California
California Gov. Newsom signs law to prevent gas prices from spiking in state with country’s highest pump costs
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law Monday aimed at preventing gas prices from spiking, marking the Democrat’s latest move in a battle with the oil industry over energy prices and the impacts of climate change.
Californians pay the highest rates at the pump in the U.S. due to taxes and environmental regulations. The average price for regular unleaded gas in the state was about $4.68 per gallon as of Monday, compared to the national average of $3.20, according to AAA.
The new legislation was inspired by findings from the state’s Division of Petroleum Market Oversight that showed that gas price spikes are largely caused by increases in global crude oil prices and unplanned refinery outages. The law gives energy regulators the authority to require that refineries keep a certain amount of fuel on hand. The goal is to try to keep prices from increasing suddenly when refineries go offline for maintenance. Proponents say it would save Californians billions of dollars at the pump.
Newsom joined lawmakers at the state Capitol to sign the law and criticized the oil industry for its efforts to keep the legislation from passing.
“They continue to lie, and they continue to manipulate,” he said. “They have been raking in unprecedented profits because they can.”
Newsom signed the measure just weeks ahead of the November election, but he said the legislation was not about politics. He has two years remaining in his second term.
Opponents of the law have said it could unintentionally raise overall gas prices and threaten the safety of workers by giving the state more oversight over refinery maintenance schedules. Some argued delaying necessary maintenance could lead to accidents.
“Legislators still fail to understand our industry or what drives high gas prices,” said Catherine Reheis-Boyd, president of the Western States Petroleum Association, in a statement. “Regulators remain fixated on controlling businesses with more taxes, fees, and costly demands.”
Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher made a motion for lawmakers to adjourn before the Assembly voted to send the bill to Newsom’s desk Monday. Republicans introduced proposals of their own aimed at lowering gas prices, but they were blocked in the Democrat-dominated Legislature. One of the bills that failed to advance would have exempted transportation fuels from the state’s cap and trade program.
Newsom unveiled the legislation in August, during the last week of the regular legislative session. But lawmakers in the state Assembly said they needed more time to consider it. The governor called the Legislature into a special session to pass it.
Newsom also called lawmakers into a special session in 2022 to pass legislation aimed at penalizing oil companies for making too much money.
State Senate President Pro Tempore Mike McGuire said the new law is just one part of the state’s efforts to help lower the cost of living for Californians.
“This bill sets the stage to ease gas price spikes and provide additional certainty through enhanced storage and oversight,” he said. “I firmly believe Californians are tired of the price spikes.”
Loved ones are searching for a Southern California girl who has been missing for more than six months.
Keylin Reyes-Moreno, 15, was reported missing on Sept. 22, 2025, according to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC).
Reyes-Moreno was last seen in the Pacoima area.
She is 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs 120 pounds. She has brown hair and dark brown eyes.
She may have been heading to the Los Angeles area when she disappeared.
Her family did not mention any health or mental issues that would’ve contributed to her disappearance. They have not heard from her since and are very concerned for her well-being.
Anyone who may know Keylin Reyes-Moreno’s whereabouts or has information on the case is asked to call NCMEC at 1-800-843-5678 or the Los Angeles Police Department at 877-275-5273.
RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Crews were making progress Saturday battling a fast-growing and smoky wildfire in southern California that broke out Friday morning, prompting mandatory evacuations and warnings.
Now encompassing roughly 6.3 square miles (about 16 square kilometers) east of Moreno Valley in Riverside County, the Springs Fire was 45% percent contained on Saturday, according to a state website. It was 25% contained on Friday.
More than a dozen zones in the county remained under mandatory evacuation orders or evacuation warnings, while six have been dropped. It was not immediately known how many households were affected by the orders.
Firefighters were battling strong winds. The National Weather Service issued an advisory for 15 mph to 20 mph winds, with gusts up to 45 mph, into Saturday afternoon. An air quality alert has also been issued for harmful fine particle pollution levels due to wildfire smoke.
Hundreds of people have been battling the blaze using helicopters, engines and water tenders. It’s located in a populated unincorporated part of Riverside County, in a recreational area near the city of Moreno Valley, which has a population of roughly 200,000. The city is 10 miles southeast of Riverside and 64 miles east of Los Angeles.
RIVERSIDE, Calif. — A smoky and fast-growing wildfire Friday in windy Southern California has prompted multiple evacuation orders and warnings.
The Springs Fire broke out at around 11 a.m. Friday and by the evening had grown to about 5.47 square miles (14.17 square kilometers), with fire crews starting to contain it. The cause of the fire east of Moreno Valley in Riverside County is under investigation. It was not immediately known how many households are under evacuation warnings or orders.
The fire was burning in a populated — but not densely so — unincorporated part of Riverside County, in a recreational area near the city of Moreno Valley, which has a population of roughly 200,000. The city is 10 miles (16 kilometers) southeast of Riverside and 64 miles (103 kilometers) east of Los Angeles.
“It’s windy out there,” said Maggie Cline De La Rosa, a public information officer for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection in Riverside County.
Alex Izaguirre, a spokesperson for the Cal Fire Riverside County, said the wind is “spreading the smoke,” prompting concerned calls from residents in neighboring cities who can see and smell the smoke.
The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory for San Bernardino and Riverside County valleys through Saturday afternoon, with gusts of up to 50 mph (80 kph) expected.
“Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result,” the advisory read.
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