Southern California
Slab City probe into Trans male’s murder pushes in new direction
Investigators ask public’s help to ID “Person of Interest”; Friends start social media campaign to pressure results
This is the second in a series of stories examining the murder of 21-year-old Poe Black. The first story is linked here.
By Richard M. Brown | SLAB CITY, Ca. – Months after the body of a 21-year-old transgender man, Poe Delwyn Black, was pulled from a canal north of Slab City riddled with stab wounds, investigators have shifted the theater of the murder probe in two directions: Black’s home state of Tennessee and the Pacific Northwest.
Imperial County Sheriff’s Office investigators have exhausted their local leads and lost track of two individuals — possibly traveling together — in a winnowing list of “persons of interest,” Chief Deputy Robert Benavidez said in an interview last week.
Investigators took to social media on Wednesday, Sept. 15, to elicit the public’s help in locating a trans woman who investigators identify as “Knives,” among other aliases.
Knives’ legal name is unknown at this point, Benavidez said, but investigators believe, based on prior interviews, that the “person of interest” left Slab City with the domestic partner that Black arrived in Imperial County with from their native Nashville in winter 2020.
The domestic partner, whom Benavidez would not identify, is also a “person of interest,” the chief deputy explained during an interview on Sept. 9.
“We’ve reached out to the hometown of both to look into any local reports or instances of any altercations with the initial lover/domestic partner, to see if there’s anything there,” he said.
Additionally, Benavidez explained, “we’re looking for any information on the person from the Slabs whose name is ‘Knives’ who apparently left with the domestic partner, and (we’re) just trying to get any information as to a name on that subject.”
The chief deputy confirmed on Sept. 9 that investigators lost track of them in the Pacific Northwest, possibly in Oregon, when they traveled outside the county’s networks of contacts.
The bulletin issued by the Sheriff’s Office states Knives’ last known location was Wolf Creek, Oregon.
Sources dispute reports that Knives is travelling with Black’s partner, saying the timeline of when each left Slab City spans almost two weeks, and the source saw the partner in the Bay Area in August.
The Slab City homicide investigation of Poe Black first went public on June 2, when the Sheriff’s Office posted a “public assistance request” for information in the apparent murder of the only legal identity they had for Black, his female birth name, or “dead name,” Tommi-Deane Jackson.
The decomposing remains of Black, who also went by the name Oliver while in Tennessee and the nickname “Legion,” were found in the fast-moving waters of the Coachella Canal on May 11 by two Coachella Valley Water District employees working in the area around Siphon 9, a little more than a mile northwest of artist commune East Jesus, on the farthest northern reach of the loosely connected communities of the Slabs.
Advocates, Friends Are Keeping Pressure On
The stalled progress of the murder investigation comes as some of Black’s friends have started a social media-based campaign in the last few weeks to pressure action on the part of the Sheriff’s Office to not let the case fall off its radar, according to a woman who was one of Black’s closest friends during their high school years in Nashville.
“Part of my goal with this (campaign) is to directly hold the department accountable and make them be more transparent about it with making updates available, and obviously, since they’re about to ask for help from the public, we know that there’s some transparency, that’s going to be inevitable. So that’s good,” Fochik Hashtali said in a Sept. 9 interview.
“But we want to make sure that they are aware of the fact that people are counting on them to handle this correctly, and we want to make sure that they know that the trans community is in need of their protection,” she said.
The case, while involving the LGBTQ+ community that lived among the Slabs in a collective known as Flamingo Camp, is not being investigated as a hate crime or due to Black’s identification as transgender or nonbinary, Benavidez has explained on a few occasions.
Hashtali, who spoke to this newspaper anonymously in early June on the condition that her real name not be used for fear of retaliation, understands that is the case, but she also points out that crimes against the trans community often go unsolved due to a lack of urgency by law enforcement because of either overt or unintended discrimination.
