• We pay half of our two family members' rent in Los Angeles so we can stay with them when we want.
• Most of the year, we live in our house in Wisconsin, where my husband works and our mortgage is low.
• We've had to get creative to afford to live in both places, but we're happy to make it work.

In August, my husband and I signed a one-year lease for a two-bedroom apartment in Studio City without giving up our home in Wisconsin.

We love the Midwest, but I grew up in Los Angeles County and often miss my home state — especially in winter when temperatures in Wisconsin can plummet below zero.

My family and I have often traveled to California, visiting family and friends, splurging on Disneyland, and enjoying the beach. Our trips have been soul-nourishing and fun but pricey. On average, we've spent about $200 to $300 a night on Airbnbs alone.

We've talked about moving to California, but there are delightful obstacles in our path. First of all, we adore our community, and my husband loves his job in Wisconsin.

We also love our house and the 3 acres of land it's on. Plus, the low 3% interest rate on our mortgage means living in our five-bedroom home in Wisconsin costs about the same a month as renting a 1,000-square-foot apartment in Los Angeles.

So when two members of our family decided to move to Los Angeles, we made a proposal: If you can put us up for some of the year, we'll pay half the rent.

They happily accepted. This way, they could afford a larger place in a nicer neighborhood, and we'd get a pied-à-terre with the flexibility to come and go as we please for just $1,750 a month.

After a fun period of collaborative apartment hunting, we found a great space in Studio City and have been back and forth several times.

To make this work, we've found ways to live frugally and save money

Whenever we've gone to Los Angeles for an extended visit, we've driven the 2,000 miles in our hybrid to save on airfares and car rentals once we arrive.

For shorter trips, we find cheap flights. Since we keep clothes, toiletries, and books in both places, we only need laptop bags when we travel, which saves money on checking bags.

We also arranged for a friend in Wisconsin to stay in our house while we're gone, so we don't need to pay someone to water our plants or mow the lawn.

Our apartment in Los Angeles has been furnished with Ikea sale items, donations from friends, and cheap (or free) finds from Facebook Marketplace and our neighbors.

When we're home in Wisconsin, we live frugally. If we're going to splurge a bit, we prefer to do it in Los Angeles.

Although the cost of living is higher there, we've also found many free or inexpensive things to do for fun: hiking on many of the nearby trails, going to the beach, exploring different neighborhoods, and visiting free museums.

If we go out to eat, we do so during happy hour to take advantage of discounted specials. Potluck meals with friends have also been a great way for us to have fun in Los Angeles without breaking the bank.

Since we live in a neighborhood close to shops and restaurants, we also save money on gas and get our steps in by walking as much as possible.

We still meet our savings goals by using the money we'd normally budget for vacations to support this lifestyle instead.

For now, I hope to continue living across 2 states

My favorite things about living between the Midwest and West Coast have been the excitement of always looking forward to something new, enjoying the beauty in both locales, and spending time with family and friends in each place.

Our lease will be up in August 2025, and I don't know if our family members will continue to live in Los Angeles.

If they move out and on, my husband and I will need to get even more creative to keep making our California-Wisconsin lifestyle work. We'd probably need to downsize the apartment and find other ways to cut back on our spending — but that's fine by me.

Every time I walk along the beach in Malibu on a sunny day in January while it's -10 degrees in Wisconsin, I know it's worth it.

• Waymo One's robotaxis could threaten Uber and Lyft drivers' earnings if they get access to airports.
• Airport rides are among the most profitable trips for human drivers.
• Waymo One is offering airport trips in Phoenix and is awaiting approval in other markets.

If Waymo One's robotaxis continue expanding to airports, human ride-hailing drivers could see their incomes take a big hit.

Airport trips are "incredibly important" for ride-hailing drivers, particularly those who work near cities with major airports, said Lindsey Cameron, an assistant professor of management — whose research focuses on AI and gig work — at Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. She added that airport pickups can be especially profitable because those rides often have higher fares, which are driven by strong customer demand.

"Those are the most lucrative rides," she said. "You've got a captive audience who wants to go home, and so they're willing to pay."

Many Uber and Lyft drivers have told BI their gigs are already less profitable than they were a few years ago — due, in part, to an increase in competition from both human and robot drivers. The threat of robotaxis further chipping away at their business has put some of them on edge.

Nicole Moore, a part-time Lyft driver and the president of the driver advocacy group Rideshare Drivers United, said that in the last couple of weeks, she's seen a significant uptick in concern from LA-based drivers about the impacts of robotaxis on their earnings. In November, Waymo One began offering rides to anyone in Los Angeles after previously operating a limited service with a waitlist.

