Bakersfield news

• Wasco councilman agrees to $4,000 fine to settle conflict of interest charge

  13-03-2015 23:59
  
  A Wasco city councilman has agreed to pay $4,000 to settle accusations he violated California's Political Reform Act by voting in his official capacity on a project he had a financial interest in.
  The California Fair Political Practices Commission said Councilman John Martin cast a swing vote last year on a coal terminal expansion project involving street improvements and other work within 500 feet of a 9-acre property he owned at 1316 J St.
  
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• CALM's Spring Fling coming soon

  13-03-2015 23:53
  
  California Living Museum's Spring Fling is slated for March 28 through April 4.
  
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• Ag commissioner: Use of pesticides restricted

  13-03-2015 23:28
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - On Tuesday, March 17, the use of insecticides on crops will be greatly restricted, according to Kern County Agriculture Commissioner Ruben Arroyo.
  
  According to Arroyo, Tuesday marks the 10 percent bloom stage for all citrus south of 7th Standard Road.
  
  As a result, insecticides are restricted in order to enable bees to work the citrus blossoms and reduce the risk of damage to the bees.
  
  The announcement mandates all citrus growers, pest control operators, and bee
  
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• High school students roll out their music video

  13-03-2015 23:27
  
  Delano students got back the finished product of a day's hard work -- a complete music video they created Feb. 10 outside of Cesar E. Chavez High School.
  
  Alex Gonzales, band director at Delano and Chavez high schools, shared the video with media Friday.
  
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• Local girl scout wins highest award possible

  13-03-2015 23:11
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - A local girl scout is in the spotlight, earning the highest award a girl scout can receive, the Gold Award, for her work in raising geriatric sensitivity awareness.
  
  Ireland Eckard was inspired to do more to help people after hearing her father, a physical therapy doctor, speak about geriatric sensitivity.
  
  “My idea for my Gold Award came to me after I invited my dad, who is a doctor of physical therapy, to present a version of this geriatric lecture and lab to m
  
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• 'First Look': Simply adorable terrier mix puppy featured on 'Pet of the Week'

  13-03-2015 23:08
  
  Sturgill is by far the cutest puppy that has been on the "First Look with Scott Cox" simulcast.
  
  The six week old terrier mix is a tiny, fluffy and sweet dog that was found on the side of the road a couple of days ago.
  
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• So you want to be a professional athlete?

  13-03-2015 22:20
  
  His eyelids felt heavier and heavier, and he fought to keep them open. But soon Rashaan Shehee, then a Kansas City Chiefs running back, was nodding off during a team meeting.
  
  Shehee, now a health teacher at Bakersfield High, spoke to an audience of more than 80 local students at the 16th annual Leaders in Life Youth Conference, Thursday at the Rabobank Convention Center.
  
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• Dad of toddler rescued from Utah river: 'I haven't left her bedside'

  13-03-2015 22:08
  
  Lily was found trapped inside an upside down car on Saturday afternoon that sat in the Spanish Fork River. It's believed that she was in the car for up to 14 hours when the vehicle was finally spotted by a fisherman.
  
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• Study: Earthquake could exceed nuclear power plant design

  13-03-2015 21:18
  
  Shaking from a powerful earthquake could exceed the design of the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant, its owners have found, but the reactors are safe because components were built with more than enough strength to withstand the potential stress and no equipment would be at risk, a report concludes.
  
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• Los Angeles police: 14 teens suspected of school sex assault

  13-03-2015 21:15
  
  Fourteen teenagers are under investigation for alleged sexual assault against two underage victims at a Los Angeles high school.
  
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• Catholic Church pays $4 million to settle California lawsuit

  13-03-2015 21:14
  
  The Catholic Church in Sacramento has agreed to pay $4 million to settle a former high school football coach's wrongful termination lawsuit.
  
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• Jail reviews security after suspected child molester escapes

  13-03-2015 21:12
  
  Northern California officials are reviewing jail security a week after a suspected child molester overpowered his single guard and escaped from custody.
  
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• Police: 15-year-old boy stabbed to death for his backpack

  13-03-2015 21:08
  
  A 15-year-old boy walking home from school was stabbed to death for his backpack, California authorities said.
  
