Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast California Insider

Retail theft laws in California have changed—but is it enough to make a difference? With felony charges now on the table for repeat offenders, some business owners say they’re already seeing fewer incidents. Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig, one of the authors of the sentence-increasing statute Prop 36, joins us to explain how the law is being applied, what’s happening behind the numbers, and how the system handles cases involving mental illness or addiction.

Marine veteran Kate Monroe’s journey began with injury and disappointment during her military service, and deepened as she faced the complexity of the Veterans Affairs system after leaving the Marine Corps. Out of that experience, she built VetComm, a company that today generates tens of millions in revenue by helping veterans access benefits that often go unclaimed. In this episode, she reflects on the mindset that turned hardship into purpose, how broken exit systems affect veterans long after discharge, and the discipline behind building lasting success.

For veterans seeking support, more information is available at www.vetcomm.us or by texting “claim review” to 858-360-2227.

Views expressed in this video are the opinions of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of California Insider.

If you’re a homeowner in California, you’ve probably noticed it’s getting harder—and more expensive—to keep your property insured. Even in low-risk areas, people are being dropped or pushed into the FAIR Plan, which was never meant to be a first option.

In this episode, insurance expert Stacy Korsgaden who’s spent decades in the industry, walks us through how we got here. From Proposition 103 to wildfire risk and delays in government action, she explains how a system meant to protect consumers has slowly made it harder for insurers—and homeowners—to stay in the market.

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

“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 density and affordability. We also talked with Mark Miller, Senior Attorney at Pacific Legal Foundation and housing expert, who shared his perspective on why giving homeowners the right to build can address the state’s affordability crisis, and Dennis Robinson, who has been involved in building ADUs and multiple projects under SB9. He’ll give us his hands-on experience on what the new law looks like in practice and the demand he sees for ADUs and SB9 projects.

“A lot of people think it’s kind of as easy as an ADU. When I get real with them and break down all their costs, how long it’s going to take, a lot of them will steer away from SB9. You’re gonna have to do all sorts of surveys, you’re gonna have different steps with, like the utility bills, you have to do new meters, your city impacts or fee or are going to be higher, doesn’t make financial sense.”

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

“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 comes to education, income, and homeownership. We also sat down with Gloria Romero, a former state senator, and Marshall Toplansky, a clinical assistant professor at Chapman University. In this research, he looked at the Latino workforce in California.

“They are the largest number of truckers, laborers, construction industries that are crucial to the growth of California in the future. We’re going to need to rely on Latinos for the next generation of economic prosperity for the state and they’re really not being accommodated with current state policy.”

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

“We are hearing that the crime statistics are up a little bit. That’s what the public has been led to believe. I’m in my 31st year right now. Crime is very much higher than what it was in the past. We’re in a weird spot. It’s scary how we’ve been misled and how we’ve been lied to about these bills that they want passed.”

Siyamak sits down with Chad Bianco. He'll share what he sees as a sheriff of Riverside County, and how state policies are impacting the crime rate in California, and how we can turn things around.

“You have a teenager that you know, is a prostitute that’s on the street selling herself. It is against the law for law enforcement to ask if she’s okay, to find out what she’s doing there. They have made it a crime for me to do anything about it. I can’t talk to a juvenile anymore. I can’t rescue these these serious, innocent victims from the human trafficking element, because our state has made it legal.”

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

“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 sits down with Nathan Hochman, former federal prosecutor and defense attorney. He will discuss what has contributed to the increasing violence of crime in LA County over the past 10 years and the role of the District Attorney’s office in combating crime and homelessness.

“Right now, there are 13,000 in the LA County jails, and about 40% of that population is homeless. 70% of them are suffering from a serious mental illness, a substance abuse disorder, addiction, or both. 50% of the people who are going to be released will be back in jail or prison within two years.”

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

“We’ve seen people take over homes and warehouses to cultivate marijuana. People probably wouldn’t know the difference; it looks like a residential house. This is a very, very high level of sophisticated organized networks. It’s dangerous in the sense that it’s really a threat. These operations are worth a lot of money. They will do what’s necessary to protect their assets.”

Siyamak sits down with David Welch, who serves as the Special Counsel for Narcotic Enforcement to combat illegal cannabis grows in cities across LA County, and also El Monte Police Chief Jake Fisher, who will tell us how illegal grows operate and how they impact communities through increased crime, pollution, and safety hazards.

“The County of Los Angeles is overwhelmed. We’ve seen situations where we have people that are undocumented who seem like they’re forced to work in these homes. We’ve seen a lot of involvement of foreign nationals, individuals that are tied to transnational criminal organizations. The victims are not only the people that are being trafficked but also sometimes the people that own the property and are being lied to and used to facilitate this illegal activity.”

