Bakersfield news

• 2 convicted of murder in jewelry store heist

  10-04-2015 23:54
  
  Two men have been convicted of first-degree murder in the deaths of two members of their robbery crew who were shot during a botched jewelry store heist in Orange County four years ago.
  
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• Regulators weigh splitting up PG&E after deadly blast

  10-04-2015 23:52
  
  On the heels of a record $1.6 billion penalty against Pacific Gas & Electric Co., California's top utility regulator said he will look into whether the state's biggest power utility should be broken up to improve safety.
  
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• Newborn boy surrendered at Los Angeles hospital

  10-04-2015 23:48
  
  Authorities say a baby boy has been left at a hospital in Los Angeles under the county's Safe Surrender program.
  
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• Former Bakersfield man convicted of sexually exploiting a child

  10-04-2015 23:30
  
  A federal jury has found a former Bakersfield man accused of raping a baby and recording it in a local hotel guilty of kidnapping a toddler and producing child pornography.
  After a four-day trial, Shawn McCormack, 31, was convicted by a jury making videos of himself molesting an 11-month-old boy in a central Bakersfield hotel room in 2008.
  McCormack, now of Colorodo Springs, Colorodo, was found guilty of four counts of sexual exploitation of a child and two counts of kidnapping.    &n
  
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• Officials begin efforts to tear down tent city

  10-04-2015 22:41
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - Bakersfield's so-called tent city will soon be a thing of the past, as the city building department started removing the wall and fence surrounding the campsite on Friday.      Nearly 50 people live on the property, which is located on South Union Avenue.      City officials said the lot is unsanitary and against city laws.     The city attorney's office said the property is in a trust and officials weren't able to contact
  
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• Man guilty of recording sexual assaults on children

  10-04-2015 22:39
  
  A federal jury in Fresno has found a man guilty on all counts in a child pornography case.
  
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• Deputies put on leave in violent California arrest

  10-04-2015 22:31
  
  A California sheriff has placed 10 deputies on paid administrative leave after news video recorded a violent arrest that he says appeared to be excessive force.
  
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• Darren Carr named head football coach at BCHS

  10-04-2015 22:20
  
  Darren Carr, who spent the last seven years as a varsity defensive coach at Bakersfield High School, has been named the new head coach for the BCHS Eagles.
  
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• VIDEO: Officers beat man after pursuit

  10-04-2015 21:45
  
  A Southern California sheriff on Thursday ordered an immediate investigation after deputies were recorded beating and kicking a man who fled in a car and on horseback.
  
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• BPD looking two suspects wanted for Circle K robbery

  10-04-2015 21:38
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - The Bakersfield Police Department is asking for the public's help to identify and locate two suspects wanted for stong-arm robbery.The incident occurred March 21, around 10:30 p.m. at the Circle K on 1030 Oak St.According to BPD, the suspects entered the store, walked behind the sales counter and confronted the cashier. The male suspect then began removing cigarettes from the shelf behind the counter, at which time the female cashier attempted to stop him. The female suspect t
  
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• BPD looking for two suspects wanted for Circle K robbery

  10-04-2015 21:38
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - The Bakersfield Police Department is asking for the public's help to identify and locate two suspects wanted for stong-arm robbery.The incident occurred March 21, around 10:30 p.m. at the Circle K on 1030 Oak St.According to BPD, the suspects entered the store, walked behind the sales counter and confronted the cashier. The male suspect then began removing cigarettes from the shelf behind the counter, at which time the female cashier attempted to stop him. The female suspect t
  
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• Watch: Cop on motorcycle narrowly misses oncoming car

  10-04-2015 21:24
  
  An Oregon police officer driving a motorcycle narrowly missed crashing into an oncoming car, and it was all caught on video.
  