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• Man found shot in car was a young father of two

  13-03-2015 20:35
  
  The coroner's office Friday released the name of a man found shot to death in a car in southeast Bakersfield.
  
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• Man found shot in car was a young father of 2

  13-03-2015 20:35
  
  The coroner's office Friday released the name of a man found shot to death in a car in southeast Bakersfield.
  
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• Coroner releases name of man found shot in car

  13-03-2015 20:35
  
  The coroner's office Friday released the name of a man found shot to death in a car in southeast Bakersfield.
  
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• March of Dimes raising funds for local women

  13-03-2015 20:34
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - The March of Dimes is raising funds today to help ensure moms have full-term pregnancies and healthy babies.
  KGET's Maddie Janssen emceed the kickoff breakfast for the 2015 March for Babies.     Team captains set fundraising goals and heard from one local family on why the work of March of Dimes is so important.
  The walk for babies is coming up April 18 at the Park at Riverwalk.     For more information, click on the March of Dimes website.
  
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• ID released for man shot during struggle with robbery suspect

  13-03-2015 20:29
  
  The coroner's office on Friday released the name of a man killed in a shooting Thursday morning on V Street.
  
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• Man killed in late-night party shooting identified

  13-03-2015 20:09
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - The coroner has identified the man killed at a late-night party that ended in bloodshed in central Bakersfield.early yesterday morning.
  According to witnesses, an armed masked man entered an apartment near 4th and V Street around 2 a.m. on March 12 and demanded money.     As two men struggled to take the gun away from the suspect, it went off and party guest 22-year-old Evan Jesus Picazo was fatally wounded.     The gunman was also was shot and
  
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• Taft police find Huntington Beach fugitive hiding in ex-wife's closet

  13-03-2015 19:40
  
  A fugitive sought by Huntington Beach police was found in Taft early Friday hiding in his ex-wife's bedroom closet.
  A Taft Police Department news release said James Arlin Lucas, 43, had led Huntington Beach police on a high-speed chase Thursday night. It said he was accused of making death threats and was considered to be armed and dangerous.
  
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• Program offers farmers loans to combat the drought

  13-03-2015 19:38
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - The U.S. Department of Agriculture is offering up to a half million dollars in farm loans due to the drought.
  The secretary of agriculture handed down a disaster designation for a host of California counties, including Kern.     Ranchers who conduct family-sized farming operations are eligible.     The applications are due by October 26.
  For more information, farmers are being directed to the local farm service agency located on California Ave
  
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• Taft police arrest man wanted in Huntington Beach

  13-03-2015 19:31
  
  James Arlin Lucas, 43, was wanted after a high-speed chase and alleged threats to kill a person. Huntington Beach police notified Taft police that Lucas could be in the area.
  
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• Free job fair this Tuesday

  13-03-2015 19:22
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - The Kern County Day Reporting Center is hosting a free job fair on March 17 for job seekers looking to find employment in construction, general labor, clerical and retail positions.
  
  Positions available will range from entry level to advanced 
  
  The job fair is scheduled to take place at the Kern Country DRC, located at 500 Baker St. from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  
  Organizers are reminding job seekers to dress professionally and bring several copies of their resume.
  
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• Local high school girls compete tonight for scholarships

  13-03-2015 19:08
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - The Distinguished Young Women of Bakersfield competition tonight will see 22 high school junior girls competing for more than $6,000 in college scholarship money.
  The DYW of America program, formerly known as Junior Miss, is the largest and oldest national scholarship program for high school girls.     Tonight, teens from local high schools will compete on stage and be judged in different areas like scholastics, interview, and talent.
  The program starts at 7
  
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• Pregnant Florida woman arrested for driving drunk

  13-03-2015 19:01
  
  Police say a drunk, pregnant Florida woman driving with two 18-month old children in her SUV crashed into the back of another car.
  