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

“We were just getting fed up. Our security bill was $150,000 last year. We never had that. The police aren’t going to come. So I blast someone on my Instagram, and they freak out. Very wealthy people start shoplifting. They realize, ‘Well, if everyone else can do it, and I’m paying taxes and they’re not getting arrested, so I’ll do it, there’s no consequences. Just shove it in your bag.' It’s horrible that we have to do this, but it has curtailed the shoplifting tremendously.”

Siyamak sits down with Fraser Ross, owner of Kitson, a specialty retail store in Los Angeles. Shoplifting is on the rise in LA. Mr. Ross will share how he holds thieves accountable by socially shaming them. We also talked to Dr Ashley Massimino, who’s a clinical and forensic psychologist, to understand the reasons behind the rise in shoplifting.

“The backdrop of LA is going down fast. The uniqueness is going down fast. Every day I hear stores closing. If this doesn’t stop, there won’t be small specialty stores, which is the backbone of the American economy, 85% are small businesses. There’s just no reason to open the store in California.”

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

“I don’t think the Affordable Housing Act is about affordable housing at all. What it really is, is just an aspect of socialism. Carmel is very densely populated. It’s one square mile. There’s really no spot to put them other than taking away from existing infrastructure.”

Siyamak sits down with James Ardaiz, a retired California appellate judge and resident of Carmel-by-the-sea. He’ll discuss the challenges a small beach town like Carmel-by-the-sea faces when trying to meet the state’s housing mandate.

“And now you’re starting to see their reaction to it as communities are suing the state over the legislation and are attempting to band together to oppose it. It’s really kind of an odd grassroots conglomeration when you think about it. But there are just a lot of folks that are saying, ‘You’re just interfering in our lives to accomplish a social goal that we don’t share.’”

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

“We have a huge opioid crisis on our hands, we have a huge mental health crisis. But we’re so focused on ideology versus practicality and common sense, and who’s in what political group and who’s saying it, that we haven’t solved the problem. Organizations have spent tens of thousands of dollars to spread toxic, negative information about candidates running to help serve our city instead of focusing on the issues at hand, and that is what scares me because people are so misinformed.”

Siyamak sits down with Lana Negrete, the vice mayor of Santa Monica. She shares her insights on some of the city’s most pressing issues, such as homelessness, crime, and quality of life, and how special groups and politics are impacting the city’s ability to unite and improve as a whole.

“If we continue to go down this path of letting small groups and organizations lead campaigns with misinformation and negative tactics, we will be so distracted by that and we will step farther and farther away from the real issues that we need to be focused on in Santa Monica.”

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

“San Francisco was a working little town with an enormous cash flow that was right for the boys to move in and take it over. It was a tourist town, within a business town, within a high real estate town, unlike any other city in America. It never had a negative cash flow. This is why the boys came in and took it over.”

Siyamak sits down with former San Francisco supervisor Tony Hall, who shares an insider view on why the city is struggling and what it will take to fix it and return San Francisco to its glory.

“They got themselves elected to office. And they proceeded to monetize city services. Anything that can be farmed out to another agency and money made on it. Outside special interests became a huge force in San Francisco, starting in the ‘70s. Now, as they got control, they set up a political machine.”

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

“In the COVID era people ended up on unemployment and the federal government send out about $100 billion to California and a huge amount of it, about $55 billion, was lost to criminal gang. Fraudster show up from all over the world. We’re talking about international crime, gangs, people in California prisons and jails.”

Siyamak sits down with William Swain, the president of the California Policy Center. We'll discuss how California now has about $55 billion in unemployment benefit liabilities, of which a significant amount was due to EDD fraud during the pandemic, the biggest fraud of its kind in any state. Now, California businesses are liable to cover these costs.

“They’re not just going to eat that out of their profit these businesses, they’re going to raise their prices. You wouldn’t know a whole lot about this because the business community itself is really hesitant to raise objection or afraid that if they do the regulator’s will descend on them and find something wrong with their business.”

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

Read the story 👉 https://www.theepochtimes.com/article/a-smoldering-problem-deep-underground-at-chiquita-canyon-landfill-5759324?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ocyoutube

An underground fire at a Los Angeles County landfill has been quietly burning since 2022, releasing toxic gases into nearby neighborhoods. Residents near the Chiquita Canyon Landfill report chronic symptoms—including nosebleeds, skin rashes, and a rise in cancer diagnoses—while officials continue to monitor the site.

In this episode, Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo joins us to discuss the health concerns, the state’s response, and what this may reveal about California’s broader approach to waste management and public health.