Throughout the investigation Hashtali has been a regular conduit of information between the Sheriff’s Office and Poe Black’s friends and acquaintances in Slab City and his family and friends in Tennessee. She initially helped further along the probe after she urged Black’s mom to contact the Sheriff’s Office in May when investigators had a body but no legal identity to go on.
Word of Black’s death reached Hashtali through her combined social networks of trans and Slabs community members tied to Poe Black, who she identifies as Poe Jackson in the social campaign.
Although she did not wish to reveal publicly what she does for a living, Hashtali is well-versed in advocating for families and victims of crimes against murdered, missing, or exploited minority groups.
Black belongs to two such populations — he is also of Wyandot Native American descent, Hashtali told this newspaper in June.
Where the Sheriff’s Office Stands
During initial conversations about the Black case, Benavidez said there were a number of persons of interest, including the two remaining individuals. At the time, he said everyone was accounted for.
It’s unclear when investigators lost track of Knives and Black’s partner, but Benavidez said on Sept. 9 that once they reached their first stop in the Pacific Northwest, law enforcement could no longer keep tabs on them. Hashtali said her contacts placed them in the Portland, Oregon, area at one point.
Benavidez confirmed that federal authorities “reached out to offer assistance in the matter,” but “at this time, there isn’t enough for us to actively use them.”
Some of the early steps of the investigation seemed to have been marred by timing and the state of the body. Although Black was pulled from the water on May 11, it would be several days before coroner investigators realized they had a homicide on their hands.
Due to the deteriorating state of the remains from heat and water, a few cuts on the body were initially thought to be postmortem injuries sustained in canals traveling at high speeds, such as cuts inflicted by rebar or the general violent nature of thrashing that a body can take in a large high-volume canal like the Coachella Canal, which is eastern Riverside County’s main source of its Colorado River water.
Under closer inspection, during a scheduled autopsy, multiple stab wounds were found on Black’s remains.
Benavidez is still not narrowing down when investigators believe the homicide occurred or any timelines associated with when Knives and Black’s partner left Slab City.
It appears some in the Slabs didn’t learn of Black’s murder for almost two weeks after his remains were pulled from the canal. One source who has spoken with this newspaper on several occasions said Black’s partner was interviewed about the homicide and shown autopsy photos of Black around May 23, 12 days after his discovery.
Benavidez said he would not reveal any further information about the number of knife wounds or what was the lethal strike, all answers that could aid in identifying the killer when a suspect is in custody, he said.
To that end, Knives and the partner have not been named as suspects in the homicide, he said.
Clearly, though, this emphasis on the relationship between Black and the partner prior to heading west involves looking for some pattern of abuse.
When specifically asked about domestic violence as being a cause or contributing factor to the killing, Benavidez would not say.
“We’re not wanting to go that far into assuming that. … That’s why any kind of reports that we might get, more information we can get from the original hometown, might help us kind of paint the picture,” he said. “To put this puzzle together.”
Friends Go Where Sheriff’s Won’t
Hashtali doesn’t know Knives’ true identity either nor do many Slab City acquaintances, she said.
And while the Sheriff’s Office apparently knows the legal female identity of Black’s domestic partner, Hashtali and others only know them by their transitioned nonbinary identity of “Cecil Arnett.”
Further, there seems to be a fairly well-known pattern of abuse between Poe and Cecil prior to them leaving Nashville.
Poe Black, who in a YouTube video refers to his “fiancée” that he arrived at the Slabs with, is seen as being quite slight of build, short and thin. Cecil, by contrast, according to Hashtali, is a decidedly larger figure known among friends in Tennessee to push around Black and get physical with him.
Black’s mother, Hashtali said, “had been worried about the violence between Cecil and Oliver (Poe) for a while, and (Black’s brother) had brought up suspicions about it” before they left Tennessee.
“One of Cecil’s old roommates who witnessed a fight between them” had spoken with Hashtali, as well as people who saw the violence firsthand in Nashville, with Black always on the receiving end.