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• Huntington Beach fugitive arrested in Taft

  13-03-2015 18:55
  
  TAFT, CA - A fugitive from the Huntington Beach area was arrested in Taft after the Taft Police Department was informed a suspect may be hiding out in the area.
  Huntington Beach Police advised there was probable cause for the arrest of 43-year-old James Arlin Lucas, after he allegedly threatened to kill a person and leading Huntington Beach police on a high-speed chase in a silver 2014 Camaro on March 12.
  On March 13, around 8 a.m., Taft police spotted the silver Camaro at a residence in th
  
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• Students participate in solar suitcase project

  13-03-2015 18:37
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - PG&E is holding a demonstration of its Solar Suitcase technology at its offices today as they team up with international charity Free the Children.     The group is also offering a few local high school students a chance to visit Kenya to share the solar technology.
  According to PG&E, the portable, renewable energy units use a photovoltaic ligting system powerful enough to illimunate a small room.
  The event happens at 11 a.m. at PG&E's customer s
  
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• Oil company fined for spilling fracking fluid

  13-03-2015 17:28
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - An oil company has agreed to a $67,000 fine for likely spilling fracking fluid into unlined sumps in the south Belridge oil field in 2013.
  A copy of the proposed settlement agreement is posted to the Central Valley Regional Water quality control board website.     Breitburn Operating Lp reported it may have accidentally discharged between 10 and 20 barrels of fracking fluid into a series unlined sumps between May and July of 2013.     'Fracking
  
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• Wasco official fined for controversial HECA vote

  13-03-2015 17:22
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - A Wasco city councilman has been fined by the Fair Political Practices Commission for a vote he took linked to the controversial HECA power project.
  The FPPC in late February hit councilman John Martin with a $4,000 fine.     The commission disciplined Martin for his vote last March to allow Savage Coal Company to expand operations in order to fuel a hydrogen energy California power plant targeted for Tupman.   The FPPC said that because Martin owns
  
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• CAPK receives grant to fund low-income services

  13-03-2015 17:11
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - The Community Action Partnership of Kern County is receiving $60,000 for its water utility assistance program to low-income and drought impacted households.     CAPK is one of 10 agencies receiving a grant from the California Department of Community Services and Development.   The money will provide residential water financial assistance benefits and water conservation education.
  
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• Grant helps fund biogas energy project

  13-03-2015 17:01
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - New technology is helping two local dairies turn cow manure into energy, courtesy of an $8 million grant from the state.
  The state energy commission voted Wednesday to award two grants of $4 million each to Lakeview Farms Dairy in Bakersfield and west Star North Dairy in Buttonwillow.     The money is intended to be used to install manure digesters, which can convert methane biogas into electricity.
  
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• KCSO looking for gunman in fatal shooting

  13-03-2015 16:45
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - Sheriff's investigators are still looking for the gunman behind a shooting in southeast Bakersfield.     The victim was gunned down as he sat in his car in the middle of a residential street the evening of March 12. He suffered mulitple gunshot wounds.
  The shooting happened in the 100 block of Bryant Street in Rexland Acres, just off of South Union Avenue and Rexland Drive.     Onlookers gathered as deputies started processing the scene. Several
  
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• Kia to recall some Soul SUVs; gas pedals can bend or break

  13-03-2015 16:43
  
  Kia is recalling nearly 209,000 Soul small SUVs because the gas pedals can bend or break.
  
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• Capitol Hill Buzz: Who has time to read these bills we pass?

  13-03-2015 15:15
  
  Congress can get so busy that senators and their staffs don't always have time to scrutinize bills they pass and letters they sign - or so it seemed this week, anyway.
  
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• Two local moms raising awareness for Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia

  13-03-2015 14:49
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA.-Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia is a rare condition that affects approximately one in 2500 pregnancies, according to Cherubs, a CDH organization. Two local moms whose children suffered from the condition are working to make sure more parents are aware of CDH and can find support.
  Amber Bullard only held her baby Addison once in her 33 days of life, and Ali Sanford cherished the 11 days she spent with her son Easton, who doctors told her probably wouldn't survive the birth.
  
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• Fundraiser to help prevent human trafficking

  13-03-2015 14:27
  
  This weekend two Bakersfield organizations will team up to host a lavish black-tie affair, but the event is aimed at preventing one of Kern County's most heinous crimes. 
  
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• Foes rage over idea of privatizing county libraries

  13-03-2015 08:06
  
  A couple weeks of heated emails and letters have set the stage for a scrappy meeting on Tuesday as the Kern County Board of Supervisors takes up the issue of library privatization.
  