“People are getting cancer. They can’t sell their homes. Their kids can’t go outside. And we still haven’t declared a state of emergency,” said Assemblymember Schiavo, who has called for relocation support and stronger intervention.

“Too many people are going to the FAIR Plan. Nobody should want to be in the FAIR Plan; it’s meant to be a temporary market of last resort. It’s an unvirtuous cycle. Under the law, any deficiency that the FAIR Plan has, and the amount of money it has to pay claims, it just turns around to the admitted insurance companies. That has huge cascading impacts on the entire insurance industry.”

Siyamak sits down with Rex Frazier, president of the Personal Insurance Federation of California and former deputy Insurance Commissioner of California. Some Californians are losing their insurance coverage, and key insurance companies are avoiding writing more insurance in California. Rex is here to tell us what’s happening behind the scenes, why we are here, and if there is a way out.

“California has by far the most complicated rate formula in the US. We have these extreme problems because of the rules that we put in place in the early 1990s. We haven’t updated them. Every other state has updated them. The tough part now is that we’re just waiting on the regulations to change.”

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

“She destroyed hundreds of deputies’ careers; they used to call her the ‘badge collector.’ The effect of that was catastrophic to the organization. People started leaving in droves. No one wanted to be a deputy sheriff, and they started shrinking.”

Siyamak sits down with Alex Villanueva, former sheriff of Los Angeles County. There has been an unprecedented indictment in the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office by the Attorney General of California. Alex is here to tell us what’s behind this and how it will impact Los Angeles.

“They’re in panic mode now. What’s going to happen is, in two or three years, you’re gonna see a bunch of cases of corruption and dirty cops. What Diana Teran did is just the tip of the iceberg.”

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

“We’re talking about homeless housing located on some of the most expensive land on Earth, occupying what used to be a much-needed parking garage, at a cost of $2 million per unit. The value of that land was around $120 to $150 million. If they’re building 120 units on there, that’s a million dollars per unit of just land value, taxpayer land value. The council is justifying it by saying it’s very needed.”

Siaymak sits down with Dr. Herman Hemmati, an activist and resident of Los Angeles, who over the years has been observing how LA is dealing with the homeless in the county in different cities, including the city of Santa Monica.

“I’ve seen people who’ve owned buildings and wanted to develop them for medical purposes, who’ve given up and said, you know what, I’m turning it into homeless housing, I’m going to make more money quicker, because the city will just write me unlimited checks. And that’s what’s happening.

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

“What we should understand about Los Angeles is that everybody complains about homelessness. Online, on Twitter, on Nextdoor... Everyone has something to say. But very few people have taken it upon themselves to try to push things along and find solutions where the city or the county falls short.”

Siyamak sits down with Beige Luciano-Adams, the Epoch Times reporter in Los Angeles. She'll tell us what LA residents are organizing to clean up trash and deal with the encampments in the city. We also sit down with Keith Johnson, April Silverman, and Cameron Flanagan, who have been instrumental in cleaning up homeless encampments in their communities.

“These people are also becoming citizen journalists. They’re doing Public Records Act requests, they’re digging into the records, they’re looking at the numbers. They’re doing a better job than a lot of media.”

“You can literally walk into a retail store every single day of the year and steal $949 worth of merchandise and you will never do a minute in jail. No compounding consequence. The voters I believed were duped because the summary and title said it was the Safe Neighborhoods and Safe Schools Act. So that’s all you see in this Prop 47.”

Siyamak sits down with John McGinness, former sheriff of Sacramento County and a radio host. There is currently a movement to change Prop 47, and it is about to get enough signatures to be on the ballot this November.

“Under California law, ironically, rape of the unconscious is not a violent crime. Assault on a peace officer with anything other than a fully automatic weapon is not a violent crime. Domestic violence, with the word ‘violence’ right in the crime title, is not a violent crime. So we really truly need some truth and justice in the state of California.”

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

“I constantly see these white buses coming down full of illegal immigrants who are claiming asylum. Not through the port of entry—they’re coming through the fence, cutting the fence, around the fence, over the fence. I have found documents giving them exact instructions. This is a very regimented, professional operation. Who’s doing it?”

Siyamak sits down with Cory Gautereaux, a resident at the border in San Diego. Over the last year, we’ve been covering the situation at the border around the San Diego area. There have been a lot of border crossings, and Cory has been documenting what’s happening around the border. He’s here to tell us his story.

“I went out there one day, and there were 200 people standing there. They had tents, and there were fires going out. I was blown away. He talked to a Venezuelan gentleman who explained to me that in Venezuela, on their own media and radio, they’re talking about how easy it is to come to the United States right now. This isn’t a political issue for me. This is a case of ’something’s not right.”

