Bakersfield news

• KHS students put their skills to the test in local competition

  15-05-2015 23:45
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - The career and technical skills of more than 500 students in the Kern High School District were put to the test Friday.
  The 18th annual Skills Olympics competition was held Friday at the Kern High School District's Regional Occupational Center on Mount Vernon Avenue.     Students competed in 16 different career and technical education areas from diesel mechanics to nursing and auto body repair.
  "I grew up in a mechanics family. My grandfather and father are
  
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• Woman arrested for insurance fraud after impersonating her deceased mother

  15-05-2015 23:21
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - A Bakersfield woman has been arrested for impersonating her dead mother to collect annuity payments.
  On Wednesday, 46-year-old Victoria Coffee was arrested on multiple felony counts, including grand theft and identity theft, according to the California Department of Insurance.
  Coffee is accused of impersonating her deceased mother to withdraw a $41,691 annuity.
  Coffee and her siblings were joint beneficiaries of the annuity, according to the DOI, but Coffee allegedly lied to M
  
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• Sign up for Kern County emergency alert program

  15-05-2015 23:16
  
  Kern County has implemented ReadyKern, a state-of-the-art emergency notification system alerts residents & businesses about natural disasters and other crises. The new emergency notification system enables Kern County to provide essential information quickly in a variety of situations, such as earthquakes, severe weather, fires, floods, or evacuation of buildings or neighborhoods.
  
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• Ambulance and big rig collision caught on video

  15-05-2015 22:59
  
  Frazier Park, CA - A new look from this surveillance video shows the crash in Lebec that killed a big rig driver and woman police say stole a Hall ambulance.A surveillance video from a smog shop nearby caught the collision on camera.On Wednesday, officials said a woman with a knife reportedly stole a Hall ambulance then later crashed with a semi truck in Frazier Park.  Kern County Fire officials said no ambulance personnel from Hall were in the wreckage near Lebec Road.  One pers
  
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• Local agencies declare start to wildfire season

  15-05-2015 22:39
  
  Multiple fire agencies gathered Friday to proclaim the start of wildfire season.
  
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• Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev sentenced to death

  15-05-2015 22:37
  
  (NBC News) Convicted Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev will be put to death.The jury returned the verdict in penalty phase of Tsarnaev's trial just after 3 p.m. Friday.Some survivors and victims' families were inside the courtroom when the verdict was read, including the parents of Martin Richard, an 8-year-old boy killed in the attack.Tsarnaev, who was 19-years-old at the time of the 2013 bombing, was convicted last month of 30 criminal counts.Of those counts, 17 carried the death penal
  
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• Rain is much needed, but disruptive to daily routines

  15-05-2015 22:26
  
  We all know California needs rain, and we all know that we're in the middle of a historic drought. Still, being outside can be uncomfortable.
  
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• Vote for Tehachapi's Kass McQuillen for Survivor 31

  15-05-2015 22:15
  
  Survivor contestant Kass McQuillen of Tehachapi needs your vote to be on season 31 of Survivor. Watch to find out why she wants to come back and then vote to give her one more shot on Survivor. Log on to http://www.cbs.com/shows/survivor/second-chance/ and then vote for your favorite top ten men and women.
  
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• Tehachapi's Kass McQuillen needs your 'Survivor' vote

  15-05-2015 22:15
  
  Survivor contestant Kass McQuillen of Tehachapi needs your vote to be on Season 31 of the CBS show "Survivor."
  
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• BPD looking for knife-wielding robbery suspect

  15-05-2015 21:54
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - The Bakersfield Police Department is asking for the community's help in identifying and locating a suspect wanted for robbery.
  According to BPD, on March 22 at 4 p.m., the suspect entered the T-Shirt Outlet, located at 6300 White Ln. and left the business without paying for items.
  A store clerk confronted the suspect, who then brandished a switchblade knife and threatened the clerk, according to police.
  The suspect is described as a 25-year-old male, with a medium build. He wa
  
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• BPD looking for suspect wanted for grand theft

