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06-18-2013 A local taxpayer watchdog group says a new Assembly bill that would have the state add extra coverage to the Affordable Health Care Act. Michael Turnipseed from the Kern County Taxpayers Association says business owners and farmers will be less likely to hire part time or seasonal help if AB 880 passes. "And if you're college kids who depend on part time jobs, some with two part time jobs. Those jobs are going to be harder and harder to find." Turnipseed says the owners would rather do with fewer employees than have to pay the state to provide additional health care coverage. He calls it a money grab by the state, and it is opposed by several Chambers of Commerce and other groups in the state.

06-18-2013 The Kern County Probation Department is looking for a registered sex offender who didn't report to his probation officer. 33-year-old Earl Pennenger is known to hang out near California and Union avenues, under the Highway 99 overpass at California Avenue, and the downtown Bakersfield bus terminal. He's described as 5'7" tall, 190 pounds, with blue eyes and brown hair. Click here to see a photo of him. Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is asked to call Deputy Probation Officer Kyle Dock at 868-7502.

06-18-2013 An autopsy will be performed on a man who died in custody after running from Sheriff's deputies in south Bakersfield. A warrant was being served on someone last night on South J Street, just south of Mint Street, when 25 year-old Wilfredo Ramos came outside and started acting suspiciously. Officials say he was ordered to approach, but took off running, tossing things out of his pocket. He was caught about 50 yards later, cuffed, and put into a patrol car. Ramos then started having trouble breathing, so they took him out of the car, uncuffed him and began CPR. Paramedics arrived, and discovered two baggies of a controlled substance in his throat. He was taken to Bakersfield Memorial Hospital, where he died. Batons and Tasers were not used to apprehend Ramos. hEis the second person to die while in deputy's custody since May. The coroner's report found 33-year-old David Silva died of a heart attack and acute intoxication after a fight with deputies in early May, but the incident touched off a controversy that led to Silva's family hiring their own attorney to investigate. The FBI and DA's Office are also investigating what happened.

06-18-2013 Houchin Community Blood Bank has issued an Urgent Alert as it deals with a shortage of supply that typically happens this time of year. Houchin says it's been forced to draw from other blood banks to keep up with demand. They especially need O negative, O positive, A negative, and B negative blood, as well as platelets from any type.

06-17-2013 The Kern County Fire Department has sent the Rio Bravo Hotshot crew, ten engines, two dozers, and a communications vehicle to the Carstens fire near Yosemite National Park. The blaze was last measured at 1,600 acres and is 15 percent contained. It's forced the evacuation of 150 homes.

06-17-2013 A woman was hospitalized with major injuries after a crash in the Kern River Canyon. The CHP says the woman was thrown from her vehicle after it went off Highway 178 east of Call Box 2 at around 3:30 Monday afternoon. The westbound lanes were closed while she was hoisted out.

06-17-2013 Police have arrested a suspect in a shooting outside a southwest Bakersfield market. Spokesperson Michaela Beard says 22-year-old Eric Elizagoyen sped off in a car after shooting, which followed a fight at the Lucky 7 on Stine and Planz Roads Sunday night. "It's early in the investigation, but it does not appear that the suspect and victim knew one another." Elizagoyen was pulled over a short distance away. Officers say a woman and child were in the car, as well as a shotgun. The unidentified victim remains in critical condition.

06-17-2013 Nighttime lane closures will be in effect in northwest Bakersfield this week for work on the Westside Parkway. One lane of Coffee Road will be closed in each direction between Truxtun Avenue and Brimhall Road from 9pm to 5am every night. Crews will be doing grinding and paving work.

06-17-2013 Smoke coming from two wildfires in the Sierra Nevada has prompted the Valley Air District to issue a health caution for Kern County. The district says the smoke can cause serious health problems including lung disease, asthma attacks, and heart attacks or stroke. It will stay in effect until the fires are out.

06-17-2013 Kern Health Systems has doled out $26 million to 13 local organizations to improve health care in Kern County. Spokesperson Jacque Jans says some of the money will expand access to care through teleconferencing for people living in outlying areas. "They're now able to Skype, it's kind of a Skype system, into a Bakersfield facility and stay in their Kern Valley facility." Funding has also gone toward new facilities for Clinica Sierra Vista and National Health Services. The money comes from Kern Health Systems' reserve fund, which had drawn criticism from some who said the money should be put to use.

06-17-2013 Supervisors will discuss today [tue] how best to comply with the federal health care mandate next year when it requires the county to insure hundreds of seasonal employees who don't currently qualify for coverage. Senior Administrative Analyst Allan Krauter says the county is in a tough spot. "It would be an operational headache for the county, as well as not really fair to those employees to try to keep them below the eligible threshold, but at the same time we want to do what's right for the taxpayers, as well." It would cost $8 million to give employees who don't work year-round the same health coverage as everyone else.

06-17-2013 A man who drove off after a crash in central Bakersfield that killed a motorcyclist has been sentenced to three years in jail. Deputy D.A. Alexandria Sawoya says Jose Arreygue-Andrade was given the medium-term for the death of 22-year-old Mynor Canchan, which is frustrating to his family. "But I think they're more frustrated by the law in general that there's not more we can do. I think that's where their frustration lies." Arreygue-Andrade was driving drunk, returning from a beer run, when he pulled out in front of Cachan on Chester Avenue and First Street. Chachan wasn't able to stop in time, and hit the vehicle, and died at the scene as Arreygue-Andrade drove off.

06-17-2013 A brawl outside a southwest Bakersfield convenience store has put a man in the hospital with major injuries. Police say another man who drove away from the Lucky 7 at Planz and Stine roads Sunday night was detained for questioning, as were several others who ran away. The victim's name has not been released, and officers don't know why he was shot.

06-17-2013 Damage is estimated at $150,000 from a two-alarm fire at an abandoned home in McFarland. County firefighters say the fire had already spread to half of the house on 2nd Street when they arrived around 6:45 Saturday evening. Collapsing stairs, arcing electrical lines, and a cluttered basement made fighting the fire even tougher. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

06-17-2013 A Bakersfield man faces major drug charges after being busted with a quarter pound of meth in his car, and another pound-and-a-half in his apartment. Deputies got a search warrant for the residence on Lotus Lane, after a traffic stop on Jaime Urias Saturday night on Di Giorgio and S. Fairfax roads. A loaded gun was also found at his home.

06-14-2013 A Bakersfield attorney accused of shooting his wife has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder, assault, and spousal abuse charges. Mark Madrigali's defense attorney, Mark Anthony Raimondo, said after the arraignment people should not rush to judgment on his client. "Mr. Madrigali's been a friend of mine for some years. He's a well-respected attorney, he's a decent guy. I think everyone should wait until the facts come out." Madrigali's bail was increased Friday. Deputy District Attorney Gina Pearl says the original amount of $550,000 was not high enough. "We are concerned for public safety in this case, and that's the reason we're asking for $2 million." Police say Madrigal shot his wife in the chest at their home on Telegraph Avenue Wednesday morning. She was last reported in critical condition.

06-14-2013 Bakersfield police have arrested a man accused of three recent robberies. Officers say 46-year-old Gregory Crite robbed a Wells Fargo Bank on White Lane on May 4th, a CVS store on Stockdale Highway on June 10th, and another CVS on Mt. Vernon Avenue on June 11th.

06-14-2013 The state corrections department is asking for help finding a high-risk sex offender who violated his parole. 25-year-old Eryc Sutton failed to report to his parole officer after he was released from the Lerdo jail Thursday. He was convicted of child molestation. His last known address was in California City. Click here to see a photo of him. Anyone who knows where he is is asked to call the Bakersfield parole office at 634-9620, the Kern County Sheriff's Office at 861-3110, or Secret Witness at 322-4040.

06-14-2013 Kern Schools Federal Credit Union is offering a $5,000 reward for information that helps police catch the man who robbed two of their branches over the last few weeks. That's on top of the $5,000 offered by Secret Witness. Police say the same person also tried to rob a Safe One Credit Union, but he took off when the teller activated the alarm. Click here, here, and here to see surveillance photos of the suspect. Click here to see a photo of his car. Anyone with information about the suspect is urged to call the Bakersfield Police Department at 327-7111.

06-14-2013 Organizers promise "Nuttin' but Fun" at the first ever Kern County Nut Festival. Co-chairperson Beth Pandol says the festival is a great way to honor some of the county's top crops. "We grow a lot of 'em here, almonds, pistachios, and some walnuts, and they're a healthy, nutritious food source, you can use 'em in a lot of recipes, and our farmers here know how to grow 'em like nobody else." The event promises family-friendly fun, and plenty of food made with nuts. It goes from 10am to 7pm Saturday at the Kern County Museum on Chester Avenue. Click here for more information.

06-14-2013 Country music legend and Bakersfield native Merle Haggard can add another title next to Kennedy Center Honoree, Doctor of Fine Arts. Haggard was at Cal State Bakersfield's commencement ceremony today where he accepted the honor. Before hand, Haggard said he had a million things he wanted to tell the students. "But none of them seem to be appropriate. So, I'm just gonna do what I always do. I'm just gonna go up there and wing it, I guess." Haggard thanked the faculty and told the graduates that hard work always pay off. KUZZ founder Buck Owens was awarded the President's Medal for his contribution to the Bakersfield Sound, with son Buddy Alan Owens accepting on his dad's behalf.

06-14-2013 The Sheriff's Office is asking for help finding a registered sex offender who violated his parole. 36-year-old Ronald Buckenberger failed to report to the Bakersfield parole office after he got out of Avenal State Prison. He also goes by the name Troy Hickle, and is known to spend time in Ventura and Las Vegas. He's described as a white male, 5'8", 155 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. Click here to see a photo of him. Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is asked to call the Sheriff's Office at 861-3110, the Bakersfield parole office at 634-9620, or Secret Witness at 322-4040.

06-14-2013 Wal-mart is proposing a new store in Lamont that would anchor a 20-acre shopping center. The Bakersfield Californian reports the 130,000 square foot store would be located at Weedpatch Highway and Di Giorgio Road. The land is currently zoned for farming.

06-14-2013 Bakersfield Police have detained a man who may be linked to a series of small grass fires that broke out early this morning. Firefighters reportedly got several calls about a grass fire on 8th Street and Chester Avenue around 1:30, and at least four other fires were reported around the same time. One utility pole was slightly damaged.

06-14-2013 Sentencing for a man convicted in the death of a 71-year-old Bakersfield woman has been put off for the third time. Maxamillion McDonald's attorney told the judge he needs until August to review transcripts from the trial. McDonald was driving the getaway car when another man yanked a gold necklace off of Guadalupe Ramos, who fell and died of a heart attack.

06-13-2013 An autopsy has not revealed how a Delano toddler tied. 21-month-old Andrew Ceja was pronounced dead at his home on Calle Felix Wednesday morning. Delano police say the boy's death does not appear suspicious.

06-13-2013 Just one registered sex offender was found to be out of compliance during a three week operation by the Sheriff's Office. Deputies conducted a series of compliance checks in east Bakersfield and Oildale in late May and early June and found one man had failed to register his address after he moved. He was later found and updated his information.

06-13-2013 Two people face drug charges after Sheriff's deputies found a quarter pound of methamphetamine in a Bakersfield motel room. Deputies were conducting a probation search at the Garden Suites Inn on Wible Road Wednesday and arrested 20-year-old Annabelle Miller and 41-year-old Benjamin Mendoza. The meth had a street value of over $14-thousand.

06-13-2013 Bakersfield police have released the 911 call of an attorney calling to report the shooting of his wife. Mark Madrigali tells the dispatcher to send medical aid to his home on Telegraph Avenue Wednesday morning, saying his wife had been shot. When the dispatcher asked who shot her, he hung up. Click here to hear the call. The victim, whose name has not been released, is still listed in critical condition at Kern Medical Center.

06-13-2013 $225-thousand has been given to the City of Bakersfield by the state Transportation Commission to add traffic signals on Hageman Road from Jewetta Avenue to Old River Road. Caltrans spokesman Jose Camarena says they will also be synchronized all along the stretch. "This keeps traffic moving, it keeps vehicles from idling. And the acceleration, of course. Again, it keeps emissions down. It improves the air quality." Camerena says the money comes from Proposition 1B, which was a transportation bond approved in 2006. Other cities in the state are sharing nearly a Billion dollars for road improvement projects.

06-13-2013 Tehachapi Police gave County Sheriff's deputies an assist in catching an armed suspect at a home near Tehachapi City Park. The Tehachapi News reports law enforcement surrounded the home on Pepper Drive, and in an unusual move for the area, the Sheriff's helicopter was called in to help with the capture, drawing a crowd of onlookers. It's not clear why they were searching for that person.

06-13-2013 A San Francisco Giants fan who was beaten at a Dodgers game has returned home, after spending about a year in Bakersfield rehab facility. Bryan Stow's family says on its website that Stow would now live with them in the Santa Cruz area. Stow suffered brain damage after an opening day game between the Giants and Dodgers in 2011.

06-12-2013 Police are investigating the death of a baby boy in Delano. Officers were called out to a home on Calle Felix at around 10am Wednesday on a report of a child that had stopped breathing and found 21-month-old Andrew Ceja. It was too late to save him. An autopsy has been scheduled for today [thu] to determine how he died.

06-12-2013 The man who steered the Standard School District in Oildale through the Great Recession is looking forward to a new challenge in southwest Bakersfield. Dr. Kevin Silberberg has been named Superintendent for the much larger, Panama Buena Vista Unified School District, but says he's proud of work during his six years at Standard. "We've made a lot of progress in how we deliver our services to the students. We've seen a lot of success. We've done a lot after school" Silberberg takes over at PBVUSD July 1st.

06-12-2013 An exhibit at the Kern County Museum will soon look a lot more like it did over 100 years ago, thanks to a re-painting and repair project donated by a local oilfield services company. Curator Lori Wear says the Standard School was originally built for the community of Oil Center in 1910. "The school was really kind of a neat architectural piece out in the oilfields early on and then, here at the museum, same kind of thing. We don't have another building that looks quite like this one-room school." Sturgeon Services International donated $20,000 worth of labor.

06-12-2013 Bakersfield College has filed an appeal with the Southern California Football Association, which stripped the college of its 2012 state football championship. BC President Sonya Christian claims the violations did not give the school a competitive advantage. The college was found to have given special privileges to athletes through an outside booster club.

06-12-2013 A Lake Isabella woman has been charged in connection with the January death of her infant daughter. Amanda Reese was arrested but later released after 14-month-old Sophialynn Taylor died of blunt force trauma. Her boyfriend, Jared Ramirez, was charged with second degree murder. Reese is accused of willful cruelty to a child. She's due in court later this month.

06-12-2013 One firefighter was injured by broken glass in a garage fire in east Bakersfield. The city Fire Department says the fire on South King Street near East California Avenue started around 10:30 Tuesday night, and they got it under control in about ten minutes. Damage is estimated at $25-thousand. The cause is unknown.

06-12-2013 About 130 incoming freshmen at Garces Memorial High School were sent home with brand new iPads meant to give them a more engaging, interactive learning experience. Coordinator Guy Dees says the devices make textbooks come to life. "The students are also able to take that device and do all of their work on it. Be able to pull video. Be able to engage with different audio-visual things." The freshmen were the last of the school's roughly 600 students to receive the tablet computers through the new program.

06-12-2013 A rally was held at the Liberty Bell in downtown Bakersfield to ask Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform. Cal State Bakersfield professor Gonzalo Santos spoke at today's event, and he says they are not asking for blanket amnesty. "It makes them have to go through a very long, arduous process with all kinds of hurdles in order to achieve eligibility." Santos says House Republicans are resisting reform, but the Senate seems more open to starting the citizenship process for the people who enter the country illegally. He hopes that legislation can be passed by the Fourth of July.

06-12-2013 Police detectives are investigating a shooting in northeast Bakersfield where a woman was hit once chest. Sergeant Joe Grubbs says officers were called to the home on Telegraph Avenue, west of Bakersfield College around 3:45 this morning. "Once officers got there, the male subject, who was later identified as Mark Madrigali, was exiting the residence when we detained him." Grubbs says Madrigali was taken to police headquarters downtown for questioning, and he was later arrested for attempted murder and spousal abuse. At least two guns were in plain view inside the house. The woman is in critical condition at Kern Medical Center.

06-12-2013 A man has been arrested for murder after a woman's dead body was found in a garage in east Bakersfield. Sheriff's Senior Deputy Victor Keesey says deputies were called to the home on Vista Street, north of Center Street Tuesday morning. "When the deputies arrived, they contacted the homeowner, who directed them to a detached garage behind the house. There was a foul odor coming from the garage." The suspect, 20-year-old Eddie Rivas, was seen running from the scene before deputies arrived. He was later found at an apartment on Edison Highway, east of Oswell Street. An autopsy will be performed Thursday to determine how the woman died.

06-12-2013 Supervisors have started preliminary budget discussions, hearing from department heads who'd like more money than they're getting. Sheriff Donny Youngblood said Tuesday he's struggling to keep staffing levels where they are now, and the proposed budget would force him to close substations and cut back on patrols. "When you put two-man units in the field, two-person units in the field, you extend your response times dramatically." District Attorney Lisa Green pleaded with supervisors to help with the huge workload wrought by prison realignment. "I'm asking the board to help me to address these growing needs within my office, and I am requesting another $600,000 for the criminal division." The county is required to have an spending plan by June 30th, but a final budget won't come until August, after final revenue tallies are known. Public budget hearings begin August 26th.

06-12-2013 Budget cuts are taking a toll on services at Kern County courthouses, as court reporters are no longer provided for family law and some civil cases and service hours are cut back. Court Executive Officer Terry McNally says adjusting to the changes will take time. "We're gonna be going through some growing pains, or I should say contracting pains, for probably the better part of a couple weeks to probably the end of this month as people get used to the situation." The Lake Isabella courthouse closed this week due to ongoing cuts in state funding. The Taft courthouse will be open just one day a week starting in September.

06-12-2013 A Bakersfield defense contractor has been arrested for allegedly defrauding the Department of Defense. Federal prosecutors say 31-year-old Alejandro Villarreal sold electrical parts that weren't made by government approved-suppliers in 16 contracts awarded to his company, Oliver Supplies. He faces up to 20 years in prison.

06-12-2013 A man has been arrested for DUI after his car crashed into a house in southwest Bakersfield. The city fire department says the man was possibly racing on Ming Avenue near Manning Street Tuesday night when he rear-ended another car, then plowed through a mailbox before finally hitting the side of a house. He wasn't hurt, but the other driver suffered a head injury.

06-11-2013 Bakersfield police are asking for help finding a missing teenager considered at-risk because of a possible medical condition. 16-year-old Jason Alfter was last seen Monday in Castleton Street, near Harris and Wible roads. He's described as white, six feet tall, 125 pounds, with blonde hair and blue eyes. Click here to see a photo of him. Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is urged to call the Bakersfield Police Department at 327-7111.

06-11-2013 Police have released surveillance camera photos from the robbery of a CVS store in southwest Bakersfield. Officers say a man walked into the Stockdale Highway store at around 10:30 Monday morning, said he was armed, and demanded money. He got away with cash. He drove off in a 1990s to 2000s model black Chevy sedan. Click here and here to see the photos. Anyone with information about the suspect is urged to call the Bakersfield Police Department at 327-7111.

06-11-2013 Secret Witness is offering a $5,000 reward for information that helps police catch a suspect in a series of credit union robberies. Police spokesperson Michaela Beard says the man robbed two Kern Schools Federal Credit Union branches and tried to rob a Safe 1 Credit Union over the last couple of weeks. "He's wanted for one count of attempted robbery and two counts of robbery for his actions in all three of these cases." His car is described as a 1995-2000, black four-door Honda Accord. Click here, here, and here to see surveillance photos of the suspect. Click here to see a photo of his car. Anyone with information regarding his identity is urged to call the Bakersfield Police Department at 327-7111.

06-11-2013 A Bakersfield man charged with kidnapping, raping, and trying to kill his seven-year-old daughter has been found mentally competent to stand trial. A trial date of October 28th has been set for 31-year-old Ray Coriell, who is accused of leaving his daughter to die in a dirt field in 2011. She was found wandering a local street by neighbors. Coriell is charged with 11 felonies.

06-11-2013 A fire that destroyed a two-story home in east Bakersfield and threatened neighboring properties is being investigated as suspicious. City Fire Battalion Chief Matt Moore says the home on South Tulare and 8th streets was vacant at the time of the fire early this morning. "We do have reports our arson investigators are looking into, that there were some juveniles seen running from the scene. There was a large explosion that a neighbor heard." Moore says the house was already engulfed by fire when they got there, forcing them to fight the flames from the outside. Damage is estimated at $250,000.

06-10-2013 The attorney representing the family of a man who died after a struggle with law enforcement officers is filing civil rights claims against the Sheriff's Office and the CHP. David Cohn says a lawsuit would force the Sheriff's Office to release tissue samples from David Silva so his own pathologist can examine them. "We want an opportunity to have our analysis and come up with our interpretation." The Coroner's Office concluded that Silva died of heart disease and other health problems, and ruled his death an accident. Cohn suspects Silva was unable to breathe because he was restrained with a hobble device.

06-10-2013 About 50 people were evacuated from homes and businesses while the Kern County Fire Department responded to an anhydrous ammonia leak in Buttonwillow. Fire Department spokesman Corey Wilford says the chemical was being transferred from a 30-thousand gallon tank to a 1-thousand gallon tank at The Buttonwillow Warehouse Company Monday afternoon. "Somewhere in the process of doing that, in between the two tanks, is when the leak occurred in one of the pipes or hoses that was connecting the two together." A haz mat team shut off the leak. The cause is unknown. No one was hurt.

06-10-2013 Cal State Bakersfield administrators have set fall 2015 as their target date for making the switch from quarters to semesters. Associate Vice President Carl Kemnitz says the university is out of sync with most other colleges, including local community colleges. "So the administration really believes that a semester conversion would best serve the needs of the students and the institution." Kemnitz says the CSU Chancellor's Office has agreed to pick up most of the cost of the transition, which was previously estimated at $2.5 to 3 Million.

06-10-2013 A review board has cleared a Sheriff's deputy who shot and killed a stabbing suspect in Oildale. The panel found Deputy Ryan Pollack acted within Sheriff's Office policy when he shot 33-year-old Caleb Blackburn on Woodrow Avenue last month. Deputies say Blackburn tried to take a deputy's gun from its holster, and a Taser had no effect on him.

06-10-2013 A Bakersfield couple have pleaded guilty to being part of a mortgage fraud scheme that cost lenders $6 Million. Federal prosecutors say Eric and Monica Hernandez worked with three other defendants to submit false loan applications to lenders from 2005 to 2007. They both face up to 30 years in prison and a $1 Million fine.

06-10-2013 A man sentenced to the death penalty for beating a 90-year-old woman to death has died of liver disease. 44-year-old Timothy Rodriguez killed Thelma Long and severely injured her 60-year-old daughter with a baseball bat in 2007. Rodriguez had come to Long's home on Bucknell Street demanding payment for work he had done there.

06-10-2013 The Sheriff's Office is asking for help finding a convicted child molester who violated his parole. Deputies say 31-year-old Isaac Alawdi of Bakersfield disabled his GPS tracking unit last week. He is considered a high-risk sex offender. His last known address is 6301 Victor Street. Click here to see a photo of him. Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is asked to call the Bakersfield parole office at 634-9620, the Sheriff's Office at 861-3110, or Secret Witness at 322-4040.

06-10-2013 Caltrans will be replacing slabs of concrete on Interstate 5 in both directions from the Kern County like to Vista Del Lago Road. The two outside lanes and shoulders will be completely replaced along the 15 mile stretch, and damaged pavement will be replaced in the inside lanes.

06-10-2013 Bakersfield Police made one DUI arrest and impounded 27 vehicles during a sobriety checkpoint in south Bakersfield. 770 vehicles were screened at the checkpoint on South Union Avenue and Planz Road Friday night. 56 drivers were found not to have a valid license.

06-10-2013 Sheriff's deputies have arrested a man in Mojave accused of shooting at a vehicle. The girlfriend of 28-year-old Tyrone Taylor told deputies that he held her and her two children at gunpoint Saturday, threatening to kill her if she left. She took her kids and left in a car after he hit her several times. Taylor fired at the car, then hid the gun in an abandoned home and ran to his house, where he was arrested later that night.

06-07-2013 San Joaquin Community Hospital's AIS Cancer Center has gotten a check worth more than $11,000 from an oil company that held a team roping competition. Center Director Lori Muir says the money will go to getting cancer patients to their treatments and then back home. "About ten percent of our patients will probably tap into the transportation fund, and so we believe we'll be able to get through the year now that we've had a little bump in that fund." The roping event was put on by California Petroleum Industrial, whose co-owner is a cancer survivor.

06-07-2013 Bakersfield police have arrested a man accused of killing a four-month-old girl. Police say 34-year-old John Wilburn was babysitting Paige Cohen when she was injured at her home on Park Way Tuesday, and he waited for her mother to come home before taking her to a hospital. He claimed she fell off a couch. The Coroner's Office says she died of a blunt head injury Thursday.

06-07-2013 Police are asking witnesses to come forward as they investigate a shooting in central Bakersfield. Spokesperson Michaela Beard says officers found several shell casings near 8th and V streets just after 3 o'clock Friday afternoon, but no victim. "The victim, an adult male, was transported by private means, with moderate to major injuries to a local hospital." Officers are still trying to determine a motive for the shooting. No suspect information has been released. Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to call the Bakersfield Police Department at 327-7111 or Detective Josh Finney at 326-3535.

06-07-2013 An Arvin man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly claiming over $250,000 in fraudulent tax refunds. Prosecutors say 44-year-old Federico Garcia-Garcia submitted over 115 false income tax returns in other people's names. He faces five years in prison for each of the 21 counts if he's convicted.

06-07-2013 Police are looking for a man who robbed a credit union in southwest Bakersfield. Officers say the man walked into the Kern Schools Federal Credit Union near Ming Avenue and New Stine Road at around 5pm Friday, handed the teller a note demanding money, and got away with cash. He's described as a black male in his 20s. He was wearing a Miami heat baseball cap, a white dress shirt, and dark pants. Click here and here to see surveillance photos of the suspect. Anyone with information about the robbery is urged to call the Bakersfield Police Department at 327-7111, Detective Ted King at 326-3553, or Detective Brian Kennemer at 326-3511.

06-07-2013 With temperatures expected to soar well above 100 degrees tomorrow, several cooling centers will be open in the Bakersfield area. John Cove with the county Parks and Recreation Department says they're open to anyone who needs a break from the heat. "We want to give the citizens of the county, particularly elderly people, senior citizens who might have a real problem with extreme heat, a place to go if they don't have air conditioning in their own home." Click here to see the complete list of cooling centers.

06-07-2013 Bakersfield police are looking for a suspect in a sexual assault. Officers say a man drove up to a woman near Monitor Street and Pacheco Road yesterday [fri] and offered her a ride. She refused at first, but eventually agreed to get in. He then drove her to another location and assaulted her. The vehicle is described as a dark-colored, older model El Camino. The suspect is described as a black male with a medium complexion in his early 30s, 5'3", 200 pounds, with a heavy build. Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to call the Bakersfield Police Department at 327-7111 or Detective Jeremy Blakemore at 326-3557.

06-07-2013 The California Living Museum is letting visitors pay with food instead of money today at the first "Pack the Pantry" event. Zoo Manager Lana Fain says it's an extension of their popular "Feast for the Beasts", which happens every November. "This totally is a new thing, a new event off of an old idea." The list of items the zoo will accept is on CALM's website. A $25 gift card from any pet, grocery, hardware, or office supply store will admit two adults and two children. The zoo is open from 9am to 4pm.