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

“I’ve sent an open letter to [California Gov.] Gavin Newsom. Not only have we seen the cost of almost everything go up exponentially in the last few years, but also faced new regulations and mandates. If I were to match our increased costs with menu pricing, we would be forced to charge about $40 for a cheeseburger. We can’t explain that to the customer.”

Siyamak sits down with Brian Back, who established his restaurant in the Bay Area to serve as a community asset and foster unity among people. He shares the challenges he faces with laws, regulations, and escalating costs. Additionally, we speak with John Kabateck, president of the National Federation of Independent Business, who has observed several restaurants and their owners within his organization’s membership facing difficulties in California.

“I wanted to do something that was neighborhood-scaled; I wanted to do something in my community. I wanted to have a place where family could be generating tax revenue and building community. I was naive until I opened this business. I’m spending most of the money that we earn on debt obligations to the state,” Mr. Back said.

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

“It really has been the biggest dam removal experiment in modern history. People who were very much in favor of dam removal are now beside themselves because they had no idea this would be the outcome.”

Siyamak sits down with Theodora Johnson, a sixth-generation rancher from Siskiyou County. The Klamath Dam removal project is the largest of its kind in the US. Ms. Johnson will discuss its impact on the community, environment, and wildlife in the area. Siskiyou County recently declared a state of emergency over this dam removal.

“What’s happened with the suspended sediment in the water has brought the dissolved oxygen level down to zero twice since the dams were removed. Now, you see muck and mud, dead fish floating to the banks, crawdads, and we see animals trying to crawl out of the water to escape.” - Ms. Johnson said.

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

“It’s being sold to the voters as treatment. But you’ve got $2 billion going into housing that can be for people who are still using hard drugs. If you have a building with, let’s say, 40 units, and 15 of the people in them are addicted to hard drugs, that is going to have an impact on the community, and the community has no say in that land use at all. That’s in Prop One.”

Siyamak sits down with Susan Shelley, columnist at the Southern California News Group. Proposition One passed barely in California. Ms. Shelley tells us what the impacts are and whether it will cause tax increases in California.

“If someone wants to do hard drugs in free housing, they have every right to do so in California. We’re not differentiating between people who are making a choice to use drugs on the street and people who are domestic violence victims and are on the street. Everybody’s entitled to free housing equally.”

“To wait until people are arrested and are jailed, and that’s where they receive mental health services, is a terrible policy. The Los Angeles County jails are the largest mental health hospital system in the nation. That’s appalling. That’s not worthy of the state of California,” the longtime columnist said.

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

‘It’s almost like we’re living in an open-air mental health facility. There are people walking down the streets; you don’t know if they’re going to shoot you, stab you, punch you, spit on you... And we, as parents, are kind of teaching our kids and grandkids how to be numb to the situation.’

Siyamak sits down with Matthew King, former homeless and a community advocate from Sacramento. He has seen the capital deteriorate over the last few years and will talk about homelessness, drug addiction, and crime issues that his community is facing.

We also talked to Travis Gillmore, our reporter in the state capitol. He has been talking to the state legislature, the homeless people, and police officers.

‘You’ve got union ironworkers, electricians; you’ve got a lot of people from various trades who are homeless. We’re not stupid people, either. We’re very intelligent, and we know how to do a lot of stuff. They’re selling stolen items right from the tent.’ Mr. King said.

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

Dr. Bill Releford has spent more than three decades working to prevent diabetic amputations—a complication that affects thousands across California and hits some communities harder than others. In this episode, he joins Siyamak Khorrami to explain how he brought health screenings into Black-owned barbershops, creating a model that helped save thousands of lives.

He also discusses how food access, medical mistrust, and chronic disease are reshaping public health in California—and how his LA County farm now supplies fresh produce to patients as part of their treatment. His journey connects medicine, community, and solutions that meet people where they are.

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

“The goal is to densify every town in the state. To densify it—so that‘d be walking around, not driving. In some places, it doesn’t work. But this whole policy has been applied as ’one size fits all' with no complaining.”

Siyamak sits down with Amy Kalish, with Citizen Marin. She’s been studying what the housing mandates are for different cities in California, and she tells us what’s happening with California communities.

“These are buildings built for profit, single-family homes for rent only. So they’re kept off the market forever. And whole neighborhoods do get bought up by corporations. What the state does is they bloat out the [Housing and Community Development] budget, hire a lot of people to come and bother every city to see what they’re doing. They write a ton of reports to spend millions of dollars on paying consultants to write reports, and none of that is going towards any kind of solution or housing.” Ms. Kalish said.

