LOCAL AND REGIONAL NEWS

Thursday, January 27th, 2022

Governor Gavin Newsom announced Tuesday he and other California leaders have reached a deal to extend COVID-19 paid sick leave for employees through Sept. 30. This will be finalized through budget action.

Kern County Public Health and the Kern Valley Healthcare District have teamed up to offer free Covid vaccinations on a weekly basis through the month of February. No appointment is needed. Just walk up in front of the Hospital on Laurel Avenue in Mt. Mesa. The hours are from 10:30 am to 5 pm and the next one will be this Saturday, the 29th. 

People have been wondering if a popular and historic eatery in downtown Bakersfield was closing for good. The are temporarily closed until the new operator takes over. The company went out of business in 1994, but a piece of the company remains in operation through its only remaining luncheonette in America, here in Bakersfield.

A man arrested in Bakersfield is among 21 people indicted in a large-scale operation spanning multiple states that resulted in the seizure of dozens of guns and more than 200 pounds of drugs — including thousands of pills containing fentanyl.

Kern County Public Works has announced the next hazardous waste collection event at the Kern Valley Transfer Station. The next date is Saturday, the 26 of February from 9 am to 1 pm. 

San Jose has voted to require gun owners to carry liability insurance in what's believed to be the first measure of its kind in the United States. The San Jose City Council overwhelmingly approved the measure Tuesday night despite opposition from some gun owners who said it would violate their Second Amendment rights. 

 Former Kern County Republican Central Committee treasurer Bryan Williams agrees to pay civil penalty of $20,528 in settlement with Federal Election Commission over embezzlement claims, according to court documents. From 2013 to 2019, Williams made about $272,000 in an unauthorized payments from the committee's bank account into his personal account. He has paid more than 218,000 in restitution. 

Wednesday, January 26th, 2022

Governor Gavin Newsom announced Tuesday he and other California leaders have reached a deal to extend COVID-19 paid sick leave for employees through Sept. 30. This will be finalized through budget action.

The Kern County Public Health Services Department reported three new COVID-19 deaths and 1,620 cases yesterday. Following the states COVID-19 model, Kern County is expected to peak tomorrow with 337 patients being hospitalized with COVID-19, according to Kern County Public Health.

Fire crews continued to battle fires near the coastal town of Big Sur, California on Tuesday after making progress over the weekend with the blaze, which began last week.  CAL FIRE said the fire had been at least 45 percent contained.

A 9-month-old baby overdosed on fentanyl on Friday in east Bakersfield, according to the Bakersfield Police Department. The baby was transported to the hospital. The child was revived and its condition is stable and is in the custody of Child Protective Services. The mother of the child has been arrested. This was the second toddler-fentanyl incident in the past week.

Bryan Williams, former treasurer of the Kern County Republican Central Committee, was fined under an agreement with the Federal Election Commission after admitting to embezzling $272,000. Williams has paid partial restitution of $218,546.30 and has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $20,528, according to a conciliation agreement reached last month with the FEC. He was given 30 days to pay.

Got word yesterday that Kern County Public Works will host another hazardous waste collection event at the Kern Valley Transfer Station. It will be Saturday, February 26th from 9 am to 1 pm.

Tax filing season kicked off Monday with three new changes taxpayers should be aware of. Eligible families who did not receive advance payment can still receive a lump sum payment by claiming the Child Tax Credit. If you did not receive a third stimulus check or economic impact payment, you could be eligible for the Recovery Rebate Credit. Most people can receive a deduction of up to $600 for cash donations to charity. Taxpayers do not need to itemize deductions.

Kern County Public Health and the Kern Valley Healthcare District are offering more free vaccine days through the end of next month. The next vaccine day is this Saturday from 10:30 am to 5 pm in front of the hospital on Laurel Avenue in Mt. Mesa. 

More children aged zero to four are becoming seriously ill with COVID. Nationally, hospitalizations among this age group are spiking. Here in Kern, public health data shows nearly 8,500 children — ages zero to 17 — have tested positive since Jan. 1.

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has launched an online pharmacy that offers prescription drugs at affordable prices. In a press release, the Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company said they plan to provide common medications at as low a price as possible to "bypass middlemen and outrageous markups."