Black and Cecil’s troubles seemed to follow to Slab City, she said, adding that her Slabs contacts had told her there were domestic violence issues there and ongoing “polyamory” — open or non-monogamous romantic and/or sexual relationships — between Poe Black, Cecil, and Knives.
Even though Hashtali and Black spoke several times on the phone in the weeks before he would be found murdered, Black never let on about any tumult in the relationship. Details and instances of abuse and Slab City trouble came later.
Hashtali met Cecil, who started a relationship with Black sometime in early 2020, and she knew of some tensions but not much about their lives in Imperial County.
“Poe very much was somebody who would not want anyone to be worried about him. So, a lot of what I heard was actually from his friends (in Slab City) telling me what was going on after he passed away,” she said.
“When I was talking to them, he didn’t mention a lot of that to me. … He tried to make it sound like everything was going OK,” Hashtali explained. “He was hopeful, he was optimistic about it. Like he mostly talked about the people who were doing good stuff out there, like trying to start up opportunities for trans people to get resources and other stuff like that, and some of the crazy experiences he had had.”
Although details are sketchy on her part, Hashtali would learn from certain people in Slab City that Knives and Cecil were in a harried state to leave Imperial County around the time the body was found.
One person told Hashtali that they had helped Knives get the same older-model Honda Accord shown in the Sheriff’s Office call for information unstuck from soft sand near the Coachella Canal, but that they had no idea Black’s body would be found in the canal later.
“Knives was freaking out saying, ‘I am running from, like, gang stalking and being harassed and being abused,’ all this stuff, like something really big was going on,” Hashtali said. “And they’re like, ‘I need to leave immediately.’”
This was between May 6 and May 8, she said, but after the car was stuck and eventually freed, Knives ended up leaving Slab City sometime around May 9.
“Then (they) realized, afterwards, after everything came out after (social media) posts around everything, like ‘I might have helped, you know, gather the money and stuff to get (Knives) out of the Slabs after committing a crime,’” Hashtali added. “And so that’s when I started contacting law enforcement.”
She said there is heightened suspicion all around at the Slabs, so many people don’t want to speak and are afraid of being hurt themselves.
The source with information about Cecil contacted this newspaper on Saturday, Sept. 18, to say the assertion that Knives and Cecil left together and are traveling together is incorrect.
He said the timelines for Knives leaving is accurate, but that Cecil wouldn’t leave Slab City until May 23, when investigators spoke to them. Cecil was in the Bay Area last month.
The source had attempted to alert investigators to the discrepancy, but that he had received no return calls from the Sheriff’s Office as of Saturday.
What’s more, sources told Hashtali over the weekend that Cecil has resumed his social media activity, and she said she hoped it could be a lead for investigators.
What’s Next; Violence Against Trans, Native People
Poe Delwyn Black’s case was the second-known trans homicide in Imperial County in a year’s time.
In July 2020, the burned body of Marilyn Monroe Cazares was found on a vacant lot on the east side of Brawley, a case that has yet to be solved, has never had any named persons of interest, and little is known about the investigation, other than the FBI was a called in to assist at one point.
For the trans community, 2020 marked the deadliest year on record, according to the Human Rights Campaign, an organization dedicated to advocating on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community.
At least 37 transgender and gender non-conforming people were violently killed last year, the most since Human Rights Campaign started tracking such data in 2013.
Although no statistics exist on violence against trans people who are indigenous, or indigenous descent — like Poe Black — abuse against Native American women occurs at a higher rate than national averages.
Some of that has to do with jurisdictional issues of sovereignty on reservations and a general lack of awareness, according to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women USA.
Indigenous women are two and half times more likely to be victims of assault, and more than one in three (34.1 percent) of indigenous women will be raped in their lifetimes, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women USA states.
As friends and family await justice, Poe Black’s remains are at home with his mother, Hashtali said.
