California Insider

Hollywood is experiencing an unprecedented downturn, leaving many workers without jobs. Siyamak sits down with David Graves, a film industry expert and IATSE union member, and Patrick Caligiuri, a Hollywood TV executive with over 20 years of experience, to discuss the reasons behind this decline and explore possible solutions for affected workers.

“About a month after the WGA strike started, we were almost at 80 percent unemployment, which basically stopped the industry altogether. Anything that was still shooting because they had scripts already purchased stopped because the actors weren’t available—that was last year. It was literally a neutron bomb for the film industry” says Graves.

*Views expressed in this video/article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of California Insider.

Siyamak sits down with Senator Josh Becker, who’s actively shaping AI regulation in the state. As a global leader in AI, California faces significant challenges and opportunities with major implications for jobs, safety, and privacy. Join us as we discuss the state’s efforts to address these concerns through new laws and regulations, some of which may influence national policy.

“AI, to some extent, has been around for 30-40 years. Now, we have generative AI producing text, audio, and video, with many positive uses of this technology. However, there are also significant risks and downsides, and I believe it’s our job as policymakers to stay ahead of that,” says Becker

We’ll also delve into Senator Becker’s background as a public servant, exploring how his immigrant family roots shaped his belief in the power of public education and the American dream. Senator Becker represents San Mateo County and northern Santa Clara County in California’s 13th Senate District. Elected in 2020, he is not only at the forefront of AI regulation but also champions clean energy and justice reforms.

*Views expressed in this video/article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the California Insider.

California consistently has some of the highest gas prices in the nation, and now the state government has passed a new law aimed at stabilizing them. In today’s episode, we'll uncover the mystery behind the numbers you see at the pump, the key players driving these prices, and how this new law could impact your wallet.

Siyamak sits down with Alessandra Magnasco, governmental affairs and regulatory director at the California Fuels and Convenience Alliance; Taha Saleh, a gas station owner; Sen. Brian Jones; and Travis Gillmore, a Capitol reporter with The Epoch Times.

*Views expressed in this video/article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of California Insider.

California is facing a budget crisis that may last for the next couple of years. Siyamak sits down with Senator John Laird, who has served as the education chair of the budget committee. Join us as we explore how Californians will be impacted and where this budget crisis may lead. We also dive into Senator Lear’s experience as a public servant.

*Views expressed in this video/article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of California Insider.

Fentanyl is becoming one of the leading causes of death among children due to counterfeit medications, and the amount of incidents tied to social media use is increasing. California is passing a law to limit social media addiction for kids.

“Social media is solving the last-mile problem for drug dealers. They networked inside my son’s school, found him, and a lethal dose of a counterfeit drug was delivered to our home after we were asleep—like a pizza,” says Samuel Chapman, CEO of Parent Collective, advocating for progressive drug policy reform.

We will also sit down with Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh, who will tell us how fentanyl is impacting Californians and why parents should be aware.

*Views expressed in this video/article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of California Insider.

“California was pro-growth. It was the land of aspiration. Our brand is tarnished. Collectively, we as Californians must ask, how do we improve ourselves? California is no longer affordable, no longer livable, and frankly, it’s not workable. That’s why, in my opinion, we’re seeing a migration out,” says Stephen J. Cloobeck, businessman and founder of Diamond Resorts International. Cloobeck explains why he thinks California’s brand has lost its shine, and what it will take to turn things around for the state.

*Views expressed in this video/article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of California Insider.

California is home to some of the world’s most renowned wine regions, including Napa Valley, Sonoma, and Lodi, making it a top global wine producer. However, the state’s wine industry is facing a significant slowdown in sales. Wineries are filled with unsold inventory and grape growers are struggling to find buyers for their grapes, even at steep discounts.

“Some of our older growers that have been farming 60 to 70 years, in some cases, say this is the worst they’ve ever seen. Last year, an estimated 400,000 tons of grapes were left on the vine in 2023 because they couldn’t sell them. It was never harvested,” says Stuart Spencer, executive director of the Lodi Winegrape Commission.

Join us as we look into the world of wineries in California, what’s behind this slowdown and downturn in the state’s wine industry, and how it’s impacting everyone from farmers to winemakers. Siyamak sits down with Spencer; Patrick Cappiello, winemaker at Monte Rio Cellars in Sonoma County; and Craig Ledbetter, vice president of Vino Farms.

*Views expressed in this video/article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the California Insider.

New regulations for real estate commissions took effect last month. Siyamak sits down with Mike Hickman, president and CEO of Seven Gables Real Estate, to explain the details of the change and why it will have a significant impact on how we buy and sell homes in California.

*Views expressed in this video/article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Epoch Times.

Many California schools are looking at Banning smartphones while in school, and it may soon become a law in California in 2025. What are the main reasons that are driving this trend, and what have been the experiences of schools that have already been implementing a strict no-device policy?

“Teachers had no standing like to confront this, and so it constantly was a battle. They could not teach all these lessons they were planning they were not getting through during the day because cell phone distractions were a major issue,” says Trisha Lancaster, founder of SOAR Charter Academy.

Siyamak sits down with Marc Berkman, CEO and founder of the Organization for Social Media Safety; Trisha Lancaster, founder of SOAR Charter Academy; and Assemblymember Josh Hoover.

*Views expressed in this video/article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of California Insider.

Our animal shelter deals with between 30 and 50 surrenders per day. We’ve abandoned animals to a degree that is shameful and deserves a cultural reckoning, and I think that reckoning will only happen if we’re honest about the variables that have contributed to this problem,” says Zach Skow, founder of Marley’s Mutts Animal Rescue.

Siyamak sits down with Mr. Skow to discuss the overwhelming number of abandoned animals in California’s shelters and how his Pawsitive Change Program is making an impact by getting dogs adopted and helping prison inmates at the same time.

*Views expressed in this video/article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of California Insider.