A woman captured a once-in-a-lifetime image over the weekend while travelling on 1-93 in New Hampshire. It was a raccoon hanging on the back of a garbage truck. She also rolled down the window to get the driver’s attention, pointing to the back of the truck. The driver of the garbage truck laughed, rolled down his window and said, “I know! He’s been there since 3 a.m.”  

The Supreme Court has rejected a challenge from Bakersfield Congressman and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to the proxy voting system in Congress that Democrats put in place in response to the coronavirus pandemic. McCarthy had sought a declaration that proxy voting, an absent representative giving authority to someone in attendance to cast his or her vote, was unconstitutional. The Supreme Court disagreed. 

A conservation group is turning over a historic redwood grove on the Northern California coast to descendants of the original Native American inhabitants. Save the Redwoods League said it would transfer the 523-acre property it recently acquired on the Lost Coast. It's the second property the league has transferred to the group of 10 tribes.

Tuesday, January 25th, 2022

The Kern County Public Health Services Department reported 6,941 new COVID-19 cases and no new deaths over the weekend. There have been 66 confirmed cases of the omicron variant and 1,887 confirmed cases of the delta variant in Kern county so far.

The CDC released a report on Friday showing unvaccinated seniors have a significantly higher risk of severe COVID-19 illness and being hospitalized than vaccinated seniors. At almost 50 times more but, the report also shows that those unvaccinated are at a higher risk of contracting a severe illness.

State health officials Monday said BA.2, the newest variant of COVID-19, has been detected in Washington state, which is still grappling with a surge in cases from the omicron and delta variants. A representative for the Washington State Health Department said in an email that the state has already logged two confirmed cases of the newest variant, which were found earlier this month.

A 9-month-old baby overdosed on fentanyl on Friday in east Bakersfield, according to the Bakersfield Police Department. When officers arrived they said they located an unresponsive baby. The baby was transported to the local hospital where it was determined that the baby was suffering from a fentanyl overdose. The child was revived and its condition is stable and is in the custody of Child Protective Services, according to BPD. This was the 2nd toddler/fentanyl incident in the past week. 

At last report, the Colorado Fire near Big Sur has burned more than 700 acres, and is at 35% containment. 

Governor Gavin Newsom announced the state lost 7 million acres to wildfires just in the last two years. Kern County saw its share of those wildfires–most notably the french fire that burned almost 30,0000 acres. The feds are putting up 5 billion dollars for risk reduction, and another 600 million is coming into California for restoration and recovery efforts. According to Newsom, even more will be dedicated out of the state budget.

Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger reportedly crashed into a Prius after running a red light. CBS Los Angeles says Schwarzenegger's vehicle rolled on top of the car and hit two other vehicles that were waiting for the light to change. The driver of the Prius was taken to a hospital in the Los Angeles area. The driver reportedly sustained non-life-threatening injuries. No one else appeared to suffer any major injuries. The cause is under investigation. However, CBS Los Angeles says no drugs or alcohol were involved.

Los Angeles is weighing whether to ban new oil and gas drilling and phase out hundreds of existing wells. The city council is expected to vote on a measure that would shut down oil and gas fields in the city after a decade of complaints from residents.

Like it or not, tax season is upon us. The IRS began accepting returns yesterday, and certain families and individuals are facing smaller refunds or no refund at all. One of the big changes is the Advance Child Tax Credit. People who received payments throughout the year won’t have that amount of credit at tax time, and will likely get a smaller refund. This time, every dollar of unemployment in 2021 will be taxed as income. That will reduce or wipe out refunds. Some people will owe money.

Monday, January 24th, 2022

There is a free food giveaway today in Wofford Heights and in Lake Isabella. It begins at 10 am and goes until 12 noon. It's at the Canyon Hills Church in Wofford Heights and at the Veterans and Senior Center in Lake Isabella. 

CHP officers in Buttonwillow seized nearly 100 pounds of marijuana Saturday afternoon from a vehicle. An officer noticed a driver in a vehicle driving next to another in what looked like a speed contest on Stockdale Highway. The officer decided to pull over the driver in a BMW after seeing the vehicle had expired registration and illegally tinted windows. The driver was found to have the 100 pounds of pot on.....wait for it.....Stoner Drive. 

Largest fentanyl bust in central valley history comes from a police officer with four legs. According to CHP Merced, thanks to K9 Beny they were able to retrieve 75 pounds of counterfeit Oxycodone pills that they believe had fentanyl in them. After stopping a 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan for speeding, a CHP officer noticed suspicious activity which led him to have Beny sniff the exterior of the car.

