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02-02-2012 Bakersfield police are asking for the public's help in finding a a suspect in a series of robberies. Sergeant Mary DeGeare says the Wal-Mart on Rosedale Highway was robbed last night by the same person who robbed the Wells Fargo at the Vons on Coffee Road, and a few places in other parts of the state. "In all these robberies, he's entered a place like a Walmart, or a bank inside a grocery store and handed a note demanding money." Police say he also robbed businesses in Paso Robles, Tracey, and Gilroy. Click here, here, here, and here to see surveillance camera photos. Anyone with information is urged to call Detective Jeff Saso at 326-3535.

02-02-2012 Kern County Sheriff's deputies have arrested a Mojave man for possession of $1,200 worth stolen property after they used a warrant to search his home. An investigation of Kevin Jones' home on Arthur Avenue turned up a keyboard and DVD player. They also found a computer at another location linked to Jones.

02-02-2012 A Bakersfield man who hurt five people in a drunk driving crash has learned his fate. David Longoria will spend just over four years in prison for running a red light at California Avenue and Oak Street in 2011. Defense Attorney Missirlain says Longoria is sorry for his lapse in judgement. "From the very first day that I met him, He always told me, 'How is the guy? I feel really badly. I wish I could trade places with him'". Prosecutors say Longoria's blood-alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit when he ran the light in his Lincoln, T-boning a Honda. Both cars ended up in gas station parking lots on opposite sides of the street.

02-02-2012 Sentencing for a man and woman who took plea deals for elder abuse has been put on hold after the man withdrew his plea. Prosecutors say Joseph McCoy and Darlene Green left Margaret Gray unattended in bed in her Lake Isabella home in February of 2011. Paramedics found the emaciated Gray with an open wound on her tailbone. They will be back in court in March.

02-02-2012 The investigation into the sudden death of a three-year-old east Bakersfield boy is not done yet, but detectives believe a medical condition may be to blame. Sheriff's Spokesman Ray Pruitt says they suspect Giovannia Quiroz died from a viral infection, similar to Meningitus. "That's one of the things the coroner's office is looking at. But at this point, so far, in the investigation, there's nothing to indicate that the child's death is the result of any criminal activity." Giovanni was not breathing when his mother found him Sunday morning, at their home on Crawford Street. A homicide investigation is routine, whenever a child dies.

02-02-2012 A stalled NASCAR track off South Enos Lane could host its first race in October, if a deal for the property closes escrow as expected. The Bakersfield Californian reports a group of four businesses is taking over the half-mile paved oval, which was foreclosed on more than a year ago when the economy turned sour. The track is 80-percent built.

02-02-2012 A man who tried to fend off three juveniles who were trying to steal from a Lost Hills business was stabbed in the neck, and is in the hospital. Kern County Sheriff's deputies say Mario Soto confronted one of them last night, when he saw them with a car dolly at the GMC General Auto Repair Shop in Lost Hills. He fired a gun into the air and the ground to scare them off. Deputies are searching for the suspects.

02-01-2012 Firefighters say three dogs and a cat are dead after a house fire in Tehachapi, and eight others are still missing The Kern County Fire Department says the blaze in the 500 block of East F Street started just before 9 o'clock Wednesday night, but none of the three people living there were home at the time. Damage is estimated at $30-thousand. The cause of the fire may have been a faulty floor heater.

02-01-2012 California's Safely Surrendered Baby law has led to the adoption of 25 Kern County infants in six years, and child advocates are using February to get the word out. Human Services Director Pat Cheedle says the law gives mothers a place to take their babies, when they cannot care for the child themselves. "It's a very courageous decision to make and it's the best decision that can be made for your baby." The law lets a mother turn over her baby at a firehouse, police station or hospital. It also gives her 14 days to change her mind.

02-01-2012 The American Cancer Society, the American Lung Association, and the Livestrong Foundation are backing a ballot proposition to tax smokers to get money for research and education. Lung Association spokesperson Tamira Lopez-Smith says 90 percent of smokers start before they are 18 years old. "If you have a lot of prevention efforts and intervention efforts out in the schools, that can be funded through money through the California Cancer Research Act, which is now known as Proposition 29." Lopez-Smith says the Proposition will boost the tax on a pack of smokes by one dollar to provide $600 million a year for the research and education programs. However, anti-tax groups are slamming Prop 29. Michael Turnipseed with the Kern County Taxpayers Association says it doesn't make sense to create a new program funded by a tax increase when unemployment is high and and schools face budget cuts. CalTax calls it a "billion dollar government boondoggle."