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• Traffic advisory for Calloway Drive next week

  10-04-2015 21:22
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - A traffic advisory is in effect for the Rosedale area with a lane closure expected on Calloway Drive next week.Motorists should anticipate a closure of the inside southbound lane on Calloway Drive, on Monday, April 13 and Tuesday, April 14.The lane closure will be between Marby Grange Way and Gleneagles Drive, and is needed to allow the contractor to make warranty repairs to concrete. This work is expected to be conducted between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., but the l
  
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• BCHS names new head football coach

  10-04-2015 20:54
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - Bakersfield Christian High School has hired Darren Carr as their new head football coach.
  Darren Carr is the older brother to former BCHS star Raiders quarterback Derek Carr and younger brother of former NFL first overall pick David Carr.     Carr played college football at Houston, and was previously an assistant at Bakersfield High School.     Carr replaces Jerald Pierucci, who was let go in March.
  
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• Barbecue fundraiser to support homeless center

  10-04-2015 20:40
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - For the seventh year, KGET is teaming up once again with Halliburton for a barbecue fundraiser with proceeds going to benefit the Bakersfield Homeless Center.
  The barbecue is happening Wednesday, April 15, outside our KGET studios on the corner of 22nd and L Streets.
  Volunteers will be serving up lunch from 11 a.m to 2 p.m.     For $10, you can get a tri-tip sandwich, chips and a drink.     You can also purchase $5 raffle tickets for a chance to w
  
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• BPD to conduct seven DUI checkpoints Saturday night

  10-04-2015 20:22
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA -The Kern DUI Task Force will be conducting DUI Checkpoints in seven separate locations in the greater Bakersfield area on Saturday night.
  The checkpoints will be conducted in seven different locations, though not conducted simultaneously. BPD officials say they wanted to do something different to circumvent social media posts about the checkpoints.
  According to BPD, the DUI checkpoints are in an effort to reduce the number of persons injured or killed each year in DUI related c
  
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• Camp Out Against Cancer kicks off April 10

  10-04-2015 20:15
  
  Hundreds will be setting up their tents for the second Campout Against Cancer this weekend.
  
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• Man living dream with 1st pitch at Sam Lynn Ballpark

  10-04-2015 19:57
  
  Thursday was opening night at Sam Lynn Ballpark, and the Bakersfield Blaze started off their season against the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes.
  
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• Campout Against Cancer this weekend

  10-04-2015 19:49
  
  The event is designed to raise awareness and funds for Kern County cancer patients in financial need, according to organizers.
  
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• Boy dies, brother fights for life after car sinks in harbor

  10-04-2015 19:26
  
  A family had just left a seaside entertainment area when their car plunged into Los Angeles harbor, killing a 13-year-old boy and leaving his 8-year-old brother fighting for his life Friday after divers pulled them from the sunken vehicle.
  
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• BPD discuss patrol zones at public meeting

  10-04-2015 18:12
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - The Bakersfield Police Department held the latest in its series of community meetings to let people know about changes in how they patrol.
  It happened last night in downtown Bakersfield at the Larry E Reider building on K Street, an which BPD refers to as the "metro zone."     According to BPD, it has geographically redrawn patrol areas into six zones instead of the 25 beats it had before.     This is part of an on-going effort to make t
  
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• Districts with high water usage ordered to cut back

  10-04-2015 18:05
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - The city of Bakersfield is proposing an ordinance to restrict outdoor watering to three days a week, but how are other local water agencies handling the mandatory water restriction?
  According to Calwater, they have not decided on limiting outdoor use for its customers yet.     But a representative said it wants to set a standard similar to the city of Bakersfield.     Calwater is under the jurisdiction of the California Public Utilities Commission
  
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• Teen in remission from Leukemia gets surprise

  10-04-2015 18:01
  
  Brand new wheels. It's what every 17-year-old dreams of as they get ready to start their senior year of high school.
  
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• MORE VIDEO: Man accused of punching toddler

  10-04-2015 17:15
  
  More video has been released of a violent attack caught on a security camera in downtown Bakersfield.
  
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• Man arrested after viral video shows him hit child in face

  10-04-2015 16:18
  
  A man has been arrested after a store surveillance video posted to social media showed him strike a small child in the face.
  
