Bakersfield news

• Democrats press Gov. Jerry Brown to increase help for poor

  07-01-2015 23:41
  
  Anticipating a second year of surplus, Democratic state lawmakers are pressuring Gov. Jerry Brown to increase spending on welfare, health care, child care and other social programs to assist the poor.
  
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• Hunt for 2 in French shooting that killed 12; 1 surrenders

  07-01-2015 23:27
  
  One man sought in the deadly shooting at a French satirical paper has turned himself in, and police hunted Thursday for two heavily armed men with possible links to al-Qaida in the military-style, methodical killing of 12 people at the office of a satirical newspaper that caricatured the Prophet Muhammad.
  
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• French police identify 3 suspects in attack that killed 12

  07-01-2015 23:27
  
  French police officials identified three men as suspects in a deadly attack against newspaper offices that killed 12 people and shook the nation on Wednesday.
  
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• 9 measles patients visited Disney's California parks

  07-01-2015 22:51
  
  State health officials say seven Californians and two people in Utah have confirmed cases of measles likely contracted on a trip to Disney theme parks in California in December.
  
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• 9 measles cases linked to Disney theme parks in California

  07-01-2015 22:51
  
  Seven Californians and two people in Utah have confirmed cases of measles likely contracted on trips last month to Disney theme parks in California, state officials said Wednesday.
  
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• City council awards contract for Rosedale project

  07-01-2015 22:49
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA.- The Bakersfield City Council is expected to award a contract for the Rosedale Highway Widening Project.
  A contract bid is being awarded to Teichert Construction in the amount of $16,014,592.40 for the Rosedale Highway Widening Project.
  The initial estimate for the project by TRIP engineers was for $15 million, which included a roadway widening and a water line installation for the City Water Department.
  TRIP will appropriate $325,215 in federal earmark funds and $1,615,0
  
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• 'First Look': From dancing to running, Ronald McDonald House fundraisers in full swing

  07-01-2015 22:46
  
  The Bakersfield Ronald McDonald House is calling all dancers to the Rasmussen Center dance floor to raise money at the sixth annual Dancing for Donations Square Dance fundraiser.
  
  House manager Scarlett Sabin said dancers from up and down the state come to the event not only to help the house, but also to meet professional dance caller Rod Shuping.
  
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• 'First Look': Local NAACP hosting 'Selma' screening, discussion at Maya Cinemas

  07-01-2015 22:44
  
  "Selma" is a film that's expected to make an impact on people's lives, even if they've read history books.
  
  The movie is based on the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches led by historical leaders like James Bevel and Martin Luther King Jr.
  
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• Man accused of firing at deputies is wounded in shootout

  07-01-2015 22:37
  
  Deputies have shot and wounded a gunman they say opened fire during a traffic stop in rural San Bernardino County.
  
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• Fugitive accused of molesting 2 children arrested

  07-01-2015 22:32
  
  Authorities say a 29-year-old auto mechanic accused of molesting two children over a four-year span has been arrested in Orange County.
  
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• Police search for gunman who fired into air in Hollywood

  07-01-2015 22:30
  
  Los Angeles police are searching for a gunman who stood on a sidewalk in Hollywood and began firing into the air, sending people scrambling for safety.
  
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• California man posts lewd pictures on fake Facebook page

  07-01-2015 22:28
  
  A Northern California man is facing charges for creating a fake Facebook page impersonating the police officer who arrested him for possessing child pornography.
  
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• Watch: Home falls into raging Washington state river

  07-01-2015 22:16
  
  A small home perched along the Wallace River in Gold Bar is now part of the river after succumbing to the raging waters following Monday's heavy rains.
  
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• State health officials confirm measles cases

  07-01-2015 21:34
  
  SACRAMENTO, CA - State health officials confirm seven cases of measles from five different locations within California.   
  
  State health director Dr. Ron Chapman in a news release says two Utah resident cases have also been confirmed and three additional California residents are also suspected to have measles and are under investigation.
  
