher than that of rival electric car the Nissan Leaf, which starts at $30,680, or the hybrid Chevrolet Volt, which goes for $34,095.