Bakersfield news

• 'First Look': Enjoy your pizza while helping Boys & Girls Clubs

  15-01-2015 23:13
  
  Thursday at the grand opening of PizzaRev at Gosford Village, you can get your favorite pizza and also help the Boys & Girls Clubs of Kern County.
  
  How?
  
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• 'First Look': First News for Jan. 15

  15-01-2015 23:12
  
  Lead stores from "First Look with Scott Cox's" Top Stories:
  
  SCOT KIMBLE NAMED MCFARLAND CHIEF OF POLICE: Scot Kimble was named the McFarland Police Department's new chief after serving for seven months in an interim position. He has been the interim chief of police in McFarland since June, replacing former chief Greg Herrington, who had resigned, City Manager John Wooner said. Kimble w
  
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• Pizza place grand opening donates proceeds to charity

  15-01-2015 22:05
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - A new pizza place is set to open today -- and they're changing things up a bit.
  Pizza-Rev opened today in southwest Bakersfield.     The restaurant allows customers to custom-design their pizzas -- from crust to toppings.     They then pop the perosnal-sized pizza in the oven and it's ready in less than three minutes.     For the grand-opening, Pizza-Rev invites customers to "pay-what-they-want" with proceeds going to th
  
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• Grant looks to help homeless people of Kern County

  15-01-2015 21:40
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - Clinica Sierra Vista was awarded a $1.2 million, three-year grant today from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration today in an effort to better serve the homeless people of Kern County.
  
  The grant will fund a program that provides substance abuse and mental health disorder treatment services.
  
  The program will also look to provide outreach services and assist in finding permanent housing of homeless persons in Kern County.
  
  According to Clin
  
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• Flu vaccine not working well; only 23 percent effective

  15-01-2015 20:44
  
  As predicted, this year's flu vaccine is doing a pretty crummy job. It's only 23 percent effective, primarily because it doesn't include the bug that is making most people sick, according to a government study released Thursday.
  
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• Eyewitness News parent company part of media coalition drone tests

  15-01-2015 20:43
  
  Sinclair Broadcast Group, parent company of KBAK/KBFX Eyewitness News, is joining forces with nine other leading media companies to test drones for news gathering.
  
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• Bike Bakersfield giving away bike lights

  15-01-2015 20:09
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - The crew at Bike Bakersfield will be back at it tonight giving out free taillights and headlights around town this evening.
  The organizations is hosting the fifth installment of Project Light Up the Night at four Bakersfield locations.
  Participants will be handing out lights at the Bike Bakersfield bicycle kitchen at 1708 Chester Ave. from 4 to 6 p.m.
  Lights will also be passed out at the corner of Mount Vernon Avenue and Niles street and the corner of Roberts Lane and C
  
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• Suns assign Archie Goodwin to Bakersfield of D-League

  15-01-2015 20:03
  
  The Phoenix Suns assigned guard Archie Goodwin to the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA Development League on Wednesday.
  
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• Study: Half of California's new wells involve fracking

  15-01-2015 20:02
  
  California is the country's No. 3 oil-producing state, with most coming from aging fields in the Central Valley's Kern County. Fracking entails forcing fluid, sand and chemicals underground to break rock formations and extract oil and gas from tough oil reservoirs that defy more conventional drilling techniques.
  
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• Immigrants can now get Mexican birth certificates in US

  15-01-2015 19:41
  
  The Mexican government on Thursday will start issuing birth certificates to its citizens at consulates in the United States, seeking to make it easier for them to apply for U.S. work permits, driver's licenses and protection from deportation.
  
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• 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C arrives in Bakersfield

  15-01-2015 19:37
  
  The all-new 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C has arrived in Bakersfield. Only 300 of these cars are in California, and there is only one in Bakersfield.
  
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• Woman arrested for AT&T worker's shooting

  15-01-2015 19:31
  
  An AT&T worker was shot Wednesday on the 1500 block of South P Street.
  
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• Obama makes broadband pitch

  15-01-2015 19:19
  
  (NBC News) President Obama traveled to Cedar Falls, Iowa Thursday to promote increased access to broadband internet service.
  "We're going to clear red tape and foster competition, we're going to help communities connect and help communities connect in our digital economy," Mr. Obama said.
  The president says laws in 19 states limit choice and competition in broadband service and many smaller communities say they're passed over by large internet providers.
  The remarks came in a ci
  
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• CHP program helps keep rural roads safe

  15-01-2015 19:16
  
  The Central Valley is being hit with foggy conditions and many drivers have witnessed a slew of wrecks in the last several days. 
  
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• U.S. loosens embargo on Cuba, making trade and travel easier

  15-01-2015 19:07
  
  The Obama administration is putting a large dent in the U.S. embargo against Cuba as of Friday, significantly loosening restrictions on American trade and investment.
  
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• FBI: Would-be Capitol bomber's Twitter posts sparked probe

  15-01-2015 19:02
  
  A 20-year-old Ohio man's Twitter posts sympathizing with Islamic terrorists led to an undercover FBI operation and the man's arrest on charges that he plotted to blow up the U.S. Capitol and kill government officials.
  
