Gas prices in LA soar to over $6 a gallon as oil keeps climbing

Published

2 years ago

September 21, 2023

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A regular gallon of gas costs more than $6 on average in some parts of the Los Angeles area while prices reached as high as $7 in some parts of California on Tuesday as dwindling oil supplies put the squeeze on American motorists.

It was the first time since October of last year that gas in LA and Orange Counties surpassed the $6 threshold, according to Fox 11 Los Angeles TV.

The national average of a gallon of gas stood at $3.88, rising some eight cents in the span of a week, according to the American Automobile Association.

At this time last year, a gallon of gas was 18 cents cheaper nationally, AAA said.

Relief doesn’t appear to be on the horizon, at least not in the short term.

Chevron CEO Mike Wirth predicted that oil prices would get close to $100 a barrel.

Supply is tightening, inventories are drawing the trends would suggest, we are certainly on our way, we are getting close (to $100/bbl), Wirth, who heads the nation’s second largest energy producer, told Bloomberg TV on Monday.

The uptick in gas prices has fueled higher rates of inflation — forcing consumers to shell out more for fuel while limiting discretionary spending.

As of Tuesday, the average price of a gallon of regular gasoline costs motorists in Los Angeles County, the nation’s most populous, $6.03.

A gallon of gas would set back drivers in neighboring Orange County $6.02, according to the latest data from AAA.

The most expensive gasoline in the state could be found in Alpine County, the area that lies about 120 miles east of Sacramento and which straddles the border with Nevada.

The average price of a gallon of regular fuel in Alpine County cost $6.99, according to AAA.

California has traditionally been plagued by the nation’s highest gas prices on average due mainly to the state’s high taxation rate as well as its clean energy regulations.

The Golden State hits drivers with both an excise tax on a gallon of gas as well as a sales tax, according to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration.

The tax revenue is used by the state to fix and maintain roadways and mass transit systems.

In October 2022, gas prices in LA hit a record $6.49 — prompting Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration to distribute gas rebates to Californians ranging from $200 to $1,050 depending on income level.

The most significant factor that determines gas prices in California and the rest of the nation is the price of oil.

Oil prices reached $95 a barrel for the first time this year on Tuesday — a trend fueled by cuts in supply by petroleum producers Saudi Arabia and Russia.

Brent crude, the international benchmark, was trading at around $95.33 per barrel as of Tuesday morning.

The US benchmark, West Texas Intermediate, was priced at $91.48 per barrel.

On June 27, WTI stood at $67.70 per barrel.

“Oil costs are putting upward pressure on pump prices, but the rise is tempered by much lower demand,” AAA spokesperson Andrew Gross said.

“The slide in people fueling up is typical, with schools back in session, the days getting shorter, and the weather less pleasant,” Gross added.

“But the usual decline in pump prices is being stymied for now by these high oil costs.”

US

Children killed in mass shooting at birthday party in Stockton, California

Published

1 hour ago

November 30, 2025

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Children killed in mass shooting at birthday party in Stockton, California

Children are among the fatalities in a mass shooting at a child’s birthday party in California.

Police said four people had died and 10 were wounded in the incident in Stockton, about 60 miles east of San Francisco.

Officers were called on Saturday to a banquet hall just before 6pm local time (2am UK time) and district attorney Ron Freitas said children were among the dead.

He said the attacker was still at large.

“We can confirm at this time that approximately 14 individuals were struck by gunfire, and four victims have been confirmed deceased,” San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office said on X.

The post said early indications suggest it could be a “targeted incident” but that information remains limited.

Police have so far not disclosed the attacker’s identity and the motive is unclear.

Stockton’s vice mayor Jason Lee confirmed on Facebook that the shooting on Lucile Avenue happened at a child’s birthday party.

Mayor Christina Fugazzi also said that “families should be together instead of at the hospital, standing next to their loved one, praying that they survive”.

California governor Gavin Newsom’s office added that he had been briefed on the “horrific shooting”.

Sports

Sources: LSU expected to hire Kiffin on Sunday

Published

4 hours ago

November 30, 2025

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Sources: LSU expected to hire Kiffin on Sunday

Nov 30, 2025, 01:00 AM ET

OXFORD, Miss. — The Lane Kiffin saga is finally coming to an end.

Sources told ESPN on Saturday that the expectation is LSU will hire Kiffin away from Ole Miss on Sunday. A source cautioned that the deal was not signed as of late Saturday but added that it “would be a shock” if he didn’t sign it.

Should Kiffin agree to the contract, it will pay him, a source said, around $12 million annually across seven seasons, with the potential for bonuses, making him one of the highest paid coaches in the sport.

Kiffin, 50, and the Rebels just wrapped up an 11-1 regular season with a 38-19 win over rival Mississippi State, all but assuring them a berth in the 12-team College Football Playoff. That said, the expectation among Ole Miss officials is that Kiffin will not coach the Rebels in the CFP, barring an unexpected change.

Sources told ESPN’s Marty Smith on Sunday that Kiffin will hold a 10 a.m. ET meeting with Ole Miss players, followed by an announcement about his future.

After Kiffin said he would decide on Saturday whether he’ll coach at Ole Miss or LSU in 2026, he met with Rebels athletics director Keith Carter and chancellor Glenn Boyce for a couple of hours at the chancellor’s home in Oxford.

But the day came and went without an announcement.

There was a growing sense at Ole Miss on Saturday that Kiffin might coach the Rebels in one more game if they clinched a spot in next week’s SEC championship game in Atlanta.

However, No. 10 Alabama‘s 27-20 victory against rival Auburn in Saturday night’s Iron Bowl eliminated the Rebels. The Crimson Tide will play No. 4 Georgia for the SEC title.

While Florida and LSU courted Kiffin, Carter and Boyce were adamant that he wouldn’t be allowed to coach the Rebels in the CFP if Kiffin took a job with an SEC rival. Kiffin had lobbied the Ole Miss administrators to change their minds, but Carter and Boyce dug in their heels on that issue.

Among other reasons, Ole Miss doesn’t want Kiffin around its players with the transfer portal opening on Jan. 2. The Rebels also don’t want their CFP games to be a “commercial” for LSU’s future under Kiffin.

Even with Kiffin potentially leaving, the Rebels will probably still be in the mix to host a first-round CFP game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Dec. 19 or 20.

Science

NASA Steps In to Support ESA’s Rosalind Franklin Rover Ahead of 2028 Mars Launch

Published

4 hours ago

November 30, 2025

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NASA will deliver crucial hardware, thermal units, landing thrusters, and a U.S. launch vehicle to support ESA’s Rosalind Franklin rover, set for launch in 2028. The rover will drill two meters into Mars to search for ancient life using the advanced Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer instrument.