  15-05-2015 21:27
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - The Bakersfield Police Department is asking for the community's help in identifying and locating a suspect wanted for grand theft.
  According to BPD, on April 30, around 5:16 a.m., the suspect removed a surveillance camera from the Truxtun Plaza building, located at 3434 Truxtun Ave.
  BPD officials add the suspect attempted to remove a second camera but was unsuccessful.
  The suspect is described as a male in his mid 20's to early 30's, with a thick brown mustache, wearing plaid
  
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• BPD looking for suspect that forced entry into JC Arbuckle

  15-05-2015 21:20
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - The Bakersfield Police Department is asking for the community's help in identifying and locating a suspect wanted for burglary.
  According to BPD, on May 1 at 4 a.m. the suspect forced entry into the JC Arbuckle, located at 500 E. 19th St. 
  BPD said the suspect stole items and fled in a white Ford Explorer. 
  The suspect is described as a male between 25 to 30 years of age. He was wearing a baseball cap, jacket and gloves.
  Anyone with information regarding this case is
  
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• SJCH receives award for specialized care services

  15-05-2015 21:00
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - San Joaquin Community Hospital was recognized for its dedication to stroke care Friday morning with a special honor.
  Their certified stroke center received the "Get with the Guidelines, Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award."     The award from the American Heart and Stroke Association recognizes commitment and success in implementing higher standard care to stroke patients.
  Memorial Hospital announced a few weeks ago it also was the recipient of
  
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• Verdict reached in marathon bomber's death penalty trial

  15-05-2015 20:49
  
  The jury reached a decision Friday in the penalty phase of the death penalty trial after 14 hours of deliberations.
  
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• Boston Marathon bomber sentenced to death

  15-05-2015 20:49
  
  A jury sentenced Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to death Friday for the Boston Marathon bombing, sweeping aside pleas that he was just a "kid" who fell under the influence of his fanatical older brother.
  
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• Fire officials getting ready for wildfire season

  15-05-2015 20:29
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - Despite the rain and cooler temperatures, Friday officially marks the beginning of wildfire season in Kern County.
  And as the state continues the fourth year of drought, fire agencies are gearing up for what could be a long and dangerous season.      The Kern County Fire Department is particularly concerned about residents in the mountain communities. 
  Fire officials are also cautioning those living in the valley to be aware of vacant lots.
  Last year,
  
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• Laughter Yoga offers many health benefits

  15-05-2015 20:23
  
  When you think of yoga, you probably think about rolling out a mat, contorting your body into pretzel-like poses and silence. At the Art For Healing Center at Mercy Hospital downtown, there's a yoga class much different. It's called Laughter Yoga.
  
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• BC commencement Friday night, featuring 1K graduates

  15-05-2015 20:18
  
  Bakersfield College will hold its 101st commencement Friday night.
  
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• Bakersfield woman accused of posing as dead mom to get money

  15-05-2015 20:09
  
  A woman was arrested this week on suspicion of posing as her dead mother to collect a $41,691 annuity.
  
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• Round 2 of cold, windy storm sweeps into California

  15-05-2015 19:57
  
  A second round of rain from a rare spring storm swept into drought-stricken Southern California on Friday, along with heavy winds, snow in the mountains and the possibility of hail and lightning.
  
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• Congratulations to BC's class of 2015

  15-05-2015 19:49
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - The big day for some local Bakersfield College students is upon us.
  More than 1,000 students will celebrate graduation at the 101st commencement ceremony Friday night at 7 p.m. at BC's Memorial Stadium.     Out of those thousand, 200 graduates have earned associate degrees for transfer, guaranteeing their admission to a number of four-year universities, according to school officials.     They added more than 700 students in total plan to transfer
  
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• Video: Fatal crash of stolen ambulance

  15-05-2015 19:15
  
  Surveillance video has been released showing the moments of the deadly crash involving a stolen ambulance and a semi-truck in Frazier Park.The driver of the semi-truck and a woman who stole the ambulance were killed instantly. The crash happened Wednesday after the woman, who reportedly was armed with a knife, took the ambulance from a crew who had responded to her call for help.Witnesses in the area said the ambulance was traveling as fast as 100 miles per hour. The woman crashed the ambula
  
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• Judge rules claims of discrimination against KHSD inadequate

  15-05-2015 18:20
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - A tentative ruling has been reached in the lawsuit against the Kern High School District, accusing it of pushing minority students out of school and toward crime.
  A coalition of civil rights groups filed the suit late last year, saying the district's discipline and involuntary transfer policies have a disproportionate impact on Latino and African-American students.          But judge Eric Bradshaw has tentatively ruled that five of the nine claims
  
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• Woman arrested for impersonating dead mother

  15-05-2015 18:00
  
  Victoria Coffee, 46, of Bakersfield, Calif., was arrested Wednesday on multiple felony counts including grand theft and identity theft for allegedly impersonating her deceased mother to withdraw a $41,691 annuity.
  
