California Insider

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...

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...

“The landslide area is about a mile wide right now. Parts of that landslide are moving 50 feet per year, about one foot per week. It’s actually the largest landslide complex in North America,” says John Cruikshank, mayor of Rancho Palos Verdes. California is experiencing an unprecedented landslide in the city of Rancho Palos Verdes. Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency for the a...

“The California we know today is really only possible because we move water around—moving water from areas of abundance to areas of need, literally causing the desert to bloom,” says Geoff Vanden Heuvel, Director of Regulatory and Economic Affairs at Milk Producers Council. Siyamak sits down with Geoff Vanden Heuvel, who will explain why this water release may have little impact on the Delta smelt...

“We’re now talking about contaminated marijuana that is out in the legal market. We had 15 pesticides on the marijuana product that the state isn’t even looking for. Five of them are 100% banned in the United States, and they’re not allowed to be used at all. Some of these pesticides, if you look at them, it says fatal if inhaled,” says Jeremiah LaRue, Siskiyou County Sheriff. Siyamak sits down wi...

“A lot of people think that insurance carriers are just multi-billion-dollar companies living the good life. That’s not always the case. In the last three to five years, we’ve been losing so much money that we just can’t do this anymore,” says Harry Crusberg, a fire marshal and former president of American Agents Alliance. Home insurance rates are skyrocketing in California because of fire risks....

As public safety takes center stage in California’s political debates, all eyes are on Proposition 36, which would reform Proposition 47 if passed by voters in November. Some experts believe Proposition 47 has contributed to the rise in homelessness, drug addiction, and retail theft in California, while others argue that the link is hard to prove and that reforming the law could negatively impact...

“To make a theft a felony, keep in mind that felony cases are now going to be in a courtroom alongside homicides, rape cases, aggravated assaults, armed robberies, and you’re going to have a petty theft with a prior—where nobody served any substantial misdemeanor jail time—competing for a courtroom and resources. This distracts prosecutors from serious cases, who now have to litigate these other c...

Most cities in California have been impacted by homelessness. Recently, a Supreme Court ruling granted local governments the authority to clean up encampments. We sat down with Los Angeles City Councilwoman Traci Park to discuss what this ruling means for her city and how the city plans to navigate this issue. “There are a lot of unanswered questions, and as a matter of policy, we need to get it r...

Siyamak sits down with Grisham, an Oakland resident, and Leighton Woodhouse, an independent journalist and documentary filmmaker who has been covering the situation in the city. We also spoke with Ken Houston, founder of Oakland’s Beautification Council and a third-generation Oakland resident, who has been affected by the city’s high crime and vandalism. “This is my home. So whoever’s doing this o...

“There is actually a resale market in California that’s quite healthy. We have a black market on the streets, and this is easily visible. They are selling things at a fraction of the cost of if you go into the store and actually purchase it yourself. I’ve talked to police and law enforcement, and they tell me there’s a direct correlation here between drug addiction, retail theft, and these illicit...

In November, California voters will decide on a new minimum wage increase. It’s one of the ten ballot measures and could raise the current minimum wage from $16 to $18 an hour. Join us as we delve into what it means for Californians. “Just since the minimum wage increase that went into effect for fast food employees, we have seen 98% of them raise prices since April here in California. 89% have ha...

“Every time you pass a bond, you’re basically saying to the next generation, ”Here’s our gift to you“. A debt. And they’re gonna have to pay that off. Supporters say all of these things are important and reasonable, we should pay for them anyway and your children will thank you for it.” Siyamak sits down with Will Swaim, President of the California Policy Center. He tells us what ballot initiative...

California is experiencing a boom in accessory dwelling units (ADUs). Since the first ADU bill was passed in 2016, allowing ADUs on single-family home properties, the number of ADU permits has skyrocketed. However, along with this surge in development, some city leaders and residents are raising concerns for the community. Join us as we explore the growing trend of ADUs in California. We will spea...

“Low-income Californians and communities of color are essentially going to be disproportionately impacted. This is because they really rely on these programs, be it in food, housing, or education. More than 200 programs will be impacted in one way or another,” Travis Gillmore says. Siyamak sits down with Mr. Gillmore, a California reporter for The Epoch Times. He tells us the details of California...

“I’m a huge EV guy. Like, I think that’s a great technology. But in reality, there is a lot of work that needs to be done to meet these goals from the infrastructure side. If we flip a switch tomorrow and get rid of all fossil fuel vehicles, all fossil fuel electric generators, the state would be an immediate blackout,” says Mr. Flora. Siyamak sits down with Heath Flora, an Assemblyman from the Ce...

“It’s like walking through a minefield; you’re trying to just make people think. But if you conflict with them just to make them think, then they’re going to be upset about that. Students just completely lock into the narrative that they want to lock into, and that’s not a good thing, whether you’re left or right. It occurs on both sides. So what I want students to do is to be able to think critic...

“Will San Francisco come back? When you look at it with the 30% vacancy, you look at the foreclosures or the defaults on a lot of the loans. You look at all this and you say to yourself, ‘What can we do?” says Mr. Farrell. Siyamak sits down with John Farrell, a former budget analyst, assistant assessor, and financial director with extensive experience in San Francisco’s municipal finances. John wi...

“The homeless situation in San Diego is no longer just homelessness. It’s like a cancer that has completely taken over our streets and parks. It seems like anywhere you go, where you might have once seen one or two homeless people, is now a village,” says Jon Lutack. San Diego County offers a wide range of housing solutions and programs to help those suffering from homelessness or on the verge of...

“I served 29 years and two months. I went in at the age of 16; I was arrested and ultimately convicted of second-degree murder. I’m someone who they call ’the worst of the worst,' who’s taking complete advantage of the opportunities that are in there. I was dead in the water up until about 37 years old. I was going to die in prison. I had accepted it, and I knew I was. Then they opened the door. I...

“We only hire justice-impacted and unhoused individuals. We work directly behind Oakland Public Works. If you can go there and start with the small things instead of trying to do these huge wins, you'll be able to cure and heal the city.” Siyamak sits down with Ken Houston, the 3rd Generation Oaklander and the director of the Beautification Council. “All these lives would not be out here making li...

“We want to be the personal trainer of the city and the county, we want to be the person that they love to hate, because we are encouraging them. We are challenging them. We are motivating them to do something that they haven’t been able to do for themselves. But they know that when they get it done, it'll be better off. It really sends a signal that there’s need for fundamental change in Los Ange...

“We’re just allowed to double the amount of houses. There aren’t left turn lanes big enough, there aren’t sewer pipes big enough to handle the sewage, and you don’t add any parking.” Siyamak sits down with Jim Righeimer, developer and former mayor of Costa Mesa in Orange County. He‘ll share his concerns with some of California’s recent housing laws, such as SB9, which aims to increase housing dens...

“Unfortunately, Latinos do worse than their Latino counterparts in other states. It’s largely due to a failing public educational system, and also due to increased regulation, mostly environmental.” Siyamak sits down with Soledad Ursua, a lead author of ‘El Futuro es Latino’, conducted with Chapman University, which looks at how Latinos are doing in California compared to other states when it come...

“There were 17 gangs in Los Angeles that were engaged in follow-home robberies. So you could rape an unconscious woman, and the law considers that a non-violent, non-serious offense. You can engage in human trafficking of someone 18 or older, a non-violent, non-serious offense, which has made LA County US capital of human trafficking. It changes the way you live your life in LA County.” Siyamak si...