"You put more drivers on the street — whether they're robot drivers or people — everybody makes less money," she said, adding, "We're thankful they're not in the airport yet."

Waymo One, which is owned by Alphabet, is the only company operating autonomous vehicles at US airports, Waymo told BI. It's also the biggest autonomous taxi service in the US: In October, the company said it was providing more than 150,000 weekly paid rides in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Phoenix. Additionally, the company announced this fall it will offer rides to the public in the Atlanta and Austin markets early next year and in Miami in 2026.

While Waymo One airport trips are available in Phoenix —and the company has approval to begin pilot testing at the Austin airport — robotaxis are still restricted from airports in Los Angeles and San Francisco. In these cities, approval for airport rides would come from groups that oversee the airports' operations.

The experts BI spoke to said it's unclear if and when robotaxis will receive widespread approval for airport trips in the markets they're operating.

Spokespeople for Los Angeles World Airports and the Airport Commission for San Francisco International Airport told BI there is no estimated timeline for when Waymo One will receive approval, but the groups are monitoring the robotaxi's progress.

The LAWA spokesperson said the airport can experience significant curbside congestion and that for driverless taxis to gain airport approval, they would need to operate safely and efficiently and not impact the airport's current commercial and private vehicle operations. The Airport Commission spokesperson said driverless taxis would need to demonstrate the ability to operate on freeways and in communities near the airport and ensure they could safely meet the needs of customers.

Waymo is pushing for airport expansion in the US

Waymo told BI that it's providing thousands of trips each week to and from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, the most popular destination for its riders in the city. The company also said it's in active discussions with San Francisco International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport about expanding its fleet to these airports, but didn't give BI a timeline for when it expects to receive approvals.

The company added that it was granted approval to provide robotaxi trips on freeways in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Austin, but that it hasn't begun offering those rides to the public yet: Access to these trips is currently limited to Waymo's employees in San Francisco and Phoenix.

A spokesperson for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport told BI that the airport would monitor Waymo One's pilot testing before deciding whether to approve airport pickups.

Uber did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment, and Lyft said that its drivers have generally earned more on airport trips than on non-airport trips.

It's not just drivers who are feeling the pinch from Waymo One's expansions. GM announced on December 11 that it was retreating from the robotaxi business "given the considerable time and resources that would be needed to scale the business, along with an increasingly competitive robotaxi market."

Meanwhile, on December 5, shares of Uber and Lyft traded lower after Waymo announced it was expanding to Miami.

To be sure, Waymo isn't the only company rolling out robotaxis: Tesla and the Amazon-owned Zoox are also developing their own versions of a robotaxi.

Airport trips are some drivers' 'bread and butter'

Moore said that airport trips aren't as profitable for drivers as they used to be, but that they remain important.

"They have been our bread and butter for many, many years," she said.

Jason D., a 50-year-old driver in Phoenix, told BI he does more airport trips than any other type of ride — in part because he drives an Uber XL vehicle that has the space for luggage and multiple passengers. He said competing with Waymo One at airports and elsewhere has hurt his earnings.

"Driverless taxis are flooding an already competitive Phoenix market and taking money from human drivers," Jason D, who drives full-time for Uber and asked that his last name not be included for fear of professional repercussions, previously told BI. He added that Waymo One's cars also contribute to significant congestion at the airport because they don't know how to follow traffic officers' hand and voice commands.

Sergio Avedian, a part-time Uber and Lyft driver based in the Los Angeles area and senior contributor to the gig-driver-advocacy blog and YouTube channel The Rideshare Guy, told BI that airport drop-offs tend to be quick, pay relatively well, and often come with a tip.

In comparison, doing airport pickups can require drivers at major airports to wait in designated lots until a passenger books a ride. Avedian said this process can be frustrating, but that airport pickups often pay better than drop-offs because the fares are higher — which is why some drivers think they're worth the wait.

"You have a chance of maybe catching a 'unicorn,'" he said, referring to the highest-paying trips. He added that many airport riders are business travelers who can expense their trips and are therefore less likely to balk at a high fare or not tip.

While robotaxis are already operating in the LA market, Avedian isn't overly concerned about robotaxis impact on drivers' earnings in the short term. But he knows the clock is ticking.

"Long-term, definitely it's going to be a threat, and that's why we suggest everybody not treat Uber and Lyft driving as a career," he previously told BI.

If more airports approve robotaxis, Moore said she hopes riders will value the customer service humans provide.

