Kern County has reached a tentative deal with the county’s biggest union after more than a year of negotiations. SEIU Chapter 521 represents over 5,200 county workers. The new two-year agreement includes a 6% raise, a $1500 bonus, and pay increases for twenty eight job titles. It also boosts bilingual pay, uniform allowances, and adds…… Read More
California prison officials say two inmates attacked and killed another prisoner Wednesday afternoon at Kern Valley State Prison in Delano. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation says Timothy Whelan, 56, was killed Wednesday afternoon. William Nesler III, 43, and Edward Holden III, 35, allegedly attacked Whelan with improvised weapons. Whelan was serving a sentence…… Read More
A state task force uprooted more than 105,000 marijuana plants and seized more than 22,000 pounds of processed cannabis in what officials are calling the Central Valley’s largest pot-busting operation to date. The massive effort involving several agencies took place the week of May 5 and focused on illegal grow operations in Kern, Tulare, and…… Read More
Ten people in Bakersfield are facing numerous charges for performing contracting work without a license. Investigators with the Contractors State License Board conducted a two-day sting in April and received bids from the suspects ranging from $1600 to $4800, well over the $1,000 limit that requires a license to perform work. Some of the suspects…… Read More
The Democrat Fire continues to burn east of Bakersfield. Cal Fire says nearly 1,000 acres of brush have been scorched since the fire broke out Sunday afternoon along Highway 178 near the Upper Richbar Campground area. Authorities say the blaze started when a pickup crashed into the mountainside. No firefighters have been injured. The fire…… Read More
A 59 year-old Bakersfield man is behind bars after police say they found stolen city property and a marijuana grow. Investigators say they recovered $260,000 worth of stolen fencing and over 300 marijuana plants on five and a half acres in the 1900 block of Lotus Lane on May 9. Authorities say Evens Bernard tried…… Read More
A 3.8 magnitude earthquake struck at 12:09 p.m. Monday west of Mettler. The U.S. Geological Survey says the quake caused aftershocks in the magnitude 2 range. There are no reports of damage or injury. Officials with the Southern California Seismic Network say more aftershocks are possible in the next few days, and there’s a 5%…… Read More
Crews are battling a grass fire east of Bakersfield. The Democrat Fire broke out at around 3:30 p.m. Sunday along Highway 178 near the Upper Richbar Picnic Area. Cal Fire reports the blaze has scorched more than 450 acres and is zero percent contained Monday morning. Highway 178 is closed in both directions as crews…… Read More
The Kern County Coroner says an inmate found dead at North Kern State Prison in Delano was murdered. Officials say Enrique Gomeztagle, 31, died from asphyxiation caused by strangulation and an object blocking his airway. Prison staff found him unresponsive in his cell on January 29. He was later pronounced dead. The case is being…… Read More
A Kern County inmate is facing an extra charge after allegedly trying a unique way to escape from a jail transport bus. Sheriff’s deputies say Maminder Singh, 26, hid underneath the bus as it was leaving the court holding facility on Truxtun Avenue on May 14. The driver stopped after hearing screams. Singh was reportedly…… Read More