Evacuation orders were issued after a fire broke out along the Big Sur coast in California on Friday night, according to the National Weather Service. Cal Fire said yesterday afternoon that 1,050 acres had burned and they reported 25% containment. The Department is calling it the Colorado Fire.

California officials will release more water than initially planned from state storage to farms and cities south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The Department of Water Resources now plans to give water districts 15% of the water they are contracted to receive in 2022.

Los Angeles, the second-most populous U.S. city, is weighing whether to ban new oil and gas drilling and phase out hundreds of existing wells. The city council is expected to vote on a measure that would shut down oil and gas fields in the city after a decade of complaints from residents.

California would allow children age 12 and up to be vaccinated without their parents’ consent, the youngest age of any state, under a state senator's proposal. Alabama allows such decisions at age 14, Oregon at 15, Rhode Island and South Carolina at 16. Only Washington, D.C., has a lower limit, at age 11.

Friday, January 21st, 2022

Who's a good dog?  California Highway Patrol K-9 Bruce wasn’t fooled by the packaging. He sniffed out 15 pounds of suspected methamphetamine inside boxes of coffee and chicken nuggets during a traffic stop southwest of Fresno.

 A 1-year-old boy is recovering and his parents were arrested after the boy overdosed last week after being exposed to fentanyl, according to the Bakersfield Police Department. When officers arrived they began CPR and successfully revived the child and continued medical treatment until medical personnel arrived, the department said. The child was transported to a local hospital and is currently listed as stable. Both parents were arrested and charged with drug-related felonies.

The Kern County Public Health Services Department reported 2,033 new COVID-19 cases and no new deaths yesterday. Those numbers bring the county’s totals to 193,774 positive cases and 1,974 deaths from COVID-19. There have been 63 confirmed cases of the omicron variant and 1,855 confirmed cases of the delta variant in Kern county so far.

Honor Flight dates have been chosen to take the next batch of Kern County servicemen and women back to Washington, D.C. Honor Flight 44 will now take off on May 3rd to the 5th. The next adventure after that will not leave until the fall on Oct. 18th through the 20th.

California State Senator Shannon Grove announced yesterday that she'll run for re-election in District 12. The district covers parts of Kern, Fresno and Tulare counties.

Since the start of the pandemic, many trips have taken place in an RV. Prior to March 2020, RV shipments each month had been on a decline for quite some time, but according to monthly reports from the RV Industry Association, that changed when the COVID-19 pandemic started, as RV sales picked up and have continued to increase since.

A rocket explosion at the Mojave Air and Space Port on Wednesday afternoon sent a column of smoke into the air. According to the Kern County Fire Department, a hazmat crew was sent to the location along with fire crews due to potentially hazardous materials on the site. There were no injuries as a result of the explosion.

Thursday, January 20th, 2022

The Kern County Public Health Services Department reported two new COVID-19 deaths and 1,892 new cases yesterday. Those numbers bring the county’s totals to 191,741 positive cases and 1,972 deaths from COVID-19. 

After your body recovers from the chills, the cough, the shortness of breath brought on by a battle with COVID, you’ll likely hope you’re out of the woods. You might be wrong. It's called Post-COVID syndrome. Long-Haulers Disease. Long COVID. All names for the same poorly-understood condition that can last for years after a COVID infection.

It's a Veteran's Voice that soars with each flight with 43 trips so far. And now the dates have been chosen to take the next batch of Kern County servicemen and women back to Washington, D.C. Honor Flight 44 will now take off on May 3rd to the 5th. The next adventure after that will not leave until the fall on Oct. 18th through the 20th.

Coffee giant Starbucks is facing some venti-sized criticism Wednesday after the company announced it no longer requires U.S. workers to receive COVID-19 vaccines or test negative each week, with the java juggernaut citing a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling as its reasoning. 

The Bakersfield Police Department says a 1-year-old boy's parents were arrested Jan. 15th after the boy experienced a Fentanyl overdose due to exposure to narcotics paraphernalia. The boy was taken to a hospital where he's in stable condition. 

California Highway Patrol K-9 Bruce wasn’t fooled by the packaging. He sniffed out 15 pounds of suspected methamphetamine inside boxes of coffee and chicken nuggets during a traffic stop southwest of Fresno, according to the CHP. 

A test rocket explosion caused a small fire at Mojave Air and Space Port Wednesday afternoon, the Kern County Fire Department said. No injuries were reported. 

Wednesday, January 19th, 2022

COVID numbers continue to average about 2,000 new cases a day as Kern County Public Health reported over 8,700 cases over the holiday weekend with 8 new deaths. That brings the total number of cases since the start of the pandemic to nearly 190,000 cases. The eight deaths attributed to COVID bring that total to 1,972.

Americans are now able to request free at-home COVID-19 tests from the federal government as the country faces widespread shortages. Those shortages will also impact how many free tests you can request, with the White House limiting orders to just four free tests per home. Order online at Covid Tests dot gov. that's https://www.covidtests.gov

California prosecutors have filed two counts of vehicular manslaughter against the driver of a Tesla on Autopilot who ran a red light, slammed into another car, and killed two people in 2019. The defendant appears to be the first person to be charged with a felony in the United States for a fatal crash involving a motorist who was using a partially automated driving system.

The airline industry is raising the stakes in a showdown with AT&T and Verizon over plans to launch new 5G wireless service this week, warning that thousands of flights could be grounded or delayed if the rollout takes place near major airports. CEOs of the nation’s largest airlines say that interference from the wireless service on a key instrument on planes is worse than they originally thought.

A man was shot and killed Monday morning in Ridgecrest, according to the Kern County Sheriff’s Office. Around 7:30 a.m. deputies were dispatched to reports of a victim of a shooting, according to KCSO. Once deputies got to the location, they found evidence of a shooting but did not locate a victim. Deputies later learned that the victim had been transported to a local hospital by a personal vehicle and not an ambulance, according to the sheriff’s office. The man died at the hospital. The investigation is ongoing.

The Biden administration plans to significantly increase efforts to stave off catastrophic wildfires that have been torching areas of the U.S. West by more aggressively thinning forests around areas where nature and neighborhoods collide. Officials have crafted a $50 billion plan to more than double the use of controlled fires and logging to reduce vegetation that feeds fires.

Tuesday, January 18th, 2022

Grocery stores across the country are opening later, closing earlier, and eliminating 24-hour operations as they struggle with staff shortages due to the spread of COVID-19. Stores are using the few night employees they do have to restock shelves, rather than work the cash registers.

A fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine could increase antibodies and provide more protection from the virus, according to a new study from Israel. Researchers released new preliminary data Monday suggesting that a fourth dose of either the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna vaccines enhanced or increased the number of antibodies to levels higher than what has been seen following a third dose.

A massive and dangerous winter storm is whipping the East Coast with significant snowfall, strong thunderstorms and blustery winds yesterday. The system, which stretched as far south as Florida and as far north as New England, has left thousands without power and disrupted travel across the country.

This pandemic hasn't been challenging for just humans: Even our furry friends are feeling the brunt of it, with staffing shortages at shelters. One of those shelters is Kern County Animal Services. If one of your New Year Resolutions was to help your community and you love animals too, here's a fun and impactful way to do that: volunteering.

Here's a wrap up of the Wild Card Weekend NFL playoff games. Chiefs over the Steelers 42-21. the 49rs beat the Dallas Cowboys 23-17. Tampa Bay over Philadelphia 31-15, and Buffalo Bills over the New England Patriots 47-17.

A Tsunami Advisory was issued for the U.S. West Coast much of the day Saturday after an undersea volcano erupted near the Pacific nation of Tonga. By about 4:30 p.m., NWS officials said the advisory was canceled, with "no additional tsunami danger" for the area.

Two people are uninjured after their home in Washington state slid off its foundation and collapsed. The Bellevue Fire Department said it was called for a minor water leak early Monday morning. Officials say it soon turned into something else completely when they were looking for the leak source near an elementary school, which is behind the house up a hill. The home started to slide off its base to its resting spot at a 45 degree angle. The occupants of the house, two people and a dog, were able to get out safely without firefighter help.

 Just like her famous NFL sons, Donna Kelce refused to let anything get in her way to support both men on Super Wild Card Weekend. Sunday for Donna began at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa to watch son Jason and his Philadelphia Eagles teammates face Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It ended more than 1,200 miles away in Kansas City watching her younger son Travis and the Kansas City Chiefs battle Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers for a chance to advance in the NFL Playoffs.