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• Cinnamon roll drive a huge success

  15-01-2015 18:20
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - Thanks to all of your generosity and support, we had another successful "Penny's for Your Thoughts" cinnamon roll drive yesterday morning.     All of your efforts go to benefit the Alzheimer's Disease Association of Kern County.
  "I wanted to support Alzhemiers. I have family members that suffered from it and wanted to show my support," Brigette Bonnet, ADAKC supporter.
  The rolls started going on sale just after 6 a.m. yesterday across fro
  
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• Craft-it-yourself pizza parlor opens in SW today

  15-01-2015 18:13
  
  A new craft-it-yourself pizza restaurant will open with a cause, Thursday.
  
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• Mariah Carey to launch Las Vegas shows in May

  15-01-2015 18:11
  
  Mariah Carey is heading to Sin City. Caesars Palace announced Thursday that the 44-year-old pop icon would open a series of shows May 16 at The Colosseum in Las Vegas. Carey has announced 18 performances, so far.
  
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• Early morning power outage in central Bakersfield

  15-01-2015 17:58
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - A power outage in central Bakersfield left 1400 people without power overnight.
  A PG&E representative said the outage, which began around 12:45 a.m., was due to an equipment failure near H Street and Belle Terrace.     The representative could not give details of what kind of equipment failed.
  Repairs were completed and power restored just before 2 a.m.
  
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• AT&T workers shot at by woman

  15-01-2015 17:44
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - Police have released the name of the woman accused of shooting an AT&T employee while he was on the job yesterday in south Bakersfield.
  According to BPD, the man was shot just after 4 p.m. in the 1500 block of P Street.      The man and a co-worker were installing cables when the woman began shooting.     Officers describe his injuries from the gunshot as moderate.      The second victim was shot at but not injured.&
  
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• 'Birdman,' 'Budapest' top Oscar nominations with 9 nods each

  15-01-2015 16:43
  
  Two extravagant comedies, "Birdman" and "The Grand Budapest Hotel," dominated nominations for the 87th annual Academy Awards with nine nods each, while "Boyhood" remained the widely acknowledged front-runner.
  
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• QUIZ: Do I have the flu or a cold?

  15-01-2015 15:57
  
  Wondering if you have the flu or a cold? Take this quiz to find out which virus you may have based on your symptoms.
  
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• OSCAR NOMINATIONS: 'Birdman,' 'Budapest' top Oscar nominations with 9 nods each

  15-01-2015 15:50
  
  Two extravagant comedies, "Birdman" and "The Grand Budapest Hotel," tied for the most Oscar nominations Thursday morning with nine nods each, including best picture.
  
  They were joined in best-picture nominations by "Boyhood," "Whiplash," "The Theory of Everything," "The Imitation Game," "American Sniper" and "Selma." Nominatio
  
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• List of fog delays for Thursday, January 15th

  15-01-2015 15:34
  
  The following is a list of fog delays for Thursday, January 15th:
  
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• Reading with rescue dogs

  15-01-2015 08:48
  
  A local dog rescue program is teaming up with the library to put a little twist on reading in order to make it fun for kids.
  
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• Teens preparing for the workforce

  15-01-2015 08:29
  
  Teenagers around Kern County are preparing to take on a new challenge: Finding a job!
  
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• Kern Astronomical Society searches for "Comet Lovejoy"

  15-01-2015 08:28
  
  You know that if you're serious about star gazing here in Kern County, you have to get out of the valley haze and into the mountains. That is exactly why the Kern Astronomical Society invited amateur astronomers to a mountain near Frazier Park to witness something, that is fading away right now. Darren Bly of Kern Astronomical Society said, "This comet should be around for probably another month. It should be bright for another two weeks or so, and then it wil
  
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• New chemical regulation affecting almond growers

  15-01-2015 05:31
  
  California almond farmers are now abiding by the nation's strictest rules for a popular pesticide that is known for causing health problems to people who live around the orchards. 
  
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• Vetereans screen WWII movie

  15-01-2015 04:35
  
  Dozens of Kern County military veterans were treated to a special free screening of the World War II movie Unbroken.
  
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• THE GRADE: Suspensions and expulsions down again

  15-01-2015 04:30
  
  GOOD NEWS ON SUSPENSIONS
  
  Kern County school districts are improving suspension and expulsion numbers more than twice as fast as the state, according to 2013-2014 data the state released Wednesday.
  
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• Scot Kimble will be next McFarland Police Chief

  15-01-2015 04:18
  
  Scot Kimble will be the next Chief of Police of the city of McFarland.
  
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• School fog delays are left to the experts

  15-01-2015 04:06
  
  It takes experience and some luck to call for a fog delay.
  
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• Bakersfield won't enforce lawn-watering restrictions

  15-01-2015 03:45
  
  The city of Bakersfield Water Board met Wednesday afternoon to discuss several reports and brainstorm ideas for water conservation.
  