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• Man arrested after disturbing video shows child being struck

  10-04-2015 16:18
  
  A Bakersfield man is arrested and now faces child endangerment charges after a disturbing video is posted to social media. That security footage shows a toddler being chased down and struck by a man inside the Vest Market on Chester Avenue.
  
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• Hillary Clinton to announce presidential campaign on Sunday

  10-04-2015 15:37
  
  Hillary Rodham Clinton will end months of speculation about her political future and launch her long-awaited 2016 presidential campaign on Sunday, according to people familiar with her plans.
  
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• Viral video of man striking child in face leads to arrest

  10-04-2015 13:47
  
  A Bakersfield man has been arrested in connection with a stunning viral video that authorities say appears to show him striking a toddler in the face at a convenience store Thursday.Justin Cole Whittingon, 23 of Bakersfield, was arrested at his home and booked into the downtown jail early Friday on a charge of child endangerment.The BPD says it became aware late Thursday of the video that was circulating on Facebook that appeared to have been taken at the Vest Market on Chester Avenue in downto
  
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• Tickets on sale for St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway

  10-04-2015 08:46
  
  The time has come! Tickets for the 13th annual Bakersfield St. Jude Dream Home® Giveaway are now on sale!
  
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• McCarthy outlines a busy, maybe tense, April work period

  10-04-2015 08:38
  
  WASHINGTON -- After a two-week respite for Congress, April is shaping up to be a month of long nights, nods to the GOP base and divisions on both sides of the aisle. That's according to a memo sent to members Thursday by House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield.
  
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• Local cancer survivor's wish comes true

  10-04-2015 08:14
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - Meet Chris Goin, the "wish-kid" with a fancy Chevy 1500. Last July, Chris was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, and after six months of intensive treatment at Children's Hospital Central California in Madera, Chris is now cancer free.Family members say Chris's positive attitude, along with the love of his mother, who never left his side, is what got Goin through his treatment.And allowed them to enjoy the simple things in life.The Make-A-Wish Foundation tricke
  
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• A wish comes true for teen

  10-04-2015 07:44
  
  Seventeen-year-old Chris Goin had a big wish come true Thursday afternoon, courtesy of the Make-a-Wish Foundation of Central California’s Kern County office. Goin, who was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia at 15 years old and missed most of his junior year at Centennial High as a result, wanted to have a truck makeover for his 2004 Chevy pickup. When Goin pulled into The Marketplace for a visit to Johnny Garlic’s, he was surprised to find his old truck with a new look.
  
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• High speed chase down Rosedale Highway

  10-04-2015 05:52
  
  Bakersfield Police say a man stole items from the Farm Supply store on Rosedale Highway just before 8 p.m. Thursday evening. When police caught up with the suspect on Rosedale Highway, they say he speed away. Police chased the suspect going east, the pursuit ended on the on ramp to Highway 99 just off Rosedale. 
  
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• Vintage passenger plane visits Bakersfield

  10-04-2015 04:32
  
  Have you ever wondered what it was like to be in one of the first passenger planes in history?
  
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• Kern County deputies begin wearing body cameras

  10-04-2015 03:53
  
  A pilot program that has placed body cameras on 17 sheriff’s deputies in the community of Wasco received rave reviews Thursday from department officials.
  
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• BPD Officer parked in handicap spot was responding to an emergency

  10-04-2015 03:25
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - The Bakersfield Police Department says its investigation into a BPD vehicle parked in a handicap spot is complete.
  The department launched its investigation after someone sent in a photo of the officer's patrol car parked in a handicap spot outside of Boss Pizza on 18th Street. The social media buzz started after the department then posted the photo on its Facebook page. Initially Bakersfield Police Sergeant Joe Grubbs said the officer was not on an emergency call and was
  
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• KCFD alerts business owners to alleged scam

  10-04-2015 03:23
  
  A company, RMZ Fire and Safety of Claremont, is sending invoices to businesses for annual fire-safety inspections and certifications. The fire department said the company is trying to bill businesses $413 for a service that wasn't provided.
  
