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Lawsuit on AI gas pricing, Venezuela earthquakes, immigration rulings, Dodgers and Angels and more
Gas prices are displayed at a Shell gas station on June 22, 2026 in Los Angeles.
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Justin Sullivan
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Jump to
- Some California gas companies are using AI to set prices at the pump
- What is evolution’s role in childhood adversity and development?
- Triple Play: Checking in mid-season
- What we know about the earthquakes in Venezuela
- Supreme Court clears way for the Trump administration's immigration crackdowns
- TV Talk: ‘Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness,’ ‘The Bear,’ and more
Today's show: AirTalk host Larry Mantle discusses AI pricing, adversity and childhood development, Triple Play, updates on the earthquakes in Venezuela, Supreme Court decisions and TV Talk.
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Some California gas companies are using AI to set prices at the pump
The topic:
California drivers are suing gas companies, accusing them of using artificial intelligence to raise prices at the pump. Californians already pay the highest gas prices in the country. The added cost by stations using the AI tool, which is provided by a company called Kalibrate, has increased prices an additional 30 cents a gallon, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit: The class action claims that the defendants, who operate over 1,700 gas stations across the state, violated antitrust law, specifically the Cartwright Act, which prohibits California businesses from engaging in price fixing.
Join the conversation: Do you think AI should be used for setting gas prices? Share your thoughts by calling (866) 893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.
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Guests:
- Jennifer Dixton, lecturer in law at UCLA with a specialty in antitrust
- Severin Borenstein, professor and faculty director of the Energy Institute at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business
What is evolution’s role in childhood adversity and development?
How do children adapt to adversity?
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Tatiana Kachailo
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The topic:
Research looking at childhood development often cites parenting as the primary force shaping how kids turn out. But a new book challenges that idea, arguing that adverse childhood experiences don’t tell the whole story and that evolution may have a better explanation.
The book: The Nature of Nurture: Rethinking Why and How Childhood Adversity Shapes Development makes the case that so-called “well-adjusted” behavior shouldn’t be seen as “normal,” and “dysfunctional” behavior seen as "abnormal," but rather just different ways children adapt to their given environment.
Guest:
- Jay Belsky, emeritus professor of human development at the University of California, Davis, and author of The Nature of Nurture: Rethinking Why and How Childhood Adversity Shapes Development (Harvard University Press, 2026)
Triple Play: Checking in mid-season
Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after scoring in the third inning of a game against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on June 24, 2026, in Minneapolis.
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Ellen Schmidt
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The topic:
Today marks the official halfway point for the Los Angeles Dodgers this season, with 81 games played, and a 52-29 record. As this heavily hyped roster holds the best record in the National League, the Los Angeles Angels continue to fight for the worst record in the American League — they’re 34-48.
Numbers don’t lie: The Dodgers are the first team to hit 50 wins this season, hitting that milestone on Monday against the Minnesota Twins.
Angels fan protest: In an act of frustration, Angels fans over the last month have taken to the stands, shirtless, yelling for owner Arte Moreno to “sell the team.” Such frustrations are also being channeled online through angelsboycott.com and their accompanying Instagram account.
Guests:
- Nick Roman, host of Roman on the Radio; he's also former host of All Things Considered on LAist
- A Martinez, host of NPR's Morning Edition
What we know about the earthquakes in Venezuela
A damaged building at Los Palos Grandes after high magnitude earthquakes struck Venezuela and other regions in the Caribbean in Caracas, Venezuela.
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Jesus Vargas
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The topic:
Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela within about a minute of each other on Wednesday, causing buildings to collapse and damage in Caracas. The rare back-to-back tremors, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, rank among the strongest earthquakes to hit the country in more than a century.
The latest: Rescue teams Thursday reached the areas hardest hit by a pair of powerful earthquakes that rocked northern Venezuela, killing at least 164 people, injuring nearly 1,000 and trapping many beneath collapsed buildings.
The location: Damage was particularly bad in the coastal region of La Guaira, which is north of Caracas, the capital.
With files from the Associated Press
Guests:
- Wendy Bohon, an earthquake geologist
- Maria Mohammed, president of the Structural Engineers Association of Southern California, a professional association for structural engineers
Supreme Court clears way for the Trump administration's immigration crackdowns
The U.S. Supreme Court seen on June 23, 2026. in Washington, D.C.
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The topic:
The Supreme Court ruled on two major immigration cases this morning, giving the Trump administration the green light to begin mass deportations of people who have been living and working legally in the United States for years, some even decades. And, by a 6-to-3 vote, the high court ruled that federal law also allows the government to stop asylum-seekers from physically setting foot in the United States, effectively keeping them from applying for asylum.
Origins of policy: Stopping asylum seekers from entering at the Mexican border dates back to a 2016 Obama administration decision, which President Donald Trump formalized in his first term. Although rescinded by the Biden administration, it was reinstated during Trump’s second term.
Impacts of TPS appeal: The administration can begin deportations of Syrians and Haitians with Temporary Protected Status, possibly affecting more than 300,000 people under the designation.
With files from LAist – read more about the deportations ruling and the asylum ruling
Guests:
- Vikram Amar, distinguished professor of law at UC Davis
- Jessica Bansal, senior staff attorney at ACLU of Southern California and one of the attorneys on the Temporary Protected Status case
TV Talk: ‘Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness,’ ‘The Bear,’ and more
What are you watching this week?
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The topic:
Have you felt completely overwhelmed when deciding what new show to watch these days? Us too. There’s just so much content out there between network TV and numerous streaming platforms. This week, listeners will get the latest scoop on what’s worth watching.
TV shows:
- Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness [Limited Series] (HBO Max)
- The American Experiment [Limited Series] (Netflix)
- The Bear [Season 5] (FX)
- Among Us [Season 1] (Paramount+)
- My Two Cents [Season 1] (Netflix)
Critics:
- Angie Han, TV critic for The Hollywood Reporter
- Steve Greene, freelance TV critic
-
Today on AirTalk: LAUSD bans screen time for younger students, LA Metro ridership during the World Cup, new biography of the Rolling Stones, and discipline in schools today. -
The punk scene in Los Angeles exploded in the 1970s and 80s after a community of art-driven, bohemian music fans decided to rebel against mainstream music of the time. -
Today on AirTalk: New study on the San Andreas fault, $177 million in tenant aid in limbo, new book on grief, UK politics, national parks, and picking a World Cup team.
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Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
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