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• Taft varsity football coach Prosser released

  15-01-2015 03:42
  
  Taft Union High School will no longer have a varsity football coach after Jarrud Prosser's year-to-year assignment ends, according to a statement from TUHS principal Bernardo Valenzuela.
  
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• ASK EMILY: Health law mandate hits employers unevenly

  15-01-2015 03:37
  
  Another in a series of Q&A columns answering consumers' questions about the Affordable Care Act.
  
  Starting Jan. 1, one of the most-feared aspects of the Affordable Care Act took effect after some delay, requiring large businesses to provide health coverage to their employees or face financial penalties.
  
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• Fracking study finds significant environmental impacts

  15-01-2015 03:30
  
  Oil well stimulation techniques such as hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," may entail a number of "significant and unavoidable" environmental impacts that cannot be fully cushioned by mitigation measures, according to a draft environmental review released Wednesday by state regulators.
  Among the worst potential side effects the report attributes to fracking, as well as the related technologies of acid fracturing and acid matrix stimulation, ar
  
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• Company makes good with consumer who found porn apps

  15-01-2015 03:30
  
  Mixed in with the children’s games in the app store – 1MobileMarket - were pornography apps.
  
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• Men who exploded acetylene-filled balloons accept plea deal

  15-01-2015 03:29
  
  Two men who detonated explosive devices that injured themselves and others during a July 4 party accepted plea deals that will spare them from further time in custody.
  
  James Patrick Trino pleaded no contest Tuesday to possession of an explosive device, a felony. Three other felonies including making a destructive device without a permit were dismissed.
  
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• Local veterans go to screening of Unbroken

  15-01-2015 03:29
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA- Honor Flight Kern County brings local veterans to Washington, D.C. to see the memorials built in their honor. The organization brought together Wednesday possibly one of the largest groups of WWII veterans in California for a free screening of the film Unbroken at Maya Cinemas.
  
  Organizers say it's the largest gathering of WWII veterans in the state and possibly the nation. As they came together Wednesday, many of the veterans said honor flight has created a special bond b
  
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• City will try education, rebates to cut water use

  15-01-2015 03:11
  
  With city residential water use down again in December, a month when lawns aren't watered as often anyway, Bakersfield's water board on Wednesday decided against asking residents to water their landscaping only on "odd or even" days.
  
  Instead, the city will work with the California Water Service Co. and other urban water agencies to tell residents about incentives on water-saving applian
  
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• WWII vets get free screening of 'Unbroken'

  15-01-2015 03:11
  
  World War II veterans gathered Wednesday at Maya Cinemas in Bakersfield to watch a free screening of the movie "Unbroken," about Olympian Louis Zamperini, who survived a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp.
  
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• Government helps students get online faster

  15-01-2015 02:50
  
  President Barack Obama announced in Iowa Wednesday his plans to expand broadband internet service to more Americans.
  
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• Oildale man sentenced to death for 2009 murders of wife, mother-in-law

  15-01-2015 02:42
  
  A Kern County judge sentenced Robert Dale Fuller to death Wednesday for the “violent, calculated and horrifying” murders of Fuller’s estranged wife and mother-in-law in August 2009.
  
  The 61-year-old Fuller had no reaction as Judge John S. Somers pronounced sentence. Fuller will be transported to death row at San Quentin State Prison.
  
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• Two reports released today related to fracking

  15-01-2015 02:38
  
  Bakersfield, CA -- Two important reports were released Wednesday about fracking in California, related to the passing of Senate Bill 4, the state's first effort to impose stricter restrictions on fracking.
  
  The Department of Conservation, through its Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources, published its draft environmental impact report today.
  
  S.B. 4 requires this E.I.R., pursuant to California's Environmental Quality Act, to provide the public with detailed informatio
  
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• Police: Man in pension fraud appears to have killed himself

  15-01-2015 02:33
  
  A defendant in a bribery scandal involving the nation's largest public pension fund appears to have shot and killed himself at a Nevada gun club weeks before he was set to go on trial, police said Wednesday.
  
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• Officials seize alligator, 2 dead cats in box in LA yard

  15-01-2015 02:32
  
  Animal control officers say they have seized an 8-foot alligator in a box with two dead cats in a suburban Los Angeles backyard.
  
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• Democrats use new tax estimates in push for social services

  15-01-2015 02:31
  
  Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins, a coal miner's daughter who now holds one of the most powerful positions in California politics, said on Tuesday funding an effective safety net must be a top priority for the state to tackle poverty.
  
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• California sees big drop in student suspensions, expulsions

  15-01-2015 02:26
  
  Fewer students are being expelled or suspended from California's public schools now that state officials are encouraging educators to address misbehavior with less punitive methods.
  
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• Newport Beach votes to return to wood-burning fire rings

  15-01-2015 02:25
  
  The Newport Beach City Council has voted to return to beach fire rings that burn wood after a lengthy dispute over air quality issues.
  
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