We also talked with Lydia Kou, former mayor and current city council member of Palo Alto, to see her perspective as a city leader, and what’s going on with California cities and the housing mandates.

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

https://californiainsider.com/

“The school adopted my daughter’s new identity, which was a boy, changed her records to be male name, called her that in class. They told me I was unsafe. So they were safer for my daughter. This is a new movement that all parents are bad until proven good.”

Host Siyamak Khorrami sits down with Erin Friday, executive committee member for Protect Kids California. She tells us about a new policy in California schools, and how it has impacted her and a lot of parents across the state.

“At what age do they teach this in schools? Now is TK, that’s four years old,” Ms. Friday said, “We’ve never done this in the United States. They called me conservative, right wing. I’m a Democrat. They don’t want to put that in the story, because that’s going to open it up for other Democrats that believe what I believe.”

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

https://californiainsider.com/

“It is like working at a zoo, and they’ve opened up every single cage: to the bears, to the lions, to the panthers, to the giraffes, to the elephants. And you got the correctional officers like: “Oh my god, what have they done here?”

Siyamak sits down with Hector Bravo, a former correctional officer and lieutenant with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, who worked in the prison system for 16 years. He provides insights into the deteriorating conditions in California prisons based on his first-hand experience, and critiques the implementation of the “Norway model” of reforms, which he says has actually made the prisons more dangerous for both inmates and staff.

“I’ve been involved in numerous riots and I’ve never seen blatant disregard for life like that,” said Mr. Bravo. “Everybody is at risk. That’s exactly what California prisons are like right now, in 2024.”

“Who is leaving? That’s probably the most worrying aspect of all of this. The people who are leaving are the most productive, what I call the seed corn of California—people who are going into family formation stage, 30- to 50-year-old people who are mid-career, people who make $200,000 a year and above. And so what we’re left with, which is kind of ironic, is an aging, graying generation that need more services in the form of personal services and health care services, and the low-income people that service them.”

Siyamak sits down with Marshall Toplansky, innovation professor at Chapman University, who has been studying California’s exodus. He shares his findings from researching the demographics of the people who are leaving California, and how this population decline is going to impact Californians—our innovation, culture, and future prosperity.

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

“I remember that year; there was just so much shooting going on. Kids would sleep in bathtubs to avoid stray bullets.”

Siyamak sits down with Pastor Paul Baines from East Palo Alto. He will share how his city managed to turn around from being the murder capital of the state and the country to achieving zero homicides.

“Believe it or not, a lot of times, young people want discipline. They desire boundaries because of their upbringing. Perhaps the father wasn’t present, or maybe the parents were absent. What discipline does is show that you genuinely care about someone.”

“You’re going to see housing supply dropped. Investors are no longer looking at the city of LA because it’s too risky. Why would you sell a property, if you would have to give all your profit to the city?”

Siyamak sits down with Chris Tourtellotte, managing director of LaTerra, a large real estate development company based in California. He'll discuss some key challenges facing developers, including the “Mansion Tax” in Los Angeles, the environmental review process, demand for different housing types, and the impact of policies such as rent control.

“I use the word ‘deceptive’ because it was called the ’mansion tax.‘ But when they realized that ... this applies to all classes of real estate, including affordable housing projects, you kind of go, ’Oh, wait a minute. That’s not a mansion tax,'” Mr. Tourtellotte said. “People say your land is not worth much because of this tax in the end.”

“In the last three years, we’ve had a net outflow of 1 million people. I don’t want to leave; I want to help turn the state around because I think sooner or later the voters are going to wake up, and I want to be here when that happens.”

Siyamak sits down with Larry Elder, a radio and TV host, former gubernatorial candidate in California, former presidential candidate, and best-selling author. He shares his perspective on the major problems facing California, such as high taxes, budget deficits, low-performing public schools, rising crime, homelessness, and the high cost of living, as well as his experiences with the cultural changes in California politics.

“Opening a restaurant seems simple, right? You never anticipated that you would expect ... Every single restaurant owner I talked to, is in a PAGA lawsuit. None of them are less than six figures.”

California is the hardest state to open a restaurant, according to a new study by Restaurant Furniture. Siyamak sits down with celebrity chef Andrew Gruel, who has started and operated multiple restaurants in California, to discuss the reasons that make running a restaurant difficult in the state. We also spoke with state Sen. Shannon Grove, who sponsored legislation to amend PAGA (the Private Attorneys General Act).

“We are no longer allowed to use plastic gift cards in California that was recently signed into law. If you offer a straw to a customer, you as the server and the restaurant will get penalized. It’s a civil violation,” Mr. Gruel said. “We are creating a lot of regulations. But we’re unmooring people from a value system. Do we want every restaurant to be run like the DMV?”

Mr. Gruel shares his experiences of starting as a food truck operator and evolving into a restaurateur with multiple locations across California. He discusses the impact of labor laws, environmental policies, and the recent PAGA lawsuits on small businesses and argues that excessive regulation not only burdens businesses but also detracts from the values and community connections upon which small businesses thrive. He calls for a reevaluation of these regulations and advocates for a more balanced approach that recognizes the importance of small businesses in California’s economy and culture.

Siyamak sits down with Gabriel Petek, California’s legislative analyst. He shares with us why California is facing such a huge budget deficit and how it may last a few more years. He also shares what it will take to solve this budget crisis.

“A couple of years ago, we had a $100 billion surplus, and we heard about these big numbers. Now, we’re estimating that we currently face a $68 billion budget deficit. The governor’s office also identifies about $30 billion in annual deficit,” Mr. Petek said. “In order to solve that problem, we would need $50 billion in higher revenues.”

"As an elected District Attorney, I have people from my county being released from prison early and I don't know why."

Siyamak sits down with Morgan Gire, District Attorney of Placer County, who has over 24 years of experience working in the criminal justice system. He'll discuss recent criminal justice reforms in California and share his opinion on how they've contributed to rising crime in California.

"There was probably a turning point in your mind when it didn't feel as safe in California as it had before. We saw that with Prop. 47. Prosecutors said, 'When you pass this, in about 10 years we're gonna see businesses closing because people are going to be stealing right and left, and you're gonna see addicts on the street.' And people said, 'Oh, you're just these draconian prosecutors trying to scare everybody so that you can lock more people up in prison,' and nothing could be further from the truth," Mr. Gire said.

Join us as we dive into the impacts of voter-passed Propositions 47 and 57. Realignment shifted responsibility for lower-level felons from state prisons to county jails. While this was intended to reduce overcrowding, Mr. Gire notes county facilities were ill-equipped for long-term inmates. This exacerbated caseloads for probation officers, who are now supervising more serious, repeat offenders.

Prop. 47 reclassified certain drug and property crimes as misdemeanors. However, the Placer County DA argues this "one-size-fits-all" policy treats first-time and repeat thieves equally, reducing consequences. With fewer facing jail time, some business owners feel unsupported by law enforcement. Mr. Gire also links Prop. 47 to rising addiction and homelessness as fewer enter treatment programs.

In addition, Prop. 57 aimed to shorten sentences, but without proper assessment, some inmates deemed "non-violent" may be unfit for early release, said Mr. Gire.

California Governor Gavin Newsom’s podcast is raising eyebrows—especially as the 2026 election looms. In this episode, KABC radio host John Phillips joins us to discuss what Newsom’s move might signal, how media dynamics are shifting in the state, and what it could mean for key voter groups, including Latino and Asian communities. We also dive into California’s political power centers—from San Francisco to Los Angeles—and whether recent cracks in party dominance could open new paths in 2026.

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

Siyamak sits down with Bill George, historian and filmmaker, who has been studying and documenting the history and culture of California. He'll discuss the changes he has observed in California’s state capital when it comes to homelessness, crime, and transparency in the legislative body. We'll also take a deep dive into California's history and look at the forces that shape its culture.

"I've lived in Sacramento on and off since 1982. I love the city; it's just beautiful. Recently, however, it has been degrading. School kids couldn't even walk to school without being threatened, yelled at, or cursed out. I mean, when you walk down the streets, you just hear somebody randomly spouting off a string of profanity," Mr. George said. "And then I noticed that the state Capitol was undergoing a huge renovation, a billion-dollar renovation. It was all done in secret. Even the press in Sacramento says it's been the most under-the-radar thing they've ever seen."

Join us as we explore the complex issue of homelessness in Sacramento. Having witnessed the state capital's transformation firsthand since 1982, Mr. George voices his concerns about its recent downturn, exacerbated by the billion-dollar renovation of the state Capitol building and the pandemic.

He also sheds light on the grim realities on the city's streets—where the escalating homelessness and associated social challenges contrast with official narratives and actions—and highlights the lack of public engagement in decisions that shape the city's landscape and sense of community.

Siyamak sits down with LeRonne Armstrong, a former police chief who served for the Oakland Police Department for over 25 years. He explains how it’s difficult for the police to operate because of the rules and regulations they are facing from the city. This situation in Oakland is so dire that the governor is sending 120 California Highway Patrol officers to Oakland to help with safety. Meanwhile, Mr. Armstrong has filed a lawsuit against the city and Mayor Sheng Thao, claiming that his dismissal last year was an unlawful act of retaliation for exposing misconduct by Oakland PD’s federal monitor, Robert Warshaw.