Sometime between late June and early July, Black’s mom and a supportive friend, flew to California and picked up Black’s ashes and drove his van back to Tennessee. Benavidez confirmed that the van was being investigated initially to see if it was connected to the killing, but when it was cleared, it was released to the mother.
Poe’s mother declined to speak with this newspaper, after Hashtali reached out.
Although the social media campaign to pressure the Sheriff’s Office to not let go of Black’s case got started before Hashtali and others knew Imperial County investigators were pushing forward, the campaign will still continue.
“There’s been multiple murders of trans people. I know one other person was mentioned in that slide (Marilyn Cazares), but there’s a lot of trans people in that area,” she said of the Slabs. “That’s kind of a hub for queer people, and then California as a whole is — at least where (Poe comes from) in the South who are LGBT — they see California as kind of this hub.
“The fact that California is where they want to be, that means that they’re going to need you,” she said of the law enforcement community.
“Obviously, they need protection all over this country, but you would expect that California would offer more of that right off the bat. And now we’re really seeing with this, that California and its treatment and justice for the LGBT community, it’s not really all that it’s cracked up to be.”
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Richard Montenegro Brown is an investigative journalist and the editor of Calexico Chronicle.
The preceding article was previously published by the Calexico Chronicle and is republished by permission.
Community Services - PSA
LGBTQ+ voter education town hall held tonight in Los Angeles
Unique Women’s Coalition, Equality California and FLUX host discussion on upcoming election.
The Unique Women’s Coalition, Equality California and FLUX, a national division of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, will host their second annual voter education town hall today at the Connie Norman Transgender Empowerment Center in Los Angeles from 7PM to 9PM tonight.
The organizations will present and discuss ballot propositions and measures that will appear on the November ballot and that affect the LGBTQ+ community in this part of the town hall series titled ‘The Issues.’
“The trans and nonbinary community is taking its seat at the table, and we are taking the time and space to be informed and prepare the voter base,” said Queen Victoria Ortega, international president of FLUX.
The town hall will feature conversations through a Q&A followed by a reception for program participants, organizational partners and LGBTQ+ city and county officials.
There will later be a third town hall before the election and The Connie Norman Transgender Empowerment Center will also become a voting location for anyone who feels like they need a safe space to vote, regardless of what voting district they are a part of.
“Our community is really asking for a place to talk about what all of this actually means because although we live in a blue sphere, housing and other forms of discrimination are still a very real threat,” said Scottie Jeanette Madden, director of advocacy at The Connie Norman Transgender Empowerment Center.
Southern California
Triple A: SoCal gas prices continue dropping quickly
The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $4.87, which is 11 cents lower than a week ago
LOS ANGELES – Gas prices in Southern California have dropped by more than 50 cents a gallon in most areas after two straight months of price declines, according to the Auto Club’s Weekend Gas Watch. The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $4.87, which is 11 cents lower than a week ago. The average national price is $3.46, which is two cents lower than a week ago.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $4.83 per gallon, which is 10 cents less than last week and 13 cents less than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $4.85, which is 10 cents lower than last week and eight cents lower than this time last year.
On the Central Coast, the average price is $4.97, which is five cents lower than last week and two cents higher than last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $4.75, which is 10 cents lower than last week and 10 cents lower than a year ago. In Bakersfield, the $4.96 average price is eight cents less than last week and nine cents higher than a year ago today.
“Oil Price Information Service reports the latest Energy Information Administration data shows that West Coast refinery utilization rates reached their highest production levels of 2024 at the beginning of this month,” said Auto Club Spokesperson Doug Shupe. “California continues to have the highest gas prices in the U.S., but this week for the first time since March, gas prices in most local areas are lower than at this time a year ago.”