"Customers often expect you to put their luggage in the trunk — is the robotaxi going to do that?"

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Correction: December 13, 2024 — An earlier version of this story misstated the number of weekly paid rides Waymo provided. It was more than 150,000, not 100,000.

President Biden pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, after the first son was convicted in two separate federal cases earlier this year.

The announcement was made by the White House on Sunday night.

"Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter," Biden wrote in a statement. "From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted."

"Without aggravating factors like use in a crime, multiple purchases, or buying a weapon as a straw purchaser, people are almost never brought to trial on felony charges solely for how they filled out a gun form," the statement added. "Those who were late paying their taxes because of serious addictions, but paid them back subsequently with interest and penalties, are typically given non-criminal resolutions. It is clear that Hunter was treated differently."

BIDEN WON'T PARDON HUNTER, WHITE HOUSE REAFFIRMS, BUT CRITICS AREN'T SO SURE

Hunter Biden, 54, has had a busy year in court, kicking off his first trial in Delaware in June, when he faced three felony firearm offenses, before he pleaded guilty in a separate felony tax case in September. 

President Biden pardoning his son is a departure from his previous remarks to the media over the summer, declaring he would not pardon the first son. 

"Yes," President Biden told ABC News when asked if he would rule out pardoning Hunter ahead of his guilty verdict in the gun case. 

Days later, following a jury of Hunter’s peers finding him guilty of three felony firearm offenses, the president again said he would not pardon his son. 

"I am not going to do anything," Biden said after Hunter was convicted. "I will abide by the jury’s decision."

In the gun case, Hunter was found guilty of making a false statement in the purchase of a gun, making a false statement related to information required to be kept by a federally licensed gun dealer, and possession of a gun by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.

HUNTER BIDEN FOUND GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS IN GUN TRIAL

Prosecutors specifically worked to prove that Biden lied on a federal firearm form, known as ATF Form 4473, in October 2018, when he ticked a box labeled "No" when asked if he is an unlawful user of substances or addicted to controlled substances. 

Hunter has a well-documented history of drug abuse, which was most notably documented in his 2021 memoir, "Beautiful Things," which walked readers through his previous need to smoke crack cocaine every 20 minutes, how his addiction was so prolific that he referred to himself as a "crack daddy" to drug dealers, and anecdotes revolving around drug deals, such as a Washington, D.C., crack dealer Biden nicknamed "Bicycles."

HUNTER BIDEN TRIAL ENTERS DAY 5 AFTER TESTIMONY FROM SISTER-IN-LAW-TURNED-GIRLFRIEND: 'PANICKED'

Hunter’s attorneys did not dispute the first son’s long history with substance abuse amid the trial, which also included an addiction to alcohol. The defense instead argued that on the day Biden bought the Cobra Colt .38, he did not consider himself an active drug addict, citing the first son's stint in rehab ahead of the October 2018 purchase.

Prosecutors, however, argued Biden was addicted to crack cocaine before, during and after he bought the handgun. Just one day after the gun purchase, prosecutors showed the court that Biden texted Hallie Biden, his sister-in-law-turned-girlfriend, to say he was "waiting for a dealer named Mookie." A day after that text, he texted that he was "sleeping on a car smoking crack on 4th Street and Rodney" in Wilmington. 

A jury deliberated for roughly three hours across two days before they found Hunter guilty on each charge. 

Hunter was scheduled for sentencing on Nov. 13, which was delayed until December before his dad intervened. 

After President Biden dropped out of the presidential race in July amid mounting concerns over his mental acuity and age, Hunter faced another trial regarding three felony tax offenses and six misdemeanor tax offenses regarding the failure to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes. 

As jury selection was about to kick off in Los Angeles federal court, Hunter entered a surprise guilty plea. 

HUNTER BIDEN PLEADS GUILTY TO ALL NINE FEDERAL TAX CHARGES BROUGHT BY SPECIAL COUNSEL DAVID WEISS

"I will not subject my family to more pain, more invasions of privacy and needless embarrassment," Hunter said in an emailed statement at the time. "For all I have put them through over the years, I can spare them this, and so I have decided to plead guilty."

The charges carried up to 17 years behind bars, but the first son would likely have faced a much shorter sentence under federal sentencing guidelines. His sentencing was scheduled for Dec. 16. 

Ahead of the president’s decision to pardon his son, President-elect Donald Trump said on the campaign trail that he would consider pardoning Hunter if victorious on Nov. 5. 