  All confirmed and suspect cases reported visiting Disneyland or Disney California Adventure Park in Orange County, sometime between Decembe
  
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• SDPH: Nine people contract measles after visiting So Cal Disney parks

  07-01-2015 21:34
  
  SACRAMENTO, CA - State health officials confirm seven cases of measles from five different locations within California.   
  
  State health director Dr. Ron Chapman in a news release says two Utah resident cases have also been confirmed and three additional California residents are also suspected to have measles and are under investigation.
  
  All confirmed and suspect cases reported visiting Disneyland or Disney California Adventure Park in Orange County, sometime between Decembe
  
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• 'First Look': Columnist Lois Henry talks about land fallowing

  07-01-2015 21:03
  
  The term land fallowing -- purposely retiring productive farmland -- had not been uttered in the agriculture or water industries in some years.
  
  That is what Californian columnist Lois Henry said Wednesday on "First Look with Scott Cox."
  
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• Authorities investigating suspected shooting at deputy

  07-01-2015 20:43
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - Detectives are looking into reports of a deputy who was shot at early this morning while responding to a call near Kern Medical Center and East Bakersfield High School.
  The shooting happened just before 2 a.m. when deputies responded to a complaint of loud noise from a prowler on the 2000 block of Pacific Drive.     A deputy arrived and was speaking with the resident who made the call when someone began shooting in their direction, hitting the back of a patrol
  
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• Local businesses offer healthier food choices

  07-01-2015 20:24
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - Some new businesses around town are helping residents make better choices about what to put on the dinner table.     And, public health officials agree that such economic developments are shifting Kern County toward better nutrition.
  Sarah Cornejo, co-owner, Fit Pantry, said what you put into your body is important. 
  "Your body is a machine and your food is what fuels your machine," said Cornejo.     These two are gasing up resi
  
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• Shots fired at KCSO deputy in East Bakersfield

  07-01-2015 20:18
  
  A suspected gunman opened fire on a Kern County Sheriff's deputy early Wednesday morning, striking the deputy's patrol car.
  
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• DMV releases figures for AB 60 license applications

  07-01-2015 19:52
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - New numbers are out on how many undocumented immigrants applied for a driver's license last Friday at DMV locations in Kern County.
  The new California new law -- Assembly Bill 60 --requires the DMV to issue a license to any person unable to provide proof of legal residency in the U.S.     Thousands of undocumented immirgrants packed DMV locations across the state, and here in Kern County last Friday -- the first day to apply for a driver's license.
  The follo
  
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• Blood bank reserves are low, need donations

  07-01-2015 19:40
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - Houchin Blood Bank is running low on blood, and they need your help.
  Houchin representatives posted a message and photo on their Facebook page, showing their depleted supply.     Reserves have fallen below 50 percent in inventory, and are reaching out, encouraging the public to donate.
  
  From their Facebook page, "This is a major problem right now. All types of medical services rely on our blood bank every day! Please reach out to your family and frien
  
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• KCSO: Man shoots at deputies, cuts his own throat

  07-01-2015 19:39
  
  A man was arrested early Wednesday after allegedly shooting at a sheriff's patrol car and then trying to get deputies to kill him.
  
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• Gunfire directed at Kern County patrol car

  07-01-2015 19:39
  
  A man has been arrested for allegedly shooting at a Kern County deputy's patrol car.
  
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• Gunfire directed at Kern County deputies

  07-01-2015 19:39
  
  A man has been arrested for allegedly shooting at Kern County deputies.
  
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• Median home prices fall this year

  07-01-2015 19:31
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - The end of 2014 ended on a down note for the real estate market, as local appraiser Gary Crabtree reports the median home price slipped about $6,200 in December.
  Crabtree said it's a sign of the slowdown in price appreciation we've seen over the last few months.     For the first time since 2010, we actually saw the median price slip year over year.
  The median home price was $205,000 in December.     That's down 2.9 percent from November. 
  