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• Overgrown vines cause trouble for pedestrians

  15-05-2015 17:55
  
  Neighbors in South Bakersfield are upset, after vines have taken over the sidewalk for about a block on Wilson Road.
  
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• Prosecutors say two-year sentence for drunk driver is not enough

  15-05-2015 17:47
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - A man who took a plea deal in a fatal-hit-and-run case that killed a bicyclist was sentenced to two years in prison Thursday.     However, prosecutors said he should have received more after it was determined he was drunk at the time of the crash.
  Prosecutors revealed 28-year-old Jonathan Montiel admitted to drinking alcohol before the crash in February where 43-year-old Saul Zelaya Ayala was found in the road at Union Avenue and Panama Lane.     
  
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• Ways to prepare your home for wildfire season

  15-05-2015 16:36
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA.-Despite the rain and cooler temperatures, today officially marks the beginning of wildfire season. And as the state continues the fourth year of the drought, fire agencies are gearing up for what could be a long and hot season. Last year, California spent an estimated 209 million dollars fighting wildfires. This season, the Kern County Fire department wants you to help avoid these dangerous blazes. As fire season heats up, the county fire department is particularly co
  
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• Ditch the car, bike to work today

  15-05-2015 15:16
  
  Dozens of Kern County drivers will ditch their cars and instead ride their bikes to work, today. 
  
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• Blues legend B.B. King has died

  15-05-2015 14:39
  
  LAS VEGAS (AP) -- B.B. King, whose scorching guitar licks and heartfelt vocals made him the idol of generations of musicians and fans while earning him the nickname King of the Blues, died late Thursday at home in Las Vegas. He was 89.
  
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• Hundreds to graduate from Bakersfield College; some are very special

  15-05-2015 09:02
  
  The road to this day, graduation day at Bakersfield College, has been a straight and narrow path for some and a winding labyrinth for others. No matter the course, the time has come for 1,061 students to graduate from BC.
  
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• Multi-vehicle crash blocks west Highway 58

  15-05-2015 09:01
  
  A collision on rain-slickened Highway 58 involving at least three vehicles blocked westbound traffic near downtown Bakersfield for a time Thursday afternoon. California Highway Patrol officers responded to the multi-vehicle accident near the transition to northbound Highway 99 at 4:46 p.m.
  
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• Bitter division rises over possible change to county’s zoning scheme

  15-05-2015 08:43
  
  Kern County Supervisors face a tough decision Tuesday when the first skirmish in Kern County's upcoming groundwater regulation battles play out. East Kern’s Indian Wells Valley, the desert basin surrounding Kern County Supervisor Mick Gleason's home in Ridgecrest, is the setting for the conflict.
  
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• Blues legend B.B. King dies at 89

  15-05-2015 08:32
  
  Guitarist B.B. King, who took the blues from rural juke joints to the mainstream and influenced a generation of rock guitarists from Eric Clapton to Stevie Ray Vaughan, has died, the Los Angeles Times reported late on Thursday. He was 89. King, who will forever be linked with the Gibson guitars he named Lucille, died in Las Vegas, the newspaper quoted his attorney as saying.
  
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• 'King of the Blues' B.B. King dead at age 89

  15-05-2015 07:52
  
  Blues legend B.B. King has died in Las Vegas at age 89, his lawyer says.
  
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• Ex-KRC board president speaks publicly after resignation

  15-05-2015 04:03
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA -  For the first time, former Kern Regional Center board president Susan Lara is speaking publicly about her resignation. "I have been accused that I get preferential treatment or that it's a conflict of interest," Lara said. "And I have never received preferential treatment."After months of public outcry, Lara resigned on May 5. KRC CEO Duane Law continues to be employed by the center, despite similar calls for him to step down. All of th
  
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• Officers hold solemn tribute at Kern County memorial

  15-05-2015 03:50
  
  Law enforcement agencies gathered Thursday at the Kern County Peace Officer's Memorial to give a solemn tribute to those who have given their lives protecting the public.
  