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on June 13, averages are:
Southern California
Triple A: Statewide gas price average drops below $5 a gallon
The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $4.98, which is 11 cents lower than a week ago
LOS ANGELES – The California gas price average dropped below $5 a gallon for the first time since late March, according to the Auto Club’s Weekend Gas Watch. The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $4.98, which is 11 cents lower than a week ago. The average national price is $3.48, which is eight cents lower than a week ago.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $4.93 per gallon, which is 12 cents less than last week and the same price as last year. In San Diego, the average price is $4.95, which is 12 cents lower than last week and six cents higher than this time last year.
On the Central Coast, the average price is $5.02, which is eight cents lower than last week and 12 cents higher than last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $4.95, which is 11 cents lower than last week and three cents higher than a year ago. In Bakersfield, the $5.04 average price is eight cents less than last week and 17 cents higher than a year ago today.
“According to Oil Price Information Service, Los Angeles wholesale gasoline prices are dropping as large supplies of imported gasoline continue to arrive in Southern California,” said Auto Club Spokesperson Doug Shupe. “A few Southern California gas stations are now charging less than $4.10 a gallon for regular unleaded.”
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on June 6, averages are:
Southern California
‘Heat dome’ brings scorching conditions but coastal areas spared
The Los Angeles County Health Officer has issued an excessive heat warning as high temperatures have been forecast
OXNARD, Calif. – The first significant heat of the season has arrived for the interior, and is expected to last into Thursday. Temperatures will be warmest Wednesday and Thursday, with highs in the deserts from 98 to 108, and 92 to 102 for the mountains and interior valleys.
Drier conditions along with breezy conditions will lead to an increased risk for grass fires. Reduce exposure to the heat, and stay hydrated. Look before locking vehicles for children, elderly and pets. Vehicles can become dangerously hot in a short period of time. Report any wildfires to authorities.
High Temperatures Forecast for Parts of Los Angeles County
The Los Angeles County Health Officer has issued an excessive heat warning as high temperatures have been forecast for the following areas:
- Antelope Valley: Wednesday June 05, 2024 through Thursday June 06, 2024
- Western Antelope Valley: Wednesday June 05, 2024 through Thursday June 06, 2024
- Eastern Antelope Valley: Wednesday June 05, 2024 through Thursday June 06, 2024
Public Health reminds everyone to take precautions to avoid heat-related illness, especially older adults, young children, outdoor workers, athletes, and people with a chronic medical condition who are especially sensitive to negative health impacts from extreme heat. Public Health offers the following recommendations during high temperature days:
- Drink plenty of water and keep hydrated throughout the day.
- If you must go out, plan your day to avoid going out during the hottest hours, and wear sunscreen. Wear lightweight, light-colored clothes, and wear a hat or use an umbrella.
- Cars get very hot inside, even if the windows are ‘cracked’ or open. Never leave children or pets in cars. Call 911 if you see a child or pet in a car alone.
- Beware of and know what to do for heat-related illness, such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Call 911 right away if you see these symptoms: high body temperature (103°F or higher), vomiting, dizziness, confusion, and hot, red, dry, or damp skin. Heat stroke is a medical emergency.
- Check on those at risk for heat-related illness, like those who are sick or have chronic conditions, older adults, pregnant women, children, those who live alone, pets, and outdoor workers and athletes.
- If you are wearing a mask, avoid strenuous workouts wearing face coverings or masks not intended for athletic purpose
- Visit your power company’s website or contact them by phone to determine if you are scheduled for a rolling power outage.
“On hot days, it’s important for everyone to both take care of themselves and check on others, especially those who have a higher chance of getting ill due to the heat. Some of them include children, the elderly, those with health conditions, pregnant people, those living alone, and pets,” said Muntu Davis, MD, MPH, Los Angeles County Health Officer. “Hot days can be dangerous for anyone, so it’s crucial to stay cool and hydrated. Never leave children, the elderly, or pets alone in hot homes, places, or vehicles. Make sure to check on elderly or unwell neighbors and relatives regularly.”
County and City partners have planned ways to safely operate cooling centers during times of high heat. Residents who do not have access to air conditioning are encouraged to take advantage of these free cooling centers. To find a location near you, visit https://ready.lacounty.gov/heat/ or call 211.
