Pay It Forward Student Loans, Grocery Worker Strike, and Mattel’s AI Toy Push

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L.A. Times Studios

News, Daily News, Society & Culture, The Times, California

4.1 • 544 Ratings

🗓️ 16 June 2025

⏱️ 4 minutes

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Summary

A new “pay-it-forward” student loan model is gaining traction in cities like San Diego and Honolulu—offering interest-free funding with no payments due until graduates earn $50,000 a year. California’s Attorney General sues a Southern California real estate mogul, alleging widespread tenant abuse and unsafe living conditions. Toy giant Mattel teams up with OpenAI to develop AI-powered games and play experiences. And grocery workers at Kroger and Albertsons vote to authorize a strike over unfair labor practices.

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is an L.A. Times Studios podcast. Hi, I'm Angelica Coronado at L.A. Times Studios. Here are some of
0:14.8	today's headlines from the Los Angeles Times. A new kind of student loan is gaining traction, and it's built on paying it forward. John Marcus
0:24.5	reports that students in Hawaii, San Diego, and other cities can now get interest-free loans
0:29.8	with no fees and no repayment until they earn at least $50,000 a year. These loans come from
0:35.6	donor-funded pools, and once they're paid back, the money goes to help future students.
0:40.3	Backers say this pilot program comes as millions of borrowers struggle with student loan defaults and face tougher federal collection efforts.
0:48.3	The program targets careers in high demand, like engineering, nursing, and tech.
0:53.3	In San Diego, for example, students in behavioral
0:56.0	health fields could have their loans forgiven entirely, and employers are even helping
1:00.7	workers pay back their loans to boost recruitment. Supporters say it's a more sustainable way
1:05.3	to fund education and a way to help fill critical job shortages across the country.
1:11.7	California Attorney General Rob Bonta is taking on one of the state's biggest landlords.
1:17.5	Liam Dillon reports that Bonta has filed a lawsuit against real estate tycoon Mike Najjar,
1:23.0	accusing him and his family's companies of exploiting tenants in low-income neighborhoods.
1:33.3	The lawsuit claims Najar's properties are plagued by vermin, sewage leaks, and illegal rent hikes. Some tenants faced conditions so bad they were deadly, including a fire in an unpermitted mobile home that killed an infant.
1:41.3	Bonta says Najar ignored housing laws, targeted vulnerable tenants,
1:46.1	and used lawsuits and code violations as the cost of doing business. Najar's team strongly denies
1:52.0	the claims and says they plan to fight back in court. The next game or toy you buy from Mattel
1:59.0	might be able to talk back to you. Queenie Wong reports the Barbie and Hot Wheels Maker is partnering with Open AI to build
2:06.6	AI powered play experiences.
2:08.6	The first product designed for users 13 and up is set to launch later this year, but Mattel hasn't revealed what it will be just yet.
2:16.6	It's a move that shows how artificial intelligence is now shaping everything, including playtime.
	...

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