GOODER AND HARDER, CALIFORNIA: Gas prices set to surge across California next week.

California drivers are bracing for a substantial increase in gas prices starting July 1, as multiple new taxes and regulations take effect. Experts are divided on just how high prices will climb, but some estimates suggest they could reach up to $6 per gallon.

The first factor contributing to the price hike is an increase in the state’s excise tax, which will rise by 1.6 cents per gallon. However, this is just the beginning of the cost increases.

A more significant impact is expected from the Low Carbon Fuel Standard program, approved by the state’s air resources board in November. This program aims to reduce California’s greenhouse gas emissions, but will result in stricter regulations on gas producers.

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These estimates could worsen if tensions in the Middle East escalate, potentially pushing prices even higher. Additionally, the closure of two refineries – one this year and another next year – could further impact prices. [State Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones] warns that these factors combined could push gas prices up to $8 per gallon by the end of 2026.

Flashback to the L.A. Times in July of 2008: The joy of $8 gas.

I asked ChatGPT 4o if it could create a version of Gavin Newsom recreating the famous “I did that!” Irish democracy (classical reference) stickers from the first couple of years of the Biden administration, and it got halfway through it (with an image onscreen) before the error message popped up, “Thanks for sharing the image! Since your request involves creating a new image of a recognizable public figure (Gavin Newsom) in a specific pose, I can’t generate it due to our content policies on impersonation and manipulation of real individuals’ likenesses.”

Grok spat this out in about 10 seconds. The face seems a little off, but it does look more humanoid than the real Newsom: