Bakersfield news

• Senate approves requiring vaccinations for day care workers

  22-05-2015 23:58
  
  The state Senate on Friday approved the bill by Democratic Sen. Tony Mendoza of Artesia, sending it to the Assembly on a 34-3 vote.
  
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• Three local volunteers to aid in Texas storm relief effort

  22-05-2015 23:58
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - Three volunteers with the American Red Cross of Kern County are headed out to Texas to assist with tornado and flood relief efforts. AmeriCorps member Daniel Avina and volunteer Julie Womack are deploying to assist with client casework. Volunteer Melinda Mitchell will be assisting with health services. All three will report to the Dallas Fort Worth area.Avina and Womack are will work with families to determine their needs and what recovery resources they can receive.Mitch
  
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• Historic Senator Hotel sold in online auction

  22-05-2015 23:56
  
  The Senator Hotel, a landmark in California's capital city, is being sold for $31.8 million.
  
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• Father of Santa Barbara shooting victim wants gun reforms

  22-05-2015 23:55
  
  Richard Martinez thinks of his son every day, and with those thoughts come the constant reminder of a young life cut tragically short by a troubled man with a gun.
  
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• Neighbor: Centennial Corridor homes are target

  22-05-2015 23:31
  
  Neighbors are concerned as more residents move out of their homes to make way for the Centennial Corridor Project that the area has become a target.
  
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• Man accused of using stolen credit card

  22-05-2015 23:25
  
  The Bakersfield Police Department is seeking the community's assistance in identifying and locating the following suspect wanted for burglary.
  
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• State water board approves proposal by riparian rights holders

  22-05-2015 22:40
  
  SACRAMENTO, CA - The State Water Board has approved a proposal from farmers to voluntarily cut back water use in order to protect future water rights.
  The proposal was by riparian water right holders in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta looking to ensure they would have enough water during the growing season from June to September.
  “This proposal helps Delta growers manage the risk of potentially deeper curtailment, while ensuring significant water conservation efforts in this fourth
  
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• California OKs offer of voluntary water cuts by farmers

  22-05-2015 22:30
  
  California regulators have accepted a historic offer by farmers to make a25 percent voluntary water cut to avoid deeper mandatory losses duringthe drought.
  
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• War vet gives rescued dog 'most perfect home'

  22-05-2015 22:13
  
  Evan Morgan, an Iraq War veteran who lost his legs in combat, experienced what he calls a "moment of serendipity" in meeting his new furry family member Tango.
  
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• Thousand Flags event this weekend

  22-05-2015 22:11
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - As we head into a long holiday weekend, it's important to remember what memorial day is all about.
  It's a time for our nation to pause and remember the men and women in uniform who have died fighting for our freedoms.     Out at the Park at Riverwalk, you can be part of a patriotic celebration this weekend.     It's the second annual Thousand Flags celebration and organizers are asking for volunteers to help install all of those flags.
  Preparation
  
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• Las Vegas feels magnitude-5.4 earthquake 100-plus miles away

  22-05-2015 21:54
  
  A magnitude-5.4 earthquake has struck a rural area of southern Nevada and has been felt more than 100 miles away in Las Vegas.
  
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• 2 men arrested in California in terrorism probe

  22-05-2015 21:52
  
  Two California men arrested by the FBI wanted to join the Islamic Stategroup and bought a plane ticket for one of them to travel to Turkey withthe hope of becoming a martyr, U.S. prosecutors said Friday.
  
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• Woman in court, accused of posing as dead mom to get money

  22-05-2015 21:51
  
  A woman accused of posing as her dead mother to collect a $41,691 annuity was in court Friday.
  
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• Death toll on Kern River sign increases by two

  22-05-2015 21:49
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - Kern County Search and Rescue added two more deaths to the sign at the mouth of the canyon Friday morning.     The sign is updated every year before summer starts with the number of people who have drowned in the Kern River since 1968.     That number is now up to 271, after sheriff's officials said 2 19-year-old men drowned in 2014 while swimming in the river.    And this year, water levels are lower due to the drought, but of
  
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• Unemployment numbers for April show improvement

  22-05-2015 21:43
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - New unemployment numbers are out and they show fewer people are unemployed in Kern County.
  The unadjusted rate for April is 10.3 percent.     That's down from 11.2 percent from March, and below last year's April estimate of 10.9 percent.    Kern County is more than double the national average, which is 5.1 percent for April 2015.     California's is 6.1percent.
  The biggest local jump for jobs was in farming, which added 9,200 jobs f
  
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• Signs updated: Kern River drowning deaths now at 271

  22-05-2015 21:43
  
  Officials made additions Friday to signs showing the number of Kern River drowning deaths.
  