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• City Council considers plan to widen Rosedale Highway

  07-01-2015 19:29
  
  The City Council will consider a plan to widen a stretch of Rosedale Highway.
  
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• Detours for Hwy 99 at Cartmil Ave in Tulare

  07-01-2015 19:21
  
  TULARE, CA - The city of Tulare is planning closures of highway 99 in both north and south directions at Cartmil Avenue today, Jan. 6, amd tomorrow, Jan. 7.
  
  The closure is done to complete work on the existing Cartmil Avenue overcrossing.
  
  The closure will be in effect from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Wenesday and Thursday, with expected completion on Friday at 5 a.m.Detours will be available on both north and southbound routes.
  
  For the northbound Hwy 99 detour route, traffic will be detour
  
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• Pond Rd blocked by crash

  07-01-2015 17:43
  
  Pond Road is blocked in both directions just east of Central Valley Highway due to a crash.
  
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• Kern County grand jury looking for applicants

  07-01-2015 17:36
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - Applications to be part of the Kern County Grand Jury are now being accepted.
  A total of 19 randomly selected citizens are tasked with ensuring county and city governments are operating efficiently and public funds are effectively spent.     To qualify -- you must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old, lived here for at least one year and be willing to dedicate about 20-hours a week.     The deadline to apply is April 2.      &
  
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• 12 dead in shooting at France newspaper

  07-01-2015 17:05
  
  PARIS (AP) -- France has raised its alert to the highest level after a deadly shooting incident in central Paris that killed 12 people and is being called a terrorist attack.
  
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• 'First Look': First News for Jan. 7

  07-01-2015 16:21
  
  Lead stories from "First Look with Scott Cox's" Top Stories:
  
  NEW REPORT CALLS FOR BETTER OVERSIGHT OF OIL INJECTION WELLS: An environmental activist group called Tuesday for changing the process for exempting aquifers from federal groundwater protections. The 19-page report by Washington, D.C.-based Clean Water Action focuses on underground injections, especially of salty "produced wa
  
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• 12 killed in terrorist attack on Paris weekly; gunmen escape

  07-01-2015 15:44
  
  Masked gunmen stormed the Paris offices of a weekly newspaper that caricatured the Prophet Muhammad, methodically killing 12 people Wednesday, including the editor, before escaping in a car. It was France's deadliest postwar terrorist attack.
  
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• 12 dead in terrorist attack on Paris weekly; gunmen escape

  07-01-2015 15:44
  
  Three masked gunmen shouting "Allahu akbar!" stormed the Paris offices of a satirical newspaper Wednesday, killing 12 people, including its editor, before escaping in a car. It was France's deadliest postwar terrorist attack.
  
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• Rosedale Hwy widening project squeezing business

  07-01-2015 08:37
  
  The City Council will vote Wednesday on whether Fresno based Teichert Construction will win a bid for over $16,000,000 for the Rosedale Highway widening project.
  
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• Make volunteering a New Year's resolution

  07-01-2015 08:25
  
  Losing weight and saving money are among the popular resolutions people make every year and organizations are hoping to be on that list for 2015.
  
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• Big decisions coming up for GET

  07-01-2015 08:20
  
  GET board members met Tuesday night to discuss the project and how it could be affected by the high-speed rail. One of the biggest problems- they could lose the grant to pay for the project, if a decision isn't made soon. The High Speed Rail Authority says it may take up to two years for them to reach a decision on which route the bullet train will take through Bakersfield. The new proposed route will impact about 150 structures, compared to more than 530 structures impacted by the original ro
  
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• GET board decides to open at-large seat to applications

  07-01-2015 06:31
  
  Golden Empire Transit's Board of Directors failed to reappoint Patricia Norris as its at-large member during a Tuesday meeting, deciding instead applications for the position.
  Directors voted 3-1 in favor of the new process during their regular meeting, held in GET's board room at 1830 Golden State Ave. Norris will remain on the board until a final at-large member appointment is made.
  
