A teacher with the Panama-Buena Vista Union School District has been arrested for alleged child sex crimes. Kimberly Tull, 45, was arrested April 2, 2025, on suspicion of engaging in lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14. The Bakersfield Police Department says Tull is no longer in custody. Charges had not been filed…… Read More
The Trump Administration has canceled a $190,000 federal grant to California State University Bakersfield. The money was meant for a program that supports teaching the history of farm labor and migration in the San Joaquin Valley. The National Endowment for the Humanities says it is shifting funding under a new presidential order. The grant funded…… Read More
Bakersfield Christian High School was placed on alert Tuesday morning after police responded to a reported threat. Officers blocked access and searched the campus on Stockdale Highway out of caution but determined the threat was not credible. No arrests were made.… Read More
A former Ultimate Fighting Champion is serving time at Wasco State Prison after being sentenced to five years for attempted murder. Cain Velasquez, 42, pleaded no contest to shooting at a man accused of molesting his son. The victim was shot but survived the attack. The mixed martial arts star fired into a truck carrying…… Read More
A 36-year-old man convicted of murder outside the Foods Co. in east Bakersfield has been sentenced to fifty years to life in prison. Adrian Sanchez Jr. was sentenced Friday after his conviction in March on charges of first degree murder and drug possession while armed with a loaded gun. Sanchez shot Chad Reeves, 31, in…… Read More
The City of Bakersfield will officially unveil the new Dignity Health Arena Theatre and Convention Center next week. The venue formerly known as Mechanics Bank Arena is host to numerous concerts, sports, and community events. Dignity Health took over naming rights in February. The public is invited to tour the arena after the sign is…… Read More
A Bakersfield man has been acquitted of all charges after being punched by police during his arrest in December. A jury last week acquitted Victor Ayala of charges including resisting arrest and giving police a false ID. He was also cleared of spousal battery because of a lack of evidence. Ayala’s attorney says Ayala followed…… Read More
An investigation is underway after an inmate was found dead in his cell at the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi. Parish Duren, 31, was found unresponsive with obvious injuries in his cell Saturday morning after his cellmate Demetrius Cole, 37, made a distress call to guards. Duren died at the prison triage center. Cole has…… Read More
At least one person is dead following a shooting in southwest Bakersfield. It happened late Saturday night in the parking lot of Blue Clouds Market on Wible Road south of Belle Terrace.near Santiago’s Grill and Seafood. Witnesses reported to law enforcement hearing about ten gunshots. The Kern County Sheriff’s Office says there’s no suspect information,…… Read More
Kern County Public Health has launched a new campaign about Valley Fever. The outreach comes in the wake of new numbers which reflect 3,990 cases were reported in the county in 2024. 49 people died from the virus. The numbers set an all-time high for cases in the county. Public Health Director Brynn Carrigan says…… Read More