02-01-2012 State regulators have approved a plan that allows PG&E customers to opt out of controversial wireless SmartMeters and go with old-fashioned analog ones instead. But PG&E spokeswoman Katie Allen says there is an up-front fee of $75 to make the switch. "Which pays for the technology changes necessary to offer two meter-reading systems, plus the initial visit, which is to install a new analog meter or to test the existing analog meter." There's also a $10 monthly fee for meter readings. Customers have argued for years that Smart Meters are inaccurate, causing them to be over-billed, and Minnie Spatt with TURN, The Utility Reform Network, says customers shouldn't have to pay to opt of something they didn't want in the first place. "Customers were literally begging PG&E not to put them in, and PG&E put them in in many cases over customer's strenuous objections." Spatt also says the fee structure is only temporary, and that $10 monthly charge could go up. PG&E says the fees are needed to cover their costs.

02-01-2012 Kern County Sheriff's deputies found more than they were expecting during a search in east Bakersfield. Sergeant Laura Lopez says deputies were looking for a stolen flatbed trailer when they served a search warrant in the 300 block of Yampa Street Tuesday. "We had come away with not only the stolen trailer, but we identified another stolen vehicle on the property, along with a substantial amount of methamphetamine." The meth had a street value of $20,000. They also found about half a pound of marijuana, and two safes that had been pried open. Three people were arrested.

02-01-2012 Bakersfield Police are still trying to find out who ran over a girl who was on her way to school one year ago. Sergeant Mary DeGeare says 16-year-old Victoria Rose Peterson was hit by a woman in a white pickup behind the Bakersfield Heart Hospital while she was walking to Sillect Community School, but information has been scarce. "Initially, we had some leads to follow up on, but they didn't pan out. So at this point I think our only chance of solving it is if someone comes forward." DeGeare says the driver may not even know she hit anyone, as the point of impact was on a rough part of the road. A $5,000 reward still being offered by the Secret Witness Program.

02-01-2012 The woman that caused the fight between Danny Mathis and Ruben Torres may be charged with assault with a deadly weapon, after trying to run down a TV news crew. Chasidy Wilhite was caught on video speeding towards the KBAK crew, knocking down their camera, and stopping to curse at them. The station has filed a complaint.

02-01-2012 The Kern County Supervisors are moving ahead with plans to create a map that defines where Tehachapi-area wind energy projects should be considered off-limits. Supervisor Jon McQuiston said Tuesday he supports the idea of protecting certain areas from development. "I'm comfortable moving forward. I think there's more work to be done. If you want certainty of where there is exclusion, the concept works because right now that doesn't exist." The board directed planning staff to work on a map that draws buffer zones around Tehachapi and other communities. It's expected to take several months.

02-01-2012 A woman accused of killing her two-year-old son in Delano is due back in court next week for her arraignment. It was pushed back when defense attorneys requested more time to look into potential conflicts of interest. Noemi Mendoza faces charges of first degree murder and willful cruelty to a child in the January 2011 death of Juan Felix.

02-01-2012 A man allegedly killed by a romantic rival in Weldon has been identified as 22-year-old Ruben Torres. Kern County Sheriff's deputies say 51-year-old Danny Mathis beat Torres to death and hid his body in the trunk of his car. Mathis is due back in court for arraignment next Tuesday.

02-01-2012 Bakersfield police have arrested a man accused of threatening to kill a woman working at the Valley Plaza Mall. The 19-year-old victim told officers 27-year-old Sampson Tobias tried to rob her at her kiosk two weeks ago, came back a few days later and threatened to kill her, then threatened her again Tuesday night with a knife. He was arrested in the mall.

02-01-2012 County employees collected over 79,000 pounds of food in the Kern County Cares Canned Food Drive. Coordinators say more than 7,700 employees contributed to the annual effort, which benefits the Golden Empire Gleaners. Waste Management led all other departments in donations, with 24,000 pounds.

02-01-2012 It's the end of the road for the Bakersfield Redevelopment Agency and about 400 like it across the state. But Economic and Community Development Director Donna Kunz says although the agency has dissolved, the city will make sure projects already in the pipeline will be finished. "People are gonna think, oh well, I thought redevelopment was gone. You know, they're gonna be thinking this but the reality of it is, we probably have about 24 months to maybe even 36 months to finish the projects that we have contracts on." Governor Brown signed legislation last year to shut down the agencies and put that money toward education and public safety instead.

01-31-2012 Attorneys are picking a jury in the case of a woman accused of killing her five year-old adopted son. Prosecutors say Gloria Grayson killed the boy in her Spokane Avenue home in 2009. An autopsy showed he died from trauma to his chest and abdomen. Three other foster children were taken from her home after she was arrested.

01-31-2012 PG&E has announced a $1-million scholarship fund to help certain students throughout the state. Cal State Bakersfield President Horace Mitchell says the Bright Minds targets a specific niche. "It's a scholarship program that's designed specifically for students who are doing well academically, or who are very much involved in community service, who've overcome some challenges, or are first-generation college students." Students will apply for grants ranging from $2,500 to around 10 full-ride scholarships worth $30,000. The entry deadline is February 17th.

01-31-2012 A three year old girl who died, allegedly at the hands of her mother's boyfriend, was remembered in Taft with a candlelight vigil. Dozens of people turned out last night in a stand against child abuse. The coroner's office determined Trinity Hanna died last week of blunt force trauma. 26-year-old Eric Foster is charged with murder and torture.

01-31-2012 The leader of a local environmental group is upset about a permitting process that will allow a Bakersfield-area power plant to keep using coal to make electricity. Tom Frantz with the Association of Irritated Residents 'A.I.R.' says the Valley Air District is rubber-stamping Mount Poso's permit renewal. "They're saying they can't do anything. They're saying they don't have to look at state laws that would prohibit any coal-burning power plant in California now." A District representative says it's a federal permit, so state standards are not a factor. It's expected to be renewed after a public comment period that ends in two weeks. Franz says Mt. Poso operators announced several years ago they would convert to 100-percent biomass by the end of this month, but that process is still underway.

01-31-2012 A traffic stop of a taxi cab in McFarland has led to the arrest of a Delano man on drug charges. Police Department says an officer smelled marijuana after pulling the car over for traffic violations Friday night, and searched the driver and two passengers. One of the passengers, Carlos Alaniz, was arrested when he was found to possess two pounds of pot.

01-31-2012 A man linked to the Crisp and Cole mortgage fraud case has been sentenced to 27 months in prison, and must pay $433-thousand in restitution. The U.S. Attorney's Office says 31-year-old Robinson Nguyen admitted that he and his co-workers defrauded lenders in an elaborate, $20-million scheme. Five other former employees have also pleaded guilty, nine are still awaiting trial.

01-31-2012 A Bakersfield man has pleaded guilty to failing to register as a sex offender after living unmonitored in Kern County for almost four years. Federal prosecutors say 55-year-old Raul Ortega, who has three sexual assault-related convictions, was arrested last August. He faces up to ten years of prison and a $250-thousand fine.

01-31-2012 Police are looking for a person who left a man with serious injuries during a fight in Delano. Officers say they went to the 800 block of Ellington Street Saturday night and found a man bleeding profusely from his head and eyes. A witness says he was beaten with a stick or a club. He was taken to Kern Medical Center, where he was listed in stable condition.

01-31-2012 Kern County isn't a rural area, according to a federal agency. A new classification system by the Centers for Disease Control's National Center for Health Statistics puts Kern in the medium metro category. In fact, none of the counties in the Central Valley were classified as rural.

01-31-2012 Delano police have arrested a woman accused of killing her two-year-old son more than a year ago, and they're looking for one more suspect. Noemi Mendoza's son, Juan Felix, died in January 2011. Warrants were issued last Friday for Mendoza and her former live-in boyfriend, Cesar Osuna. Police believe he's in Mexico.

01-31-2012 State water officials say recent storms have helped California's snowpack, but it's still below normal. The Sierra Nevada snowpack is just 38 percent of average, up from 19 percent at the beginning of the month. Water managers estimate they will deliver 60 percent of the amount requested by contractors this year.

01-30-2012 The Kern County Fire Department is warning the public about scammers who are ripping off businesses by posing as fire inspectors and technicians. Captain Derek Tisinger says they trick people into paying for fake inspections and other fire safety services. "They say I have permission from your manager to do this fire inspection, can you please sign here? And, by the way, go ahead and pay me and the only form of payment I accept is in cash." The Fire Department recommends checking licensing before paying for those services. You can contact the California License Board at 1-800-321-2752, or the California State Fire Marshal at (916) 445-8376. You can also contact the local Better Business Bureau office at 322-2074 to check the reviews of a business.

01-30-2012 A man who confessed to strangling his exotic dancer-fiance in 2004 has pleaded guilty to first degree manslaughter. Nathan Mowers dumped the body of Azita Nikooei in the Mojave Desert after strangling her during an argument in their Bakersfield home. Bakersfield Police Detective Herman Caldis says they never gave up on seeing justice done. "We continued to investigate this case, adding a little bit to this puzzle. So we never gave up on this case." Caldis says Mowers took investigators to where he dumped the body, but only a single acrylic fingernail was found, which is being tested for DNA. Mowers will be sentenced on February 29th.

01-30-2012 With the end of manned space flight by NASA for the foreseeable future, aerospace companies are turning towards the Mojave Air and Spaceport. Spaceport CEO Stuart Witt says some of the pioneering spirit of the old test pilot days from Edwards Air Force Base just down the road is coming to Mojave. "Now we have a large number of companies, and not all will succeed. But that's the beauty of Mojave; we give people permission to succeed or fail. And that part of the equation needs to be back in America." Witt says commercial space flight research and development will play a huge part in the future of Mojave's airport, as well as the economy of the entire city.

01-30-2012 Two people in Mojave escaped a fire in their apartment early this morning, despite the lack of working smoke detectors. Kern County firefighters were called to the complex on the 3000 block of Oak Creek Road at 12:31am, finding flames that had spread from the living room into the attic of the two story building.

01-30-2012 Kern County Sheriff's detectives have arrested a man suspected of murder in Weldon. Lieutenant Steve Hansen says someone called the Sheriff's Office at about 11:20 Sunday morning to report they'd found a dead body in the 10-thousand block of Hand Court. "Deputies responded to that location and did, in fact, discover a body in the trunk of a vehicle parked at that location." They later arrested 51-year-old Danny Mathis at the scene of the crime in the 11-thousand block of Bronco Court. Investigators haven't said how the man was killed.

01-29-2012 Kern County firefighters think a candle may have started a fire that damaged an east Bakersfield home. Battalion Chief Vern Brothers says they responded to the house in the 400 block of Wilma Street at about 10:20 Saturday night. "Initially it was a single alarm and then when we figured out we had pretty much a lot of fire, I started a reinforced alarm." The six people living there were using candles because the power had been shut off. No one was injured, but damage is estimated at $160,000.

01-29-2012 Kern County homicide detectives are investigating the death of a three-year-old boy in east Bakersfield. Lieutenant Justin Fleeman says paramedics were called to a house in the 300 block of Crawford Street Sunday morning when the child was found not breathing, and pronounced him dead. "Responding deputies requested the detectives, and detectives called out our homicide unit to conduct the death investigation." Fleeman says an investigation is standard procedure when a healthy child dies. No other details have been released.

01-27-2012 The District Attorney's Office won't be filing charges against a woman suspected of selling stolen collector's items, calling the case a civil matter. The Bakersfield Californian reports the case was rejected because it stemmed from a family dispute. 29-year-old Jennifer Watts was arrested Wednesday when the items were found in her Oildale home.

01-27-2012 A man accused of killing another man in south Bakersfield has pleaded not guilty to first degree murder. Police say 32-year-old Joseph Ferguson shot 22-year-old Neal McCree during an argument at a party on Alberta Street early in the morning of January 22nd. He turned himself in after a warrant was issued for his arrest. Police believe the shooting was gang-related.

01-27-2012 Bakersfield's gas prices have been creeping up at a time of year when they usually go down. Triple A spokeswoman Marie Montgomery says a recent 14 cent increase doesn't bode well for the coming year. "Every year since the year 2000, we've seen gas prices move up very significantly in the spring, and we're already 40 cents higher than we were this time last year." Montgomery says investors' fears over oil supply from the Middle East have helped drive the price above $100 a barrel.

01-27-2012 The state Air Resources Board has approved new rules to require car makers to build more electric and other less-polluting hybrid cars and trucks by 2025. Board spokesman Stanley Young says it's the beginning of a new chapter for California. "Californians love their cars. What's happening here is that these cars will be cleaner, they're more efficient, and they're going to help clean the environment and fight climate change." Young says the higher cost of the cars will be offset by long-term fuel savings. The new standards also include big cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, and begin with new cars sold in 2015.

01-27-2012 A Taft man has pleaded not guilty to charges that he killed a three-year-old girl. Prosecutors say Eric Foster beat Trinity Hanna in a home on Oak Street in Taft on January 24th. Her mother took her to San Joaquin Community Hospital where she later died. The District Attorney's Office is still reviewing the case to see if the death penalty applies, but no decision has been made.

01-27-2012 Construction has begun on a huge fabrication facility at Mojave Airport where a plane will be built that can lift rockets to high altitude, then launch them for orbital flights. Scaled Composites C.O.O. Kevin Mickey says they already have 350 people employed, but they need more to build the Stratolaunch Systems plane, which will help the local economy. "We need to take that to 400 or 450. We will also be doing significant outsourcing to the local community of some of that work, so that we don't grow to the point where we can't then provide those people jobs on the back side of this project." The 92,000 square foot facility is scheduled to open in mid-2013.

01-27-2012 Police are still looking for two men accused of torturing a Bakersfield man for hours, including one new suspect. Sergeant Mary Degeare says 34-year-old Felix Martin is now wanted in connection with the crime, as well as 25-year-old Julio Ramirez, who's been at large since last September. "They both have warrants for assault with a deadly weapon, attempted murder, kidnapping, torture, false imprisonment, and conspiracy." Four suspects have already been arrested. They're accused of tying up the victim, beating him, and even burning him with a propane torch. Click on the men's names to see photos of them: Felix Martin, Julio Ramirez

01-27-2012 The Community Action Partnership wants people to know about the Earned Income Tax Credit, which could help struggling Kern County families. IRS spokesman Quentin Smith likened the millions of dollars that go unclaimed each year to loaning money to a relative. "That was already my money. And that's what Earned Income Tax Credit is, it's a credit that low income families and taxpayers have earned". Some four-thousand Kern County residents got free help with their tax returns last year through the VITA program, and the average EITC credit is $22-hundred. Call 211 for info or CAPK at 661-834-1724.

01-27-2012 Bakersfield Police are searching for two people, possibly a man and a woman, who held up the Subway Sandwich shop in the Oleander neighborhood. It happened at the corner of Oak Street and Chester Lane at 6:41 this morning. The suspects were wearing black clothing and carrying at least one gun during the robbery, then ran north on Oak. No other details have been released.

01-27-2012 Kern County Sheriff's deputies have arrested an Oildale woman accused of selling stolen collectibles, and they want to hear from people who bought from her. Spokesman Ray Pruitt says they found the items at 29-year-old Jennifer Watts' home in the 12-hundred block of Woodrow Avenue. "We do believe that there are people that purchase these items without the knowledge that they were stolen. But they are still considered stolen property." The goods are considered specialty items, and include die cast vehicles, Marie Osmond collector's dolls, and Annette Funicello collector's bears.

01-27-2012 An attorney representing medical marijuana collectives has filed suit against the county over two ordinances that shut down the shops, and also cut the number of cannabis plants that could be grown. The Bakersfield Californian reports Phil Ganong filed claims seeking $25-thousand in penalties, plus at least $10-thousand in damages. He says the local rules violate state law.

01-26-2012 Bakersfield Congressman Kevin McCarthy says he's concerned about the effects that proposed military base closures could have on national security. But he's not worried about Edwards Air Force Base and China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station being affected by another round of Base Realignments and Closures, or BRACs. "Where they are located, you cannot duplicate them anywhere in the country. They have the aerospace that nobody else has. That's why in the last BRAC, China Lake actually grew." The proposed closures are part of a plan to cut defense spending by $487 Billion over the next decade.

01-26-2012 A suspected drug dealer has been arrested after Sheriff's deputies found more than an ounce of meth in his car. Deputies stopped 37-year-old Armando Gonzalez Wednesday and found he was driving an unregistered vehicle on a suspended license. They found the drugs, packaging materials and paraphernalia after searching him and his car.

01-26-2012 A study ranking America's 75 largest cities based on how much their citizens read puts Bakersfield dead last on the list. The survey by Central Connecticut State University looked at a number of factors including newspaper circulation, number of libraries, and education. Fresno and Stockton were also in the bottom five.

01-26-2012 A Taft man accused of killing his girlfriend's three-year-old daughter now faces a murder charge. Kern County Sheriff's spokesman Ray Pruitt says an autopsy found Trinity Hanna died of blunt force injuries to the head and abdomen, and confirms her death was a homicide. "At this point we're not releasing specific information as to how those injuries occurred, other than we are confident that Eric Foster was responsible for causing those injuries." Foster was arrested Wednesday on several other charges, including felony child abuse and torture. He's due in court for his arraignment Friday.

01-26-2012 The 32nd annual Bakersfield Prayer Breakfast drew more than 1,200 people to the Rabobank Convention Center to raise hopes for the coming year. U.S. Senate candidate Clark Durant from Michigan was one of the speakers at today's event. He says he likes the optimistic spirit he sees here. "I was very touched my the work of the people Bakersfield have been doing. It used to be said, 'What good can come out of Nazereth'. What good can come out of Bakersfield? A great deal." Durant says maintaining good relationships and communicating is important every day, not just one day a year.

01-26-2012 Sheriff's deputies have arrested an Oildale woman accused of selling collectible items stolen from a storage building. Spokesman Ray Pruitt says they searched 29-year-old Jennifer Watts' home in the 12-hundred block of Woodrow Avenue yesterday and found items including die cast vehicles, Marie Osmond dolls, and Annette Funicello collector's bears. "We do believe that purchased these items without the knowledge that they were stolen, but they are considered stolen property." Anyone who bought one of the items from her is urged to call Detective Jelletich at 391-7580.

01-26-2012 Bakersfield Police are looking for 23-year-old Gilberto Avalos, Jr., a parolee and registered sex offender who took off his GPS tracking device. He's described as Hispanic, 5'8", 195 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. Click here to see a picture of him. Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is encouraged to call police at 327-7111 or text tips anonymously to 274637. Just include BPDCRIMES with your message.

01-26-2012 A failed connector to a power transformer at Kern County Superior Court forced the closure of the criminal and family court buildings. PG&E says the connector failed around 5:45 this morning. Court Executive Director Terry McNally says the Downtown Jail still has generator power, but no water. "So all of the inmates are going to be loaded back onto a bus and taken back to Lerdo, then brought back at 1:30." Rainwater had to be pumped out of an underground transformer vault to replace the connector, but workers say the water did not cause the outage. Power Was restored just before 2:00

01-26-2012 The county courthouse in downtown Bakersfield is closed until at least 1:30 this afternoon, because of a power outage. It seems to be a blown transformer, and both the main court building as family court are affected. The county administration building is not affected nor are any traffic lights. The jail also has it's own power supply, but prisoners with court dates this morning are being shuttled back to the Lerdo Pre-Trial facility.