06-07-2013 Former Cal State Bakersfield wrestling coach TJ Kerr has died at the age of 64. His body was found in his northwest home Thursday. Kerr coached the Roadrunner wrestling team for 26 years, resigning in 2010 so current coach, Mike Mendoza, could take over at a lower salary in order to save the program, which was on the verge of being dropped because it cost so much.

06-06-2013 The Bakersfield Planning Commission has listened to the concerns of southwest Bakersfield residents, and voted against the zoning change needed to build a condominium complex near their neighborhood. Matthew Dills told commissioners the complex at River Run Boulevard and Elkhorn Creek Lane would not be a good mix with the homes around it. "We love our neighborhood and the proposed development is totally inconsistent and uncompatible with what we have. Because we have community, and it's a beautiful thing." The Panama Buena Vista school district had planned to build a school on that site, but sold the land to Black Ops Real Estate.

06-06-2013 The City of Bakersfield is planning a major renovation project at a fire station at Mt. Vernon and University avenues. Fire Battalion Chief Anthony Galagaza says Fire Station Number 8 opened in 1956, and it needs some upgrades. "Most everything in there is original and because of that, everything, the old galvanized pipe, the old electrical has to be updated, and also because it'll help with energy efficiency." The project is expected to cost at least $1.6 million. Once the design and planning are finished, Galagaza expects the project to take nine months.

06-06-2013 The High-Speed Rail Authority board has approved a nearly $1 billion contract to start construction on the first leg of the bullet train in the Central Valley. The bid was the cheapest out of five received by the state, but had the lowest technical rating for safety and design. Construction could begin as soon as this summer.

06-06-2013 A gang member who killed a 15-year-old boy has been convicted of second degree murder. Supervising Deputy D.A. Cynthia Zimmer says the victim, Cipriano Maldonado, was walking on Oregon Street when Hector Valle and other Okie Baker gang members drove up and Valle stabbed him to death. "The most likely motive was that people were out on their street and it was their gang territory." Maldonado was not a member of a gang. Valle faces 25 years to life when he's sentenced next month. Co-defendant Saul Gonzalez was acquitted.

06-06-2013 A Lebec man who engaged in sex acts with a 13-year-old girl has been sentenced to a year in jail. Sheriff's deputies learned in January that 22-year-old Steven Brunelle had possibly molested the girl in her Frazier Park home, and began an investigation. He was arrested in April, and pleaded no contest to a count of lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14.

06-06-2013 Sheriff's deputies have arrested a Rosamond man accused of growing over 12-hundred marijuana plants. Deputies found the grow on 105th Street West Thursday, as well as evidence that the homeowner was using the plants to produce honey oil, a concentrated form of the drug. 63-year-old John Heinantz was booked on drug charges.

06-06-2013 Bakersfield Police will be conducting a DUI checkpoint somewhere in the city limits. The Checkpoint is scheduled for Friday evening, and officers will be randomly checking vehicles for proper licensing as well as for drivers who might be impaired. People in violation of DUI laws could be taken to jail and have their car impounded.

06-06-2013 Police have arrested a man after a shooting at a party in Tehachapi. Officers say 28-year-old Donald Barker was taken into custody at his home on Carroll Way at around 7 o'clock Thursday morning in connection with the 1am shooting on East H Street. He faces charges of assault with a gun and being a felon in possession of a gun. No one was hurt.

06-06-2013 The U.S. Forest Service reports 53 structures including 24 homes were destroyed by the Powerhouse fire in northern Los Angeles County. The agency says crews were able to revise damage estimates now that there are few open flames. Containment has increased to 78 percent. The estimated cost of fighting the fire has risen to $11.4 Million.

06-06-2013 The Downtown Bakersfield Development Corporation has received the tax-exempt status it needs to make the downtown area a safer and more welcoming place. The organization was established earlier this year by the Downtown Business Association to fill the void left the elimination of Bakersfield's redevelopment agency along with hundreds of others across the state.

06-06-2013 Bakersfield police are investigating a three-vehicle crash involving one of their own officers. Police say Officer Seth Palmer was driving through the intersection of Coffee Road and Rosedale Highway with his lights and siren on Thursday afternoon when his car collided with another car coming from his right side. That car then crashed into a pickup. No one was seriously hurt.

06-06-2013 The Coroner's Office has identified a man who was shot and killed in south Bakersfield as 35-year-old Dante Breeding. Sheriff's deputies say Breeding was shot on Opal Street at around 6:45 Wednesday night. 53-year-old Gerald Harris was arrested for homicide. Homes on that street were evacuated for several hours while detectives investigated the shooting.