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• Heavy traffic in downtown Bakersfield

  15-05-2015 03:50
  
  The California Highway Patrol is advising drivers all around Bakersfield to be wary of heavy traffic along State Route 58 and Union Avenue.
  
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• One Classroom at a Time: Andrea Broaddus and Richard P. Ulrich Elementary

  15-05-2015 03:49
  
  The One Classroom at a Time program has been awarding grants since 2006.
  
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• Woman sues former employer over tracking app

  15-05-2015 03:47
  
  A Bakersfield woman has filed a lawsuit against her former employer, seeking damages for what she calls an invasion of privacy and wrongful termination.
  
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• The California Delta Blues

  15-05-2015 03:42
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - The drought is starting to make people cranky. Water cuts at home.  Lawns in limbo. You've got city folk piling on farmers for the kind of crops they grow.  Reservoirs are drying up.And a tiny federally-protected fish is approaching extinction. In Sacramento, state regulators find themselves in a perpetual balancing act, of stretching surface water supplies to meet hardened demands for fish, farms and cities. And things are getting testy.
  Big fights are bre
  
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• Security salesman becomes security threat

  15-05-2015 03:25
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - Bakersfield police say a former door-to-door home security salesman is a security threat in his own right. Officers say the 19-year-old sexually assaulted one woman and made vulgar comments to another last week while on the job in northwest Bakersfield.
  Police have identified the 19-year old as Kevin Huynh of Canoga Park. His accuser didn't want to talk on camera about the attack, fearful that he would come back.
  It was Wednesday, May 6, when officers say Kevin Huynh was
  
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• Xerox to help offset Kern's unemployment rate

  15-05-2015 03:19
  
  The unemployment rate in California is 6.5%. Here in Kern county, that rate is 11%. 
  
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• Day after deadly ambulance, big rig crash: 'It's tragic'

  15-05-2015 03:11
  
  The Frazier Park woman who stole an ambulance and crashed it into a big rig has been identified as 50-year-old Kristina Fort.
  
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• 2 former Los Angeles sheriff's officials surrender to FBI

  15-05-2015 02:38
  
  The former second-in-command of the nation's largest sheriff's department and a high-ranking official who was supposed to investigate crimes by deputies surrendered Thursday on charges they hid an FBI jailhouse informant to hinder a federal investigation into abuse by guards.
  
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• New details in deadly ambulance crash

  15-05-2015 02:34
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - The investigation continues into a bizarre and deadly crash in Lebec Wednesday night involving a Hall Ambulance and a big rig.Authorities say the ambulance was stolen at knife point by a woman who reportedly had a seizure at her home, but refused treatment when paramedics arrived.
  Just before 6:00 p.m., witnesses described the scene near Frazier Park as horrific."That ambulance hit that truck driver head on. There was no brakes, there was no swerving, nothing," said
  
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• WB Hwy 58 traffic slowed by multi-vehicle crash

  15-05-2015 02:32
  
  Traffic is snarled on westbound Highway 58 at Highway 99 in Bakersfield after a multi-vehicle crash, which included a tanker truck.
  
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• Cold, windy storm hits drought-stricken California

  15-05-2015 02:14
  
  Rain is falling in Southern California as a cold northern storm front rolls through the drought-stricken region.
  
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• Assembly approves bill to help Corinthian Colleges students

  15-05-2015 02:12
  
  The state Assembly is advancing legislation to help about 13,000 California students affected by the sudden closure of Corinthian Colleges.
  
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• California Rep. Loretta Sanchez enters 2016 US Senate race

  15-05-2015 02:10
  
  California Rep. Loretta Sanchez announced Thursday she is running for U.S. Senate, setting up a multimillion-dollar clash of two prominent Democrats that will highlight the state's diversity and divisions.
  
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• California Senate approves school vaccine bill

  15-05-2015 02:05
  
  State senators passed a bill Thursday aimed at increasing California'sschool immunization rates after a measles outbreak at Disneyland lastyear.
  
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