01-26-2012 KUZZ has been announced as finalists for several Academy of Country Music Awards. Steve and Geoff's Morning Show for best morning show, as well as KUZZ itself best station. The Crystal Palace also got a nod as best Country concert venue.

01-26-2012 Kern County Sheriff's deputies think a 12-year-old Boron girl who was struck and killed by a train could not hear it coming, because she was listening to headphones. Spokesman Ray Pruitt says they found a pair near where Bailey MacClean was hit. "They were recovered, and we were able to determine that the headphones did belong to the 12 year-old." Train operators said the girl was walking in the middle of the tracks ahead of them, but didn't move when they sounded the horn around 5 o'clock Tuesday afternoon. She was killed instantly.

01-26-2012 Former State Senator Roy Ashburn is publicly talking about running for his old seat on the board of supervisors, but has not taken out any papers as yet. Ashburn says he's thinking about running for the 1st District seat being vacated by Jon McQuiston. The conservative republican was termed out in 2010, not long after being busted for DUI in a state car, then coming out as gay.

01-25-2012 A man accused of breaking into the home of an elderly Bakersfield woman and killing her has pleaded not guilty to murder and burglary charges. 31-year-old David Webster is due back in court in March in connection with the killing of 84-year-old Margy Lou Licastro last week.

01-25-2012 Kern County Supervisor Zack Scrivner looked back at the challenges of 2011 and ahead to the coming year in his State of the County address in downtown Bakersfield. Scrivner says he expects the coming year to have its challenges as well, but the energy industry will help keep the county afloat. "Oil and gas is really what's allowed the county to weather the economic downturn better than a lot of other counties and even other counties across the country." Scrivner says while the county did have to make significant cuts last year, it managed to avoid making any layoffs.

01-25-2012 A measure to put the high speed rail project back before voters is one step closer to becoming a reality, now that supporters have permission to gather more than 800,000 signatures to put it on the ballot. It would amend California's constitution to forbid the state from spending any money on the project.

01-25-2012 The man suspected of killing another man during an argument in south Bakersfield has turned himself in. 32-year-old Joseph Ferguson was identified through witness information, and was notified there was a warrant for his arrest. 22-year-old Neal McCree was shot to death at a party on Alberta Street around 1am January 22nd. Police say the incident was gang related.

01-25-2012 A Taft man has been arrested in connection with the death of three-year-old Trinity Hanna. Sheriff's Lieutenant Steve Hansen says 26-year-old Eric Edward Foster, the live-in boyfriend of the girl's mother, faces several felony charges. "Three counts of corporal injury to a child, three counts of felony child abuse, one count of torture, and one count of aggravated mayhem." Trinity's mother took her to San Joaquin Community Hospital Tuesday night, and doctors reported the girl's death after seeing signs of trauma to her body. An autopsy is scheduled for Thursday.

01-25-2012 Kern County firefighters say three pets died in a two-alarm fire at an east Bakersfield home. Captain Derek Tisinger says they initially were told that a person was trapped in the house on Oswell Street near Niles Street at about 4:45 Wednesday afternoon. "There were no human occupants at home at the time of the fire. However, there were nine pets inside." City firefighters also responded. Four dogs were saved, including one that had to be revived, but two other dogs and a cat did not survive. Two more cats are still missing. Damage is estimated at $80-thousand.

01-25-2012 Officers from the Kern High School District Police Department, along with Probation Officers conducted a truancy sweep in northwest Bakersfield. Deputy D.A. Wendy Avila says they contacted 42 students, and wrote 26 citations--eight of them to parents. "We want these kids in school all day, every day. The purpose of this is a prevention effort, to have them not end up in the court process." Avila says anyone who got a ticket will have to pay a $400 fine. Further offenses could lead to time in Juvenile Hall. The sweep focused on kids from North, Centennial, and Frontier High Schools, as well as Vista West Continuation School.

01-25-2012 A man who broke into the Buena Vista Museum on Chester Avenue has been arrested on burglary charges for taking two stuffed animals. Museum Director Koral Hancharik says police caught 55-year-old Henry Slivers this morning with a taxidermic animal at a fast food restaurant, as well as another stuffed animal in his hotel room. "The big plate-glass windows had been broken, and our African leopard and the Australian dingo were missing from the window." Hancharick says they got both of the animals back, with a little damage, but they are having a hard time coming up for funds to fix the window.

