A cement plant just north of Redding (CalPortland Redding Cement Plant in the Mountain Gate area) suddenly laid off 53 employees this morning (April 10). Many of those affected were longtime members of the local United Steelworkers union.

California's energy landscape is undergoing a seismic shift, with hundreds of gas stations closing their doors and major refineries winding down operations. As of January 1, 2026, a decade-old state law mandating upgrades to underground gasoline storage tanks has forced approximately 473 to 500 independent stations statewide to cease operations, exacerbating an already strained fuel supply chain