Los Angeles County residents and business owners, including people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs can call 2-1-1 for emergency preparedness information and other referral services. The toll-free 2-1-1 number is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 211 LA County services can also be accessed by visiting 211la.org.
Southern California
Triple A: Finally, some SoCal cities drop below $5 a gallon
The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $5.09, which is six cents lower than a week ago
LOS ANGELES – Six straight weeks of price drops at Southern California gas stations have pushed average prices below $5 a gallon in a few cities, according to the Auto Club’s Weekend Gas Watch. The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $5.09, which is six cents lower than a week ago. The average national price is $3.56, which is four cents lower than a week ago.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $5.05 per gallon, which is six cents less than last week and 12 cents higher than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $5.07, which is six cents lower than last week and 17 cents higher than this time last year.
On the Central Coast, the average price is $5.10, which is six cents lower than last week and 21 cents higher than last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $4.96, which is six cents lower than last week and 13 cents higher than a year ago. In Bakersfield, the $5.12 average price is five cents less than last week and 29 cents higher than a year ago today.
“Oil Price Information Service reports that wholesale Los Angeles gasoline prices are continuing to drop because of increased availability of imported gasoline and reportedly lower levels of demand compared to last year,” said Auto Club Spokesperson Doug Shupe. “Those factors should help pump price drops to continue for now.”
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on May 30, averages are:
Southern California
Triple A: Memorial Day travelers get a break at the pump
The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $5.15, which is nine cents lower than a week ago
LOS ANGELES – Gas prices continued downward for a fifth straight week, giving some Southern California Memorial Day travelers the chance to fill up for about $4.50 a gallon or even less in a few areas, according to the Auto Club’s Weekend Gas Watch. The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $5.15, which is nine cents lower than a week ago. The average national price is $3.61, which is one cent higher than a week ago.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $5.11 per gallon, which is ten cents less than last week, 27 cents less than last month, and 25 cents higher than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $5.13, which is ten cents lower than last week, 23 cents lower than last month, and 29 cents higher than this time last year.
On the Central Coast, the average price is $5.16, which is five cents lower than last week, 17 cents lower than last month, and 30 cents higher than last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $5.02, which is ten cents lower than last week, 28 cents lower than last month and 25 cents higher than a year ago. In Bakersfield, the $5.17 average price is five cents less than last week, 15 cents less than last month, and 36 cents higher than a year ago today.
“With an all-time record number of Southern California travelers expected for this Memorial Day getaway weekend, the gas price drops are providing some welcome relief,” said Auto Club Spokesperson Doug Shupe. “Those travelers who are planning out-of-state trips should expect to pay even less when they fuel up for their return, since California continues to be the only U.S. state with a gas price average above $5 a gallon.”
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on May 23, averages are:
Southern California
Triple A: Gas prices drop for four straight weeks
The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $5.24, which is eight cents lower than a week ago
LOS ANGELES – Local gas prices have dropped for four straight weeks, but California continues to be the only state with an average price above $5 a gallon, according to the Auto Club’s Weekend Gas Watch. The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $5.24, which is eight cents lower than a week ago. The average national price is $3.60, which is four cents lower than a week ago.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $5.21 per gallon, which is eight cents less than last week, 18 cents less than last month, and 37 cents higher than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $5.23, which is six cents lower than last week, 14 cents lower than last month, and 41 cents higher than this time last year.
On the Central Coast, the average price is $5.22, which is five cents lower than last week, 14 cents lower than last month, and 38 cents higher than last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $5.12, which is eight cents lower than last week, 19 cents lower than last month and 36 cents higher than a year ago. In Bakersfield, the $5.23 average price is three cents less than last week, eight cents less than last month, and 40 cents higher than a year ago today.