01-25-2012 Police are looking for two men in connection with the kidnapping of a Bakersfield man. Sergeant Mary DeGeare says the man reported he was carjacked on December 30th, then taken to the Los Angeles and San Bernardino areas, where they held him captive for two days. "And he said during his captivity, they went to several different places and they appeared to be using his car to conduct narcotics sales." They eventually released him in San Bernardino, where his car was later found. Investigators have released computer-generated composites of the two men. Click here and here to see them. Anyone with information about the suspects is urged to call Detective Scott cox at 326-3514. You can also text tips anonymously to 274637. Just include BPDCRIMES with your message.

01-25-2012 A homeless encampment along the Kern River has been cleared out, following complaints from from residents. Bakersfield Police warned people living northeast of the Chester Avenue Bridge a week ago they had to leave, and only two were still there yesterday. The trash was cleaned up, and anything valuable was taken to headquarters for safekeeping.

01-25-2012 Police are still investigating a crash in southwest Bakersfield that killed a 71-year-old woman. Sergeant Mary DeGeare says there were indications that the driver of the other car, 34-year-old Demarcus Givan had been drinking before the crash Sunday morning at White Lane and Akers Road. "We will be waiting for the toxicology report with regard to Givan, and then proceed from there." Laura Fulce died the next day. Her husband, 72-year-old Tommy Fulce, was driving. Anyone who witnessed the accident is urged to call police at 326-3967.

01-25-2012 Police have arrested a south Bakersfield man after finding a homemade cannon in his home. Officers say 60-year-old Windell Martin fired a gun at a house on Clipper Hills Drive Tuesday afternoon. When they found him at his house on Sierra Summit Avenue, they discovered the cannon, some gunpowder, and several other firearms. 14 homes were evacuated while the Bomb Squad searched his house.

01-25-2012 State Auditor Elaine Howle is slamming the High Speed Rail Authority for not coming up with a plan to pay for the project beyond the first phase. Howle says the program's financial situation has become more and more risky in a report released to the legislature and the governor. She also criticizes the Authority for basing its business plan on the low end of the projected cost estimate.

01-25-2012 A 12-year-old girl is dead after being hit by a train in Boron. The Kern County Sheriff's Office says Bailey MacClean was walking on the tracks around 5 o'clock Tuesday evening when the train approached from behind her and began sounding its horn. Train operators reported that the girl never looked up or tried to move off the tracks.

01-25-2012 Kern County Sheriff's detectives are investigating the death of a three-year old Taft girl. Commander Tyson Davis says a woman brought her daughter to the emergency room at San Joaquin Community Hospital at around 7:20 Tuesday night, and doctors were unable to revive her. "The hospital staff felt that the death was suspicious and contacted the Sheriff's Office. We initiated a homicide call-out. Sheriff's detectives responded to investigate the suspicious death." Investigators aren't saying how the girl died. No names have been released.

01-25-2012 Kern County firefighters spent more than an hour fighting a fire that started with an explosion at an oil processing facility northwest of McKittrick. Captain Derek Tisinger says they were called out to the Aera plant near the intersection of Highway 33 and Lost Hills Road at around 5 o'clock Tuesday afternoon. "Upon arrival, firefighters were faced with an established fire that had engulfed a vacuum truck and spread to a nearby loading rack." They kept the fire from spreading farther, and it was out by 6:30. No one was hurt. The cause is under investigation, and a damage estimate has not been released. Click here and here for pictures of the fire, and here to see a brief video.

01-24-2012 Former Bakersfield College president Bill Andrews has died after a battle with cancer. Andrews led the college from 2005 until his retirement in 2008, and moved back to his native Iowa last year. He passed away Friday at age 65.

01-24-2012 Nearly one-thousand people are expected to gather at the Downtown Convention Center to pray for a prosperous and safe 2012. Thursday's 32nd annual Bakersfield Prayer Breakfast will feature two keynote speakers. Michigan U.S. Senate candidate Clark Durant will join Bill Pulte, founder of the largest homebuilding company in the nation.

01-24-2012 A report published by the Associated General Contractors of America says fewer firms are planning on layoffs this year. Local contractor Matt Towery says he sees a trend in Southern California that he hopes will head north. "The boom started in San Diego. The recession started in San Diego. It looks like things are starting to come back in Southern California, a little bit. So, we're encouraged by that." Towery says in 2011, more than 380 homes were built in Bakersfield, compared to the more than 2000 per year before the housing bubble burst. That's the worst it's been since the World War II era.

01-24-2012 The elderly woman who was hurt in a weekend car crash has died from her injuries. She was 71-year-old Laura Fulce of Bakersfield. The accident Sunday morning happened when another driver ran a red light at White Lane and Akers Road. That person will be charged with DUI when he is released from the hospital. Two others were also injured.

