California Insider

Gas prices in California are already high. With Valero's Benicia refinery shutting down and more production shifting overseas, the state's fuel supply is entering a more fragile phase. What could this mean for the state’s ability to keep up with demand? This episode features Skip York, Chief Energy Strategist at Turner, Mason & Company; Mike Ariza, former Senior Refinery Controller at Valero; and Catherine Reheis-Boyd, President and CEO of the Western States Petroleum Association. They explore how infrastructure limits, policy decisions, and exposure to global markets are changing the risks.

Views expressed in this video are the opinions of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

In California’s vineyards, entire harvests are going unpicked, something few imagined possible in one of the world’s top wine regions. For many growers, it means seasons of work with no return and families forced to decide whether the next generation will remain in farming. Stuart Spencer, owner and winemaker at Lodi Wine, explains the hard choices facing growers and what could still secure a future for California wine.

Views expressed in this video are the opinions of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

Months after the LA fires, rebuilding remains uncertain. Many homeowners are discovering that the help they expected isn’t enough, and the process of starting over has become far more complicated than they imagined. In this panel, Farid Yaghoubtil, founding partner at DTLA Law Group, Gary Mkrtichyan, CEO of Opus Builders, and Ken Calligar, CEO of RSG 3D, discuss the realities on the ground and what may determine whether communities can return.

Views expressed in this video are the opinions of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

California’s community colleges are contending with widespread enrollment fraud that has prevented real students from getting the classes they need and disrupted campus operations.

More than 1.2 million fraudulent applications were filed in a single year, affecting about 80 percent of campuses across the state.

The problem, first seen during the shift to online learning, has persisted despite efforts to contain it. In this episode, college leaders explain how campuses are responding and the steps now underway to safeguard access for genuine students.

Views expressed in this video are the opinions of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

California is the world’s fourth-largest economy, but daily life here is becoming less and less affordable. Housing costs take up more than half of some families’ incomes, while utility bills, gas prices, and insurance keep rising. In this episode, state Assemblymember Corey Jackson talks with Siyamak Khorrami about the pressures behind the cost of living and the steps lawmakers are weighing to ease them.

Views expressed in this video are the opinions of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

To address California’s housing shortage, lawmakers in Sacramento are considering SB 79, a bill that would allow taller apartment buildings in neighborhoods currently reserved for single-family homes.

The measure is intended to add housing options, shorten commutes, and make better use of existing infrastructure. But this has also led to discussion of local control and how cities can manage growth.

In this episode, former Torrance City Councilmember Mike Griffiths and Nolan Gray, senior director of Legislation and Research at California YIMBY, offer different perspectives on what SB 79 could mean for California communities.

Views expressed in this video are the opinions of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

California just doubled its film tax credits to $750 million annually, but some say there's a problem. While the state courts big-budget productions, thousands of independent filmmakers making movies under $1 million are being left out entirely, impacting the entry point for new directors, writers, and crews. Independent filmmaker and professor Jeff Deverett breaks down why this matters for the next generation of Hollywood talent and what California risks losing if it doesn't act.

Views expressed in this video are the opinions of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

California’s governor has called for a special election in November 2025 to redraw the state's congressional districts. If approved, it would temporarily set aside the voter-created redistricting commission, and the new maps would be used when Californians vote for Congress members in 2026. Former state Assemblyman Don Wagner joins us to explain the proposal and its potential impact on California voters.

Views expressed in this video are the opinions of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

California’s shrinking refinery network is only part of the story. New limits on Kern County oil are adding to the pressure, and decisions in Sacramento could influence what comes next.

Catherine Reheis-Boyd, president and CEO of the Western States Petroleum Association, explains why this link matters for keeping fuel available and affordable in the state.

Views expressed in this video are the opinions of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

Los Angeles has become a target of crime due to a key component in its infrastructure: copper.

Thieves are unconcerned with causing widespread disruption to critical services or eroding local history, with damage extending far beyond financial costs.

In this episode, LAPD Deputy Chief Allen Hamilton discusses the growing sophistication of these thefts, and how law enforcement is working to address the issue.

Views expressed in this video are the opinions of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.