"I wouldn't take it off the books," Trump told radio host Hugh Hewitt in October. "See, unlike Joe Biden, despite what they've done to me, where they've gone after me so viciously. . . . And Hunter's a bad boy."

"There's no question about it. He's been a bad boy," Trump continued. "But I happen to think it's very bad for our country."

• Uber and Lyft drivers in Phoenix and LA said that driverless taxis are hurting their earnings.
• They said Waymo One robotaxis are making their gigs even more competitive.
• Regulatory hurdles and safety concerns could slow the growth of the robotaxi industry.

Some Uber and Lyft drivers said the driverless taxis operating in their markets are driving down their earnings.

Jason D, a 50-year-old Uber driver based in Phoenix, told Business Insider it's become harder to make money in recent years due to increased competition with human drivers, lower fares, fewer tips from riders, and higher operating costs. Now, he said the rollout of Waymo One robotaxis has made this problem even worse.

"Driverless taxis are flooding an already competitive Phoenix market and taking money from human drivers," said Jason, who drives full-time and asked that his last name not be included for fear of professional repercussions.

Several companies are competing for a share of the US robotaxi market. However, Waymo One, Alphabet's autonomous taxi service, announced in August that it was providing more than 100,000 paid rides weekly in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Phoenix. Waymo One also plans to expand to Atlanta and Austin early next year and will be facilitated through the Uber app. While the robotaxi industry could be slowed by regulatory hurdles and safety concerns, ride-hailing experts previously told BI that growing adoption would likely hurt Uber and Lyft drivers' earnings in the years to come. Some drivers told BI this is already happening.

To be sure, it's unclear how much robotaxis like Waymo One's are currently impacting drivers' earnings. Carl Benedikt Frey, a professor of AI and work at the Oxford Internet Institute, previously told BI there's little evidence that robotaxis like Waymo One have had a significant impact on Uber and Lyft drivers' earnings so far. But as more robotaxis hit the road, and fare prices come down, he said he would expect drivers' income to take a hit.

"As the technology gets better and cheaper, drivers will feel it in their wallets," Frey said. "We've seen this movie before: When Uber first showed up, it reduced traditional taxi drivers' earnings by about 10%."

Waymo and Uber did not respond to BI's request for comment. In February, an Uber spokesperson told BI that the company hadn't seen any significant impacts on drivers' earnings in Phoenix and Las Vegas, the two cities where Uber had autonomous vehicle partnerships at the time.

A Lyft spokesperson did not respond to BI's question about the impacts driverless taxis could have on ride-hailing drivers but said the company's goal is to build a hybrid network of human drivers and autonomous vehicles. Additionally, Lyft partnered with Mobileye to roll out autonomous vehicles on the Lyft network.

Restrictions on robotaxis could help reduce competition

John, a 43-year-old Uber and Lyft driver based in Phoenix, said he said he thinks Waymo One's robotaxis have hurt his earnings. He sometimes asks his passengers about their experiences using driverless taxis to get a better understanding of his competition.

He said Waymo One autonomous vehicles compete with him for rides and are sometimes cheaper than Uber and Lyft trips, which he thinks could deter passengers from using traditional ride-hailing services. John's identity is known to BI but has been withheld for his fear of professional repercussions.

Comparing the costs of Waymo One against Uber or Lyft is difficult because prices vary by market, length of trip, promotional offers the passenger may have, and whether the client tips a human driver.

There is some relief for human drivers: Restrictions on where robotaxis can drive could help limit the impact on ride-hailing drivers.

Brad, a full-time Uber driver based in Los Angeles, said he doesn't feel too threatened by Waymo One robotaxis in the city because they primarily offer shorter rides that he doesn't consider to be very profitable.

"I stopped picking up local rides a long time ago," said Brad, whose identity is known to BI but has been withheld for his fear of professional repercussions.

He added the most profitable rides tend to be airport trips — specifically when he picks up passengers from their terminals — and robotaxis aren't allowed at the airport. Waymo One airport trips are still restricted in Los Angeles and San Francisco but are available in Phoenix.

Nicole Moore, a part-time Lyft driver and the president of the driver advocacy group Rideshare Drivers United, previously told BI that trips to and from airports are many drivers' "bread and butter." She said that competition from robotaxis for these rides would be a concerning development for drivers.

A key factor in the success of robotaxis could be whether riders feel comfortable without a human driver. In Phoenix, Jason said that robotaxis are sometimes a "hazard on the road."

"They often cut me off," he said. "I have seen them signal left and right before making a sudden turn across multiple lanes of traffic."