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• VIDEO: Man steals package from doorstep

  22-05-2015 20:54
  
  A woman in north Bakersfield sent in a video of a man taking a package from her porch.
  
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• New retail center approved for northwest Bakersfield

  22-05-2015 19:55
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - A new retail center is officially on its way to a lot in northwest Bakersfield.
  The city planning commission voted unanimously Thursday to approve the 119,000 square foot retail center at the corner of Brimhall and Allen Roads.     The decision was postponed in April to allow nearby homeowners to voice concerns over which businesses would be in the center.     Artisan Square Investments LLC said the development will have a grocery store, bank, and
  
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• Regulators order pipeline testing, other steps after spill

  22-05-2015 19:40
  
  Federal regulators have ordered the company whose pipeline spilled thousands of gallons of oil across a California coastline to take a series of steps before it can restart the line.
  
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• Rain creates mess on Bakersfield roadways

  22-05-2015 19:30
  
  A big rig driver lost control Friday morning on the ramp from Highway 99to eastbound Highway 58, crashing and leaving the truck partiallydangling off the elevated roadway.
  
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• Truck crash blocking Highway 99 overpass

  22-05-2015 18:36
  
  One lane of westbound Highway 58 is currently blocked after a truck crashed at the highway 99 interchange.
  
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• The Man Up Foundation to teach boys how to be men

  22-05-2015 18:11
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA.-While young men may have a lot of ambition, many lack direction, and someone who can act as a guide. One local man decided to help change that by starting the Man Up Foundation. Dejon Jernagin, founder of the Many Up Foundation, won this year's NAACP Bakersfield chapter Man of the Year award for his work with the group. He started Man Up in 2013 with 13 boys. Now there are 45, all ages 8 to 18, many of whom don't have a father at home. Inside the church, young me
  
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• Hundreds gather to voice concerns about water restrictions

  22-05-2015 18:06
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - Hundreds of concerned residents met with Cal Water officials to voice their concerns about water restrictions.
  Nearly 300 people showed up to a meeting at California Water Services company Thursday night to learn more about the new regulations.     Everyone will be forced to cutback compared to their usage in 2013, reducing use by 32 percent. "I certainly don't want to waste water but 32 percent seems to be a pretty high mountain to climb," said B
  
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• Forum held to discuss key immigration issues

  22-05-2015 17:52
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - Dozens gathered Thursday night at Mira Monte High School for some free information on some controversial immigration issues.
  Professionals gave out information and free legal consultations regarding U Visa for victims of crimes, how to protect yourself from fraud when it comes to immigration issues, and AB 60 driver's licenses.     The Dolores Huerta Foundation, along with other civil rights organizations, local leaders and attorneys hosted the event.  &nbs
  
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• Woman rescued from river after kayak accident

  22-05-2015 17:38
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - A woman was rescued from the Kern River after a kayaking trip gone awry.
  Bakersfield and Kern County fire crews said the incident happened Thursday around 5:15 p.m.  
  The woman was kayaking down the river when she fell out and her kayak kept going, leaving her in the river.     She was able to climb up on a rock and that's where firefighters found her.     A fire captain said one swimmer made it to her with a rope, and then crews on land pull
  
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• Company launches campaign to start Sunday dinners with seniors

  22-05-2015 16:55
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA.-Many seniors prefer the comfort of their home over a retirement home, but that can leave the elderly feeling isolated and without quality meals. One company has launched a campaign to change that by encouraging the community to start Sunday dinners with seniors. Almost 6,000 males 65 and over lived alone in 2010, according to the U.S. Census and just over 12,000 female seniors. Home instead is an in-home care company with offices in Bakersfield. They've started a
  
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• Truck dangles from bridge on southbound hwy 99

  22-05-2015 16:42
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA.-A delivery truck is partially danging off the bridge connecting southbound highway 99 and eastbound highway 58. Expect delays if you're headed this way. The crash happened around 5:50 a.m. this morning. It is unclear how long it will take to clear the area. The last time a big rig struck a bridge, it damaged the guardrail and it took Caltrans hours to repair and make sure it is safe.
  It doesn't appear there is nearly as much damage this time around. 
  
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• Immigration forum providing valuable information

  22-05-2015 08:34
  
  Dozens of people got a chance Thursday night to get some answers about pending immigration issues.
  
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• Millions await court ruling on immigration

  22-05-2015 07:29
  
  Undocumented immigrants hope for a favorable court ruling that would allow them to remain in the country temporarily.
  