“When you think about a city that’s growing, but a police department that’s shrinking, it is a recipe for disaster. People are fearful that bullets could fly into their homes. We don’t want to live in a society where everyone needs to be armed. The city’s image must change,” Mr. Armstrong said. “The city has been a part of my life. Oakland, such a beautiful city, has built me. There are so many areas in the city to be proud of, but all people know about the city is its violent crime.”

According to the former police chief, Oakland’s public safety is at a crossroads, facing challenges exacerbated by a shrinking police force in the face of growing demand and stringent policies that limit officers’ ability to effectively combat crime. He sheds light on the concerning increase in auto burglaries, robberies, and violent crimes, emphasizing how these trends have instilled fear among residents and visitors alike.

Join us as we delve into the complexities of policing in Oakland, including policy restrictions that prevent officers from pursuing suspects, contributing to a sense of lawlessness. Mr. Armstrong’s insights highlight the urgent need for a unified approach to reimagine public safety, restore trust in law enforcement, and foster a safer environment for all Oakland residents.

Siyamak sits down with Matt Schrap, CEO of Harbor Trucking Association, which represents trucking companies operating at the ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Oakland. Today, he'll share his insights on what it takes for trucking companies to comply with the zero-emission mandates at the ports and how this might affect Californians.

Join us as we delve into the challenges California's trucking companies are facing because of strict emission regulations—particularly the transition to zero-emission vehicles. Expecting job losses and more companies leaving the state due to the new rules, Mr. Schrap emphasizes the need for a balanced approach that considers both environmental goals and the trucking industry's well-being, which he said is essential to California's economy.

Siyamak sits down with Chris Cooper, principal and regional managing director at Avison Young. He talks about what challenges downtown Los Angeles is facing today in the aftermath of the pandemic and the impact on the commercial real estate industry.

“I’m a third-generation Angeleno. We have a wonderful community.“ Mr. Cooper said. ”There are competing interests, but we can solve those problems by all taking a step back and really think through a way to attract people to come back to L.A., to reenergize that Renaissance that we had established before the pandemic.”

Mr. Cooper highlights the city’s previous success in creating a vibrant live-work-play environment and the setbacks caused by the pandemic. He emphasizes the need for a partnership between the private sector and city government to revive downtown Los Angeles. He also addresses the challenges posed by the homeless problem and the hybrid work strategies affecting commercial real estate.

Join us as we delve into the impact of the mansion tax on commercial real estate transactions and what Mr. Cooper says are its catastrophic effects on the industry. We also discuss the attractiveness of Los Angeles to foreign investors despite challenges like high taxes and regulations, attributing it to the city’s diverse economy and favorable lifestyle.

Siyamak sits down with Jim Doti, president emeritus at Chapman University. Today he will talk about his latest findings on the California Exodus and provide some insights on the demographics of people who are leaving California, why they are leaving, and the outmigration’s impacts on California's job market and economy.

"Over the last five years, we've lost 1.2 million people. We did a survey of CEOs; over 50% say that they're thinking of relocating their operations, and that's why jobs increasingly are leaving the state. That's why California ranks number 49 in job growth. There's no greater loss to an economy than the loss of human capital, and that's what's happening,” Mr. Doti said.

In this interview, our guest offers insights into the recent revisions in migration numbers, revealing a concerning trend where over 300,000 more people have left California than those who have arrived in the past few years. He shares his observations on the updated estimates by the Department of Finance of California, signaling a significant outflow that poses challenges such as a growing deficit and perceived policy inertia in Sacramento.

Our guest sheds light on the challenges faced by the state, from fiscal deficits to concerns about job growth. The discussion emphasizes the impact on high-paying jobs, particularly in advanced industries, where California historically held a strong position but now faces growing competition from low-tax states.

Mr. Doti also navigates the complexities surrounding housing affordability and anticipates potential changes in housing dynamics as the outflow continues. As the looming budget deficit comes into focus, the conversation explores the available options for state leaders and contemplates the potential consequences of policy decisions.

Siyamak sits down with John Cruikshank, mayor of Rancho Palos Verdes in Los Angeles County. He will discuss the challenges facing California cities regarding the state housing mandate and the potential problems of government overreach when it comes to improving housing affordability.

“Right now the policymakers up in Sacramento don’t trust the cities to do their job. And so now they’re using the stick or lawsuits to force us into complying with what they have visioned for California,” Mr. Cruikshank said. “We’re doing this for affordability, but when you start off with already very expensive land, it never pencils out; it would never work.”