In June, Waymo One recalled 672 of its driverless taxis after one hit a utility pole in Phoenix — the company said there were no passengers in the vehicle.

Jason said some riders he speaks with are comfortable with driverless cars or even think they could be safer than those driven by humans. But he's firm in his stance.

"I am fundamentally opposed to driverless rideshare because I do believe my income is being impacted," he said.

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Los Angeles city lawmakers voted Tuesday to formally adopt a sanctuary city ordinance, weeks after President-elect Trump's victory, amid promises to carry out mass deportation raids.  

The 13-0 vote will prohibit Los Angeles from providing any city resources or personnel to be used to help federal enforcement of immigration laws.

City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto, along with Mayor Karen Bass, released the draft ordinance last week that was written with help from immigration groups.

‘NOW’S THE TIME': TRUMP VICTORY HAS BIDEN ADMIN BRACING FOR MIGRANT SURGE AT SOUTHERN BORDER

Council members Hugo Soto-Martinez and Monica Rodriguez, who chair the council's Civil Rights and Public Safety committees, respectively, waived the matter from their jurisdictions to expedite a vote on the matter. 

California has been a sanctuary state since 2017 with the passage of SB 54, which prohibits local law enforcement agencies from using resources to investigate, detain, report or arrest people for immigration violations.

During a debate Tuesday, many public speakers pushed for the sanctuary ordinance, saying immigrant communities should be protected from "unimaginable cruelty" of raids that could separate families and target migrants who come to the U.S. to work. 

Others raised concerns about the depletion of resources given to help illegal immigrants, given that the city is contending with mass homelessness and a housing crisis. 

Sanctuary cities typically don't cooperate with federal immigration authorities, refusing to honor detainer requests from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which are used to take custody of criminal illegal immigrants for deportation. 

Many times, such jurisdictions will release the suspects back onto the street without informing ICE. Some have gone on to reoffend, sometimes violently, before being apprehended again. 

HAITIAN MIGRANTS REPORTEDLY FLEE SPRINGFIELD, OHIO

The vote will come two weeks after President-elect Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris, following a campaign in which he promised to tighten the southern border and carry out mass deportations of millions of illegal immigrants, targeting criminals who've committed a variety of crimes after illegally entering the United States. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to Trump representatives. 

Tom Homan, who previously served as acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and has been tapped by Trump to serve as his "border czar," previously suggested mass deportations are necessary in the wake of the "historic illegal immigration crisis."

"President Trump has made it clear we will prioritize public safety threats and national security threats first. And that's what the focus should be," he told Fox News host Sean Hannity last week.

Former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti issued an executive directive in 2019 that offered protections to immigrants. Los Angeles has followed sanctuary city guidelines but an ordinance was never codified into law. Additionally, the Los Angeles Police Department mandates that its officers not inquire about immigration status or make arrests related to a migrant's legal status.

Newly appointed Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell has said the department won't participate in immigration enforcement. 

TRUMP SELECTS SOUTH DAKOTA GOV KRISTI NOEM TO RUN DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

The Los Angeles County Republican Party criticized the ordinance, saying sanctuary protection would shield criminals who have entered the United States illegally. 

"A country without secure borders isn't a country at all. So-called ‘sanctuary’ cities and states sound warm and fuzzy, but the protections they offer aren't for abuelas (grandmothers) getting ice cream, they're for people who've entered the country illegally and committed additional crimes," LACGOP Communications Director Rozanne Hodge told Fox News Digital. "Whether drunk driving, robbery, sexual violence, assault or murder, none of those should go unpunished. Perpetrators should definitely not be protected by the largesse taken from hard-working taxpayers."

If the City of Los Angeles would like to have thriving, safe, clean streets and businesses in time for the Olympics, maybe they could accept the will of the people who just tossed George Gascon out on his ear and focus on public safety for everyone," she added. 

Trump's victory has spurred officials in various parts of the country to vow to push back on deportations. 

On Sunday, Boston's Democrat Mayor Michelle Wu said her city won't cooperate with any deportation operation from ther incoming Trump administration, despite her region seeing a number of illegal immigrants being charged with crimes and released back onto the streets. 

Arizona's Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs said her state, which voted for Trump, will not be aiding the incoming administration with its "misguided" plan to launch a mass deportation operation.

Following California Gov. Gavin Newsom vowed to fight the incoming Trump administration.

"Whether it be our fundamental civil rights, reproductive freedom, or climate action — we refuse to turn back the clock and allow our values and laws to be attacked," he said.