06-05-2013 The latest report from a local appraiser shows more signs of a recovery in the Bakersfield housing market, as supply stays tight and prices keep rising. Affiliated Appraisers owner Gary Crabtree says homes are flying off the market, and prices are at their highest level since 2004. "It's a very, very strong market and can be classified as a seller's market." The median price in May was $188,000, up four percent from April and 37 percent from May of last year.

06-05-2013 The Kern County Elections Division has found that a poll worker didn't break any rules when he stood up for supporters of Bakersfield City Council candidate Efren Ramirez. They had been asked to leave the fairgrounds during the special election Tuesday. The Bakersfield Californian reports Division Chief Karen Rhea fired Humberto Gomez Tuesday, but he will be paid for the day.

06-05-2013 Wasco State Prison officers say a guard who shot and killed a prison inmate during a riot was trying to save another inmate's life. Lieutenant Floyd Harl says 22-year-old Angel Torres was kicking another prisoner in the head at the time Monday. Two other inmates also were taken to outside hospitals for treatment. Harl says it's unclear what caused their injuries.

06-05-2013 The Bakersfield City Council has approved the first reading of an ordinance banning medical marijuana dispensaries after hearing from advocates who urged them to regulate them instead. Councilmember Terry Maxwell said Wednesday night an outright ban is the safest legal option. "What can we do to make sure that we are not putting the city in a position of getting sued or discriminating against one shop versus another?" The state Supreme Court recently upheld the City of Riverside's ban. The Bakersfield ordinance still needs to pass one more City Council vote.

06-05-2013 The Kern County Cancer Fund has introduced the men and women who will lead the recently-established charity. It helps people like Deanna Brown, who was diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma two years ago and couldn't pay her medical bills because she didn't have insurance. "I'm just extremely thanksful and humbled that there's such a great organization for local kern County cancer patients that have to be dealt this horrible disease." The fund also helps cancer patients pay for non-medical expenses while they're being treated. 34 families have benefited from it this year.

06-05-2013 The Bakersfield City Council has decided not to hire any more police officers than the ten included in the proposed budget for next year. Councilmember Ken Weir said Wednesday night he didn't want to raid the city's contingency fund to pay for another four officers. "I don't want to start the year out with no contingency at all. None, nada, zip, zilch. It's gone." But Councilmember Russell Johnson said the city should do all it can to combat an increase in crime. "The number one call I get from folks is that the streets aren't safe, folks feel like victims in their own neighborhoods, and enough is enough." Russell Johnson cast the lone dissenting vote, arguing the city needs to do whatever it can to combat the effects of prison realignment. The ten officers already in the budget will still make the police force the biggest it's ever been.

06-05-2013 The Sheriff's Office is asking for help finding a man accused of sexually assaulting a woman. Deputies say the woman was walking near South Union Avenue and Terrace Way when she accepted a ride from a man she didn't know, then he drove her to an isolated area near Lamont and assaulted her several times before she could escape. He's described as a white male in his mid to late 30s, 5'8", 200 pounds, and bald, with a tattoo on his stomach that contained the letter "L." He was driving a 2000s model four-door sedan, possibly a Volkswagen. She says he had a tattoo on his stomach with the letter L in it. Anyone with information regarding his identity is asked to call the Sheriff's Office at 861-3110, Detective Daniel Perez at 868-5755, or Secret Witness at 322-4040.

06-05-2013 Police have released a composite sketch of a man who tried to kidnap a girl in southwest Bakersfield. Officers say the man drove up to a girl and tried to grab her as she rode her bicycle on Baybrook Way Saturday. His car is described as a navy blue, older model four-door vehicle with scratches on the driver's side door. Click here to see the computer-generated sketch. Anyone with information regarding his identity is urged to call the Bakersfield Police Department at 327-7111.

06-05-2013 Seven-hundred and sixty-one homeless people have been given permanent supportive housing in the five years of the 10-year Home First plan being enacted by the Kern County Homeless Collaborative. Board member Jim Wheeler says getting all of the homeless off of the street is a noble goal, but some of the more than 11-hundred have drug or mental issues. "The vast majority, once there is some case management going on, and outreach, they will go into housing. And so, that's our goal. Wheeler says they have created permanent and supportive housing beds for 761 people, 46 percent above the 10-year goal of 520.

06-04-2013 Voters in Wasco have shot down a ballot measure to merge the city's high school and elementary school districts. Supporters said the change would eliminate redundancies and improve education. Opponents said it would decrease local control of schools.

06-04-2013 Ward One voters have chosen 22-year-old Willie Rivera to represent them on the Bakersfield City Council in a special election. Rivera says he will respond to every call, text, and email from his constituents. "And do my best to get to the bottom of an issue, address an issue that someone calls in with, and go to bat for someone in Ward One who calls me with their concern." Rivera was a staffer for former state Senator Michael Rubio, and continues to work for the District 16 office. He replaces Rudy Salas, who left for the state Assembly.

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