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• GET seeks long-term federal funds for needed improvements

  10-04-2015 03:22
  
  GET officials say they want Congress to act on reauthorizing the Highway Trust Fund to meet some yearly expenses, but they also want more long-term federal funds to pay for needed improvements like a bigger bus maintenance shop.
  
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• New body cameras worn by Kern sheriff's deputies

  10-04-2015 03:16
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - Officer-involved shootings have been at the forefront of news, both here at home and across the country.Now some Kern County Sheriff's deputies are responding by wearing body cameras.Sheriff Donny Youngblood believes the cameras in use by Wasco Substation deputies will help resolve problems and bring transparency to many controversialsituations.Seventeen deputies are taking part in the pilot program launched March 20.The sheriff's department says after 90 days, it will evaluat
  
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• Wings of Rescue flying again, thanks to Bakersfield donors

  10-04-2015 02:27
  
  Wings of Rescue said Thursday that it will fly again, thanks to donations from the people of Kern County.
  
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• Funeral Services for April 10

  10-04-2015 01:35
  
  Services scheduledAndrew Steele Sr., 74, Greenville, Miss., April 4. Visitation 6 p.m. April 10, Ruckers Mortuary; Service 10 a.m. April 11, Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church. Rucker's Mortuary.
  
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• HECA chief: We're down but not out

  10-04-2015 01:35
  
  Hydrogen Energy California has had problems lately, but it would be premature to terminate the $4 billion clean-coal plant proposed for eastern Kern County, the project's top executive said this week in an email to regulators and potential customers.
  Monday's email by HECA CEO Jim Croyle counters opponents' recent request that the California Energy Commission quit the project's regulatory review because of the company's lack of progress on the 200-worker chemical and power plant.
  
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• Kid writes apology letter to store: 'Attention: Barf cleaners'

  10-04-2015 01:32
  
  A child who apparently vomited inside the Powell's bookstore in Portland, Oregon, wrote an apology letter to the "barf cleaners."
  
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• Mojave man enters plea in animal cruelty case

  10-04-2015 01:17
  
  A Mojave Desert animal-rescue operator has pleaded no contest to one count of cruelty to an animal. Eight counts of the same charge were dismissed in the plea Thursday in Kern County court.
  
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• Firefighters warn of scam

  10-04-2015 01:06
  
  Kern County firefighters are warning the public of a scam in which a company is sending invoices to businesses for annual state-required fire safety equipment inspection tests and certification.
  The company, calling itself RMZ Fire and Safety, has been trying to convince business owners to pay for services that were not performed, firefighters said. Anyone who receives an invoice is advised to contact the local fire department, not pay any portion of the bill and also contact the local office of
  
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• Congressman Valadao named vice chair of ag subcommittee

  10-04-2015 01:06
  
  Valley Congressman David Valadao has been appointed as the vice chair of the House Agriculture Subcommittee.
  
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• Fire department alerting businesses of potential scam

  10-04-2015 01:02
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - Kern County Fire officials want to caution the public of a potential scam.  Officials say a company calling itself RMZ Fire and Safety in Claremont, California, is sending invoices to businesses for annually state required fire safety
  equipment inspection test and certification. That company is requiring payment of $413.11.Fire officials say the company has been using deceptive methods to convince businesses to pay for a service that was not performed.
  
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• Opposition to library privatization gets more organized

  10-04-2015 00:59
  
  A substitute teacher with a love for libraries is trying to mobilize opposition to privatization of the Kern County Library Department.
  Miranda Lomeli-O'Reilly's Advocates for Library Enhancement group is inviting the public to an organizational meeting at 6 p.m. Monday at the Beale Memorial Library on Truxtun Avenue.Library supporters from as far away as Ridgecrest are planning to attend.
  
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• 10 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW: Today's guide to the obscure, the possibly relevant and things in between

  10-04-2015 00:54
  
  1
  Pesky newspaper reporters. Every time a controversy erupts, here they come with their notebooks, talking with everyone involved. Then they go tell the whole world what they found out. Typical.
  
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• Symphony welcomes 2nd female Conductor candidate

  10-04-2015 00:41
  
  Take a deep breath... and wait for it...
  
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