  Supporters of the Kern County Library system have peppered county officials with fiery opposition to the idea of turning over Kern's libraries to a for-profit Maryland company.
  
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• Kern heath safety net scores well in new study

  13-03-2015 07:42
  
  A new study that looks at health care safety nets after the implementation of the Affordable Care Act generally praises Kern County's indigent care, but calls on all counties to do more to provide services to undocumented immigrants.
  
  Health care advocacy group Health Access California issued the report, "Reorienting the Safety Net for the Remaining Uninsured" on Thursday. The report was based on findings of a survey of the stat
  
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• Man shot in southeast Bakersfield

  13-03-2015 07:29
  
  Kern County Sheriff's deputies say a man was shot in the 100 block of Bryant St. in southeast Bakersfield around 5:20 p.m. When deputies arrived they found a vehicle parked in the middle of the streets, inside they found a Hispanic adult male suffering from a gunshot wound, he later died. 
  
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• Defying the odds: Local wounded vet inspires...

  13-03-2015 06:20
  
  I was reminded how...in an instant your life can change forever. 
  
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• Man convicted of murder, dismemberment of woman granted new trial due to prosecutor error

  13-03-2015 06:18
  
  A Bakersfield man convicted of murdering and dismembering a woman was granted a new trial Thursday after a judge ruled the prosecutor in the case violated a court order by playing a portion of a 911 tape indicating the defendant had been released from prison shortly before the killing.
  
  Judge Charles R. Brehmer said Thursday that Alejandro Leon made a decision not to testify in part because he'd be op
  
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• CITY BEAT: 24th Street crosswalks. and one hard-working city

  13-03-2015 06:14
  
  TALKIN' 24TH CROSSWALKS: The Bakersfield City Council will likely hear more from local residents about 24th Street crosswalks during the public comment portion of its meeting Wednesday.
  
  More than 20 area residents joined their councilman, Terry Maxwel1, for the Westchester Crosswalk Campaign's first meeting Saturday at Bodyworks Yoga.
  
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• Eagles set to land at Rabobank Arena

  13-03-2015 05:56
  
  The Eagles are nearly as famous for their internal feuds as their enviable catalog of hits but when it comes to Bakersfield, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers have nothing but peaceful, easy feelings.
  
  Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit -- the 2015 configuration of what might be the most iconic rock band on the road today -- return for the third time to the Rabobank Arena on May 26.
  
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• Couple dead in murder-suicide were divorcing

  13-03-2015 05:55
  
  After 27 years and six months, the marriage of Stockdale Estates residents Diane and Shawn Carroll was ending.
  
  A petition for dissolution of marriage filed in Kern County Superior Court and made public Thursday reveals the late Diane L. Carroll separated from her husband, the late Shawn M. Carroll, on Valentine’s Day.
  
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• Students tune in for BCSD Standards Festival

  13-03-2015 05:01
  
  From violins to flutes and tubas, hundreds of middle and junior high school students participated in the Bakersfield City School District Standards Festival at CSUB.
  
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• Assistance groups reach out to large Bakersfield homeless camp

  13-03-2015 03:26
  
  A large homeless camp has been set up right off busy Union Avenue for several months, and Thursday several local assistance agencies did an outreach, hoping to get these people into housing.
  
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• Man found dead in sump leaves behind wife, kids

  13-03-2015 03:21
  
  The family of Alejandro DeJesus, the man found dead in a drainage sump over the weekend, recalled their last moments with him, revealing he had been missing for about two months.
  
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• Foothill, Highland HS on lockdown Thursday

  13-03-2015 03:10
  
  Law enforcement placed Foothill High School and Highland High School on lockdown Thursday afternoon.. The lockdown at Foothill High School was put in place around 1:24 p.m. The lockdown at Highland High School was put in place around 2:36 p.m. 
  
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• Big meeting of local farmers held for threat of small bug

  13-03-2015 02:57
  
  A small bug is causing a big concern across Kern County. The Asian citrus psyllid carries bacteria that produces a disease called huanglongbing. There is no cure for the disease, making it deadly to citrus trees.
  
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• Man found shot, dead in southeast Bakersfield

  13-03-2015 02:39
  
  The Kern County Sheriff's Office is investigating a deadly shooting.
  
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