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• 3 pot shops in Lamont, all near schools

  22-05-2015 06:45
  
  At least three medical marijuana dispensaries have opened up on Main Street in Lamont, and they're raising extra concern for some residents because they're near schools.
  
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• Need a job? Come to the Bakersfield JobFest!

  22-05-2015 03:28
  
  Looking for a job? The Bakersfield JobFest might be the place you've been looking for!
  
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• Man raises money to buy car for neighbor after burglary

  22-05-2015 03:23
  
  One local man, Tony Whitnack, is now trying to raise money to purchase a used car for his neighbor after her home was burglarized.
  
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• Woman killed in front of CVS on Stockdale

  22-05-2015 03:02
  
  A pedestrian was killed in front of the CVS on Stockdale Highway Wednesday afternoon.
  
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• Joseph Maine trial continues, defense calls witnesses

  22-05-2015 02:37
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - Trial continued Thursday in the case of Joseph Maine.He's the man prosecutors say was driving drunk and speeding when he crashed into a car in south Bakersfield, killing a passenger and her unborn child.Our cameras are not allowed in the courtroom, but 17's Aric Richards has been following the trial from inside the courtroom.The mother of Vanessa Carrillo has attended the trial surrounded by family members and friends.Thursday morning and into the afternoon, several pictures,
  
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• Suspect died of self-inflicted gunshot, not police gunfire

  22-05-2015 02:02
  
  The Kern County coroner's office Thursday ruled that 26-year-old Leland Kane Smithson, of Lancaster, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
  
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• Coroner: Suspect died of self-inflicted gunshot, not police gunfire

  22-05-2015 02:02
  
  The Kern County coroner's office Thursday ruled that 26-year-old Leland Kane Smithson, of Lancaster, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
  
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• California backs gas plant to fill void from closed nuke

  22-05-2015 01:50
  
  Utility regulators Thursday opened the way for development of a natural gas-fired power plant on the coast near San Diego, perhaps one of the last of its kind in California as the state pushes toward a green energy future.
  
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• Death ruled suicide in officer-involved shooting; suspect not hit by BPD gunfire

  22-05-2015 01:41
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA - A man who police say robbed a downtown Bakersfield bank, which led to an officer-involved shooting, killed himself, the Kern County coroner's office reported Thursday.Leland Kane Smithson, 26, of Lancaster died as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, according to the coroner's office.The coroner ruled Smithson's death a suicide.Smithson was not hit by police gunfire, said Sgt. Joe Grubbs of the Bakersfield Police Department.The shooting happened after S
  
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• University committee OKs tuition hikes for nonresidents

  22-05-2015 01:33
  
  Undergraduates from outside California and graduate students preparing for careers outside academia will pay more to attend the University of California in the fall under a revised plan approved by members of the 10-campus system's governing board on Thursday.
  
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• California home prices, sales rise in April

  22-05-2015 01:31
  
  California home prices climbed to a new 7 1/2-year high in April as low interest rates and job growth lured buyers, a research firm said Thursday. Sales were brisk.
  
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• Attorney accused of pointing gun at homeless man

  22-05-2015 01:20
  
  An attorney was arrested Wednesday evening and accused of pointing a gun at a homeless person and then firing the gun into the air.
  
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• Appeals court delays transgender California inmate's surgery

  22-05-2015 01:17
  
  A federal appeals court delayed sex reassignment surgery for a transgender prison inmate in California on Thursday, hours after a state panel recommended that she be paroled.
  
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• Bakersfield lawyer accused of shooting gun during confrontation with homeless man

  22-05-2015 00:30
  
  An attorney and business owner was arrested Wednesday night for allegedly firing a gun into the air during a confrontation with a homeless man.
  
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• Bakersfield business owner accused of shooting gun during confrontation with homeless man

  22-05-2015 00:30
  
  A business owner was arrested Wednesday night for allegedly firing a gun into the air during a confrontation with a homeless man.
  
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• Bakersfield attorney arrested for assault on homeless man

  22-05-2015 00:29
  
  BAKERSFIELD, CA- A Bakersfield attorney is under arrest for assaulting a homeless man, according to Bakersfield Police.Attorney Vincent Gorski, 37, was drunk when he fired a shot in the air after pointing the gun at the victim police said.It happened just before 11 Wednesday night at Truxtun Avenue and S Street.Police said the victim told them he was using a business sign near the sidewalk in front of the attorney’s office to look at an injury he had at his arm.The victim said Gorski
  
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• Prosecutor: 6 officers indicted in death of Freddie Gray

  22-05-2015 00:01
  
  All six officers charged in the police-custody death of Freddie Gray were indicted by a grand jury, a prosecutor said Thursday.
  
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