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• Time capsule dating to 1795 included coins, newspapers

  07-01-2015 04:49
  
  Early residents of Boston valued a robust press as much as their history and currency if the contents of a time capsule dating back to the years just after the Revolutionary War are any guide.
  
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• Statewide water conservation picks up

  07-01-2015 04:24
  
  After a profligate October, consumers across California rededicated themselves to water conservation in November, saving 3 percent more water statewide.
  
  The release of statistics Tuesday by the State Water Board confirmed that overall, Bakersfield residential users actually saved more water. But some still use more than twice the daily state average.
  
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• New report calls for better oversight of oil injection wells

  07-01-2015 04:13
  
  In a report with strong implications for Kern County's oil industry, an environmental activist group called Tuesday for changing the process for exempting aquifers from federal groundwater protections.
  The 19-page report by Washington, D.C.-based Clean Water Action focuses on underground injections, especially of salty "produced water" that comes up during oil production.
  
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• Celebrity chef Guy Fieri visits Bakersfield restaurants

  07-01-2015 03:48
  
  Celebrity chef Guy Fieri was in Bakersfield to feature at least four of the city's restaurants on his Food Network show.
  
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• Customers frustrated with delay in Planet Fitness opening

  07-01-2015 03:34
  
  Planet Fitness was expected to open in Bakersfield on Dec. 15 on White Lane. However, even though people signed up as early as November for the new gym, it still isn’t open a week into January.
  
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• Mighty Kicks recruiting in Bakersfield

  07-01-2015 03:27
  
  The national organization, Mighty Kicks, is heading to Bakersfield and teaming up with the Police Activity League.  It's offering programs to help children achieve, not only in the classroom, but in life.
  
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• Supes give county lobbyist new contract, but want better results

  07-01-2015 03:23
  
  Kern County supervisors told their Sacramento lobbyist on Tuesday to come back with more cash or come back "on his shield."
  They awarded Paul Yoder, of Shaw / Yoder / Antwih, Inc., a three-year contract of $82,000 per year. It can be canceled within 30 days without reason or if his work with other counties conflicts with Kern's needs.
  
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• Doctors finding high demand for flu vaccine

  07-01-2015 03:21
  
  Some patients are heading to their local doctor’s office only to find out that they have run out of the flu vaccine for the season.
  
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• Shannon Grove, Republicans trying to curb cap-and-trade

  07-01-2015 03:15
  
  You probably won't feel the effects of them right away, but there are new fees this year on fuel that some say will substantially raise the cost of gas over time.
  
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• Planet Fitness members upset over unopened gym

  07-01-2015 02:55
  
  A new gym in southeast Bakersfield has customers angry after delaying their grand opening for weeks.
  
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• Funeral services for Jan. 7

  07-01-2015 02:45
  
  Services scheduled
  
  Salim Bassam Akroush, 18, Bakersfield, Dec. 31. Visitation 5 to 7 p.m. Jan. 7, Basham Funeral Care Chapel; service 1 p.m. Jan. 8, Basham Funeral Care Chapel; interment at Hillcrest Memorial Park. Basham Funeral Care, 3312 Niles St.
  
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• LOIS HENRY: Fallowing used to be a dirty word, but not anymore

  07-01-2015 02:44
  
  A few years ago, no one in the ag or water worlds would dare utter the "f" word, even amongst themselves.
  
  Yesterday, I heard it used openly. On the radio, no less.
  
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• High-speed rail groundbreaking in Fresno

  07-01-2015 02:23
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - On Tuesday afternoon, elected officials along with Governor Jerry Brown signed a piece of steel rail -- marking the groundbreaking of California's High-Speed Rail -- a day officials are calling historic.
  
  "We're getting closer to putting people on a bullet train.."
  
  A bullet train that will one day connect the Central Valley to Southern California.  "We are going to go to Fresno, and we are going to go to Bakersfield, we are going to go Southe
  
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