In this special episode, we discuss an unlicensed Chinese biolab in California that was illegally researching viral diseases. Siyamak sits down with investigative reporters Steve Ispas and Lear Zhou from The Epoch Times. He also talked to Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.), who, along with his colleagues in Congress, has been investigating this case.

“There were 1,000 mice in there. These mice are genetically modified to contract COVID-19, hepatitis, and other dangerous pathogens that were in this lab,” Mr. Kiley said. “And I believe this company got a $360,000 tax credit from our state. So there are a ton of questions here. What was the purpose of this lab?”

Siyamak sits down with Juan Alanis, an assemblymember from Modesto County and former law enforcement officer. He discusses the issue of rising retail theft in California and his insights from serving on the Assembly Committee on retail theft. He also talks about the impacts on businesses, law enforcement, and local communities.

“We’re talking about millions of dollars. These chains, these stores, these small businesses—they all stand together against retail theft. But we also need to remember that they’re competitors to each other. So, they’re not always going to share all the information that they have,” said Mr. Alanis. “A lot of people look at it like this: ‘Hey, shoplifting has gone down. Look at it from the previous years.’ Well, when you don’t make it a crime anymore, it’s hard to report it.”

Siyamak sits down with Joe Vinatieri, Mayor of Whittier, California and a tax expert. He'll talk about why people are leaving California and the impact of high taxes on the state.

“McDonald’s started here, Carl’s Jr. started here, Taco Bell started here, In-N-Out started here. There was just a great entrepreneurial spirit,“ said Mr. Vinatieri. ”When you’re pushing people and they’re leaving California, they’re taking jobs with them, they’re taking income with them, and those are tax dollars.”

Siyamak Khorrami sits down with Jim Desmond, San Diego County Supervisor. He'll talk about how the recent surge of migrants in San Diego is causing a big problem for the county and how he's worried that homelessness could get worse as a result.

"We're not as bad off as San Francisco or LA but if we keep going down this path, we're going to have the same problems and same consequences," Mr. Desmond said. "We've had over 45,000 people being dropped off the last couple of months. It's an unmanageable system. There's no end in sight."

Sewage from Tijuana has shut down one of San Diego’s most popular beaches for over 1,000 days. The contamination is now threatening Navy SEAL training areas, local businesses, and California’s coastal environment. But despite years of warnings, there’s still no long-term fix in sight.

In this episode of California Insider, San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond explains the real cause behind the pollution, why expanding wastewater treatment plants may not solve it, and what’s holding up cross-border solutions. We also examine the potential Superfund designation and what it would mean for federal cleanup efforts.

Plus, we turn to another risk along the coast: spent nuclear fuel stored at San Onofre, just steps from the ocean. With no national storage plan, California may be stuck with long-term nuclear waste—raising new concerns about safety, infrastructure, and federal responsibility.

Siyamak sits down with Alex Villanueva, former sheriff of Los Angeles County. He'll give us a deeper look into how corruption works in Los Angeles, and what should be done to stop it.

"It's billions of dollars that get poured into the pockets of the nonprofit world in the state of California. And what is the return on the investment? A bigger homeless problem. We're not fixing anything, what we're doing is maintaining very expensive nonprofits that are very profitable," said Mr. Villanueva.

"Then who are these people donating money to? The same elected officials that are awarding the contracts to the nonprofits."

"So those elected people, who do you think their allegiances are? To the taxpayer, to the voter, or to the machine that puts them in office?"

Siyamak sits down with Michael Bornman, a retired captain from the LA County Sheriff's Department who had served for over 30 years. He shares his perspective on the issues the Department is currently facing. We also talked with Cece Woods, who has been reporting on the LA Sheriff's Department for many years. She provides her insight based on conversations she has had with people in the department.

"They're getting pre-scheduled, managed, forced overtime. And on top of that, if they don't have enough people, if you're getting out the door to go home, they'll draft you into another overtime spot. So 16-hour days every day" Mr. Bornman said. "Folks are dropping like flies because they're frustrated, they're angry. They get mixed messages from the top. You don't ever hear about a great cop did something or how they've saved a kid or how they saved the day for somebody. All we're hearing nowadays is anti-cop, anti-law enforcement rhetoric. I'm sure you've seen it in the news."

Siyamak sits down with Christine Epperly, a licensed civil engineer and building designer with over 30 years in business. She discovered a state-run plan called the "15 Minute City" that is changing the landscape of California.

"What's happening in California is we're building these high-density communities in the middle of the towns and suburbs. I looked at them and they're basically all the same. It's brutalism."