By MARK GLOVER, Sacramento Bee

Pawnshops, once considered the seamy underside of commerce, have become a mainstream destination for individuals and small businesses looking to cope in today's economy.

A recent market report by industry research firm IBISWorld in Los Angeles said the pawnshop industry "has thrived through tough economic times," with a 2.6 percent annual growth rate since 2006.

Car dealers are feeling the ripple effects of Japan's earthquake- and tsunami-hobbled auto industry.

Parts pipelines have lost steam, production of some Japanese-made models has been crippled and competitors are circling to pick up prospective customers.

Driver interest in saving fuel is rising along with the price of gas, which has hit $4 a gallon in some places, and is expected to head still higher by summer.

There are nearly as many tips for saving gasoline as there are suggestions for losing weight. Some gas-saving tips might save you a few drops; others will save gallons. In the end, saving money is the key. Here are some ways to cut your costs at the pump:

Just in time for the holidays: gasoline price hikes that may bring the national average to $3 by Christmas.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The electric car future that seemed so exotic and so distant just a few years ago is here, and California will again set the tone for the industry and the rest of the nation.

Long the nation's top auto market -- 10 percent to 12 percent of new-car sales nationwide are made in California -- the state is even more of a leader in environmentally friendly vehicles.

California farmers are bringing new meaning to acres of green.

What once implied crop-filled fields might just as well refer to thousands of solar panels spread across the land, providing clean, renewable energy to power growing and harvest chores and producing energy cost savings.

In a twist that has energy experts bemused and confused, gasoline prices have been climbing for the past month on the premise that the economy will get better, motorists will increase their driving, and demand for gasoline will increase.

Trouble is, gas consumption in California and the United States remains relatively flat, and unemployment in the Golden State tops 12 percent.

California wineries toasted a little less success abroad in 2009, but this year shows more promise.

U.S. wine exports -- with California accounting for 90 percent of that total -- were down by volume and value in 2009, according to the San Francisco-based Wine Institute.

A California-based insurer has launched what it calls the first nationally available insurance coverage designed specifically for the medical marijuana industry.

Only 14 states allow use of medical marijuana today, but Statewide Insurance Services is nonetheless offering coverage in all 50 states.