“California continues to have the highest average gas prices in the U.S., and despite a month of price declines, the state average price is still more than 40 cents higher than Hawaii, which is the second most expensive state for fuel,” said Auto Club Spokesperson Doug Shupe.
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on May 16, averages are:
Southern California
Triple A: Gas prices head down for third straight week
The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $5.32, which is six cents lower than a week ago
LOS ANGELES – Southern California gas prices have dropped for the third straight week, according to the Auto Club’s Weekend Gas Watch. The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $5.32, which is six cents lower than a week ago. The average national price is $3.64, which is three cents lower than a week ago.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $5.28 per gallon, which is six cents less than last week, six cents less than last month, and 42 cents higher than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $5.29, which is five cents lower than last week, five cents lower than last month, and 44 cents higher than this time last year.
On the Central Coast, the average price is $5.27, which is six cents lower than last week, two cents lower than last month, and 41 cents higher than last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $5.20, which is seven cents lower than last week, five cents lower than last month and 43 cents higher than a year ago. In Bakersfield, the $5.26 average price is four cents less than last week, five cents more than last month, and 42 cents higher than a year ago today.
“According to Oil Price Information Service (OPIS), California and all West Coast refineries are continuing to operate at higher capacities and West Coast gasoline inventories are increasing in anticipation of higher summer demand,” said Auto Club Spokesperson Doug Shupe.
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on May 9, averages are:
Southern California
Triple A: SoCal gas prices continue downward
The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $5.38, which is three cents lower than a week ago
LOS ANGELES – Southern California gas prices are continuing to drop for a second straight week, according to the Auto Club’s Weekend Gas Watch. The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $5.38, which is three cents lower than a week ago. The average national price is $3.67, which is one cent higher than a week ago.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $5.34 per gallon, which is three cents less than last week, 18 cents higher than last month, and 44 cents higher than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $5.34, which is two cents lower than last week, 19 cents higher than last month, and 45 cents higher than this time last year.
On the Central Coast, the average price is $5.33, which is the same as last week, 22 cents higher than last month, and 45 cents higher than last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $5.27, which is two cents lower than last week, 21 cents higher than last month and 45 cents higher than a year ago. In Bakersfield, the $5.30 average price is one cent less than last week, 29 cents more than last month, and 44 cents higher than a year ago today.
“After a few months of supply interruptions from refinery breakdowns and maintenance, Oil Price Information Service (OPIS) reports that California refineries have been operating at above 86% of their capacity for the past two weeks,” said Auto Club Spokesperson Doug Shupe. “Additionally, OPIS reported the US Energy Information Administration believes that the country has already experienced its highest gas price point for the first half of this year. Although California prices often go against national trends, that prediction is an encouraging sign for further price drops at the pump.”
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on May 2, averages are:
Southern California
Triple A: Southern California gas prices begin to slowly decrease
The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $5.41, which is four cents lower than a week ago
LOS ANGELES – Southern California gas prices slightly decrease in almost every metro city, according to the Auto Club’s Weekend Gas Watch. The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $5.41, which is four cents lower than a week ago. The average national price is $3.66, which is also one cent higher than a week ago.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $5.37 per gallon, which is two cents less than last week, 33 cents higher than last month, and 44 cents higher than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $5.36, which is two cents lower than last week, 34 cents higher than last month, and 45 cents higher than this time last year.
On the Central Coast, the average price is $5.33, which is two cents lower than last week, 31 cents higher than last month, and 43 cents higher than last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $5.29, which is three cents lower than last week, 37 cents higher than last month, and 45 cents higher than a year ago. In Bakersfield, the $5.31 average price is the same as last week, 40 cents more than last month, and 43 cents higher than a year ago today.
“For the first time in almost two months prices in Southern California have slightly decreased,” said Auto Club Spokesperson Doug Shupe. “The reasons for gas prices moving lower include slowing domestic gasoline demand between Spring Break and summer travel, as well as the cost of crude oil retreating.”
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on April 25, averages are:
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