01-24-2012 The Kern County Sheriff's Office says a man is dead after being shot during a fight with a deputy, but investigators aren't saying who pulled the trigger. Commander Tyson Davis says the fight started when the deputy contacted 18-year-old Christian Chavez in Buttonwillow Park at around 4:30 Monday afternoon, after someone called to report he was suicidal. "During the altercation, lethal force was used. The medical aid responded immediately. The subject was pronounced deceased at the scene." The deputy's name has not been released. The Sheriff's Office hasn't said whether he was placed on administrative leave, which is routine when a deputy uses his gun.

01-24-2012 Kern County Sheriff's investigators say four armed men held up an east Bakersfield restaurant, and are still on the loose. Sheriff's spokesman Ray Pruitt says the suspects went into the El Palenque Restaurant on Niles Street near Oswell Street Sunday night. "Once the suspects were inside the restaurant, they stole personal items from two of the customers and the cash drawer from the business, and then they fled the area on foot." Pruitt says they have not made any arrests, and there is no suspect description at this time. Anyone with information is being asked to call the Sheriff's Office or the Secret Witness hotline.

01-24-2012 A review board has found that a Kern County Sheriff's deputy's use of force during a chase in Tehachapi was not within Sheriff's Office Policy. Deputy Chris Strunc fired three shots at a man who rammed his SUV into Strunc's car on January third. The Sheriff's Office is not commenting, citing an ongoing administrative investigation.

01-24-2012 A Delano man faces felony charges after a grenade was found in his car. Deputies pulled over 35-year-old Jose Ayon Sunday afternoon and found it in the engine compartment. The Bomb Squad came in and found it didn't work. Ayon was arrested for having the grenade, and for being a felon in possession of ammunition, which was also found in the car.

01-24-2012 The parent company of three Bakersfield hospitals is going by a new name as part of an organizational change. Catholic Healthcare West is now Dignity Health. Robin Mangarin Scott with Mercy Hospitals says it won't change the way they do business. "Our Catholic hospitals at Mercy will remain Catholic hospitals, and Memorial Hospital will remain a faith-based community hospital, all abiding by the same shared statement of common values." The non-profit is no longer an official ministry of the Catholic church. The changes are expected to help the organization grow nationally.

01-24-2012 Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood has returned from his trip to the White House, where he was one of 35 leaders of local law enforcement agencies across the country invited to speak with members of President Obama's cabinet about improving anti-terrorism efforts. Youngblood says a terrorist attack could strike anywhere. "Even though we're a county that's very large and the population's very sparse, it's not centrally located, we're not exempt from terrorist acts." The meeting was part of the Obama administration's effort to improve cooperation between federal and local agencies.

01-24-2012 Shafter State Senator Michael Rubio is asking the leaders of the legislature's budget committees to support his legislation to restore $248 million in school transportation funding that was lost to the latest round of budget cuts. Rubio says the cut hits rural districts the hardest, as students have to travel farther and often don't have any other way to get to school.

01-24-2012 A Bakersfield man was taken to a hospital in serious condition after crashing his motorcycle in the mountains south of Taft. Sheriff's Sergeant Tim Melanson [mel-AN-son] says 49-year-old Doug Akers drove off a trail and into a 50 foot ravine late Sunday morning, prompting a search by the Sheriff's office's rescue helicopter. "The helicopter located the victim and the rest of his group in a very remote area, very inaccessible to ground vehicles, steep terrain." Akers was lifted out of the ravine near 25 Hill Road, then airlifted to Kern Medical Center. He's now in stable condition.

01-23-2012 All lanes are blocked on northbound Highway 99 at Cecil Avenue, due to a multi-vehicle accident. A truck carrying a horse trailer and four other cars have gotten tangled. There are no injuries, but it will take a while to get tow trucks to the scene.

01-23-2012 A man has been killed in a shooting in southeast Bakersfield, but no are suspects in custody. Kern County Sheriff Senior Deputy Ryan Dunbier says they got several 911 calls around 10:15 Saturday night. "Deputies responded to 801 Smith Street. Upon arrival, we located a black male suffering from several gunshot wounds." 33-year-old Fredric Collins Jr. of Bakersfield died at Kern Medical Center. Dunbier says despite the several calls to 911, no one has been able to give investigators any more details about the shooting.

01-23-2012 25,000 PG&E customers across Bakersfield and Kern County were temporarily without power on Sunday, when a man climbed a transmission tower at Jewetta Avenue and Rosedale Hwy, and threatened to jump. That caused the utility to reroute the power starting around 5:30pm, with it being fully restored in increments by 7:00. A cherry picked was hauled out to reach him, and his sister helped talk him down.

01-23-2012 Bakersfield Police believe a shooting that killed one man and sent another to the hospital was gang related. Officers got reports of several shots fired at a party on the 6000 block of Alberta Street just after 1AM Sunday. 29-year old Anthony James was taken by car to Kern Medical Center, his injuries were minor.

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