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LOCAL AND REGIONAL NEWS

Friday, October 23rd, 2020

Update:

The American Legislative Exchange Council has ranked the nation’s governors and Newsom came out near the bottom. The conservative-leaning group released their first Governor ranking report card this week. The ratings, released Tuesday, rank Newsom 40th overall. They looked at several key performance indicators like tax policy, handling of federal cares act money, and state spending. And in some of these areas, Governor Newsom received the lowest scores possible.

A California appeals court on Thursday upheld an order requiring Uber and Lyft to treat their California drivers as employees instead of independent contractors, less than two weeks before voters will be asked to exempt the ride-hailing giants from the state's gig economy law. The decision won't have any immediate impact because it doesn't take effect for at least 30 days, well after the Nov. 3 vote on Prop 22.

There is going to be a food distribution tomorrow in Wofford Heights. It's across from the movie theatre and will go from 10:30 am to 3 pm. The food boxes are free of charge and will be given in a contactless manner.

We're learning what likely caused a wildfire in Southern California last year. Investigators are now saying electrical equipment owned and operated by Southern California Edison is to blame for sparking the Easy Fire, which threatened the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley. The Ventura County Fire Department says an insulator attached to a high voltage power line swung into a steel power pole during high winds sparking a fire.

The United States recorded more than 75,000 confirmed coronavirus cases on Thursday — a mere hundreds of cases away a single-day record set in July, according to a New York Times database.

The Kern County Public Health Services Department reported 106 new COVID-19 cases this morning. These bring the county’s total to 33,775 resident cases and 416 deaths.

Macy’s said Santa Claus won’t be greeting kids at its flagship New York store this year due to the coronavirus, interrupting a holiday tradition started nearly 160 years ago. More than a quarter of a million people come to see Santa at Macy’s in New York each year, the company said, making it hard to create a safe environment during a pandemic.

Chucky is California’s most popular classic horror movie villain, according to a report by FrontierBundles.com. A report done by FrontierBundles.com explored the most popular horror movie villains in each state using data from Google Trends over the past twelve months. They selected 15 popular villains from classic, pre-2000 horror films. Chucky is a possessed killer doll from the classic 1988 slasher film, “Child’s Play.” A remake was released last year with Mark Hamill voicing the role of Chucky.

A child was killed and a man was injured following a motorcycle accident just east of Bakersfield on Wednesday evening. According to a Bakersfield Police Department news release, the man was driving the motorcycle while a 12-year-old was the passenger in the 9100 block of Kern Canyon Road. BPD said the man lost control of the motorcycle, which went off the road and ejected both occupants. The accident occurred at 6:42 p.m. The child, identified as Bruce Leon Cross by the Kern County coroner's office, was pronounced dead at the scene while the man, 51, suffered moderate injuries and is listed in stable condition at a local hospital.

The Kern County Public Health Services Department reported one new COVID-19 death and 39 cases yesterday morning. These bring the county’s total to 33,669 resident cases and 416 deaths.

Thursday, October 22nd, 2020

Update:

The source of our smoke in the KRV is the Complex Fire north of Kernville. As of this morning, it was approaching 169 thousand acres with around 750 personnel on the fire. Containment at this point is 75% with full contaiment expected by the first of November.

A preliminary 3.2 earthquake struck an area just southeast of Bodfish on Wednesday night, according to data from the US Geological Survey. The quake was centered in the area about 8 miles southeast of Bodfish and about 25.5 miles north of Tehachapi and struck at around 11:10 p.m.

The Kern County Public Health Services Department reported one new COVID-19 death and 39 cases this morning. These bring the county’s total to 33,669 resident cases and 416 deaths.

A Hennepin County judge on Thursday dismissed a third-degree murder charge against former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. Chauvin is still charged with second-degree manslaughter and second-degree unintentional murder while committing a felony in the Memorial Day killing of George Floyd. Chauvin, who was arrested May 29, was released in early October after posting $1 million in bond.

There is going to be a free food distribution event Saturday at 20 Panorama in Wofford Heights. Look for the people and the signs. The food giveaway will be from 10:30 in the morning until 3 pm. It is a contactless event. Stay in your car and follow directions given.

Go ahead and mark your calendars for Daylight saving time and an extra hour of sleep — and it happens the day after Halloween! The clocks roll back one hour at 2 a.m., November 1, 2020.

The Kern County Public Health Services Department reported two new COVID-19 deaths and 79 cases this morning. These bring the county’s total to 33,630 resident cases and 415 deaths.

A Tehachapi man faces a life term in prison after a Kern County jury found him guilty of murder in the death of his 2-month-old son. 31 year old Matthew Norwood was convicted Tuesday of second-degree murder and assault of a child under 8 resulting in death. The murder conviction carries a term of 15 years to life in prison.

Brazilian health authority Anvisa said on Wednesday that a volunteer in a clinical trial of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University has died, stating it had received data from an investigation into the matter. The regulator said testing of the vaccine would continue after the volunteer’s death. It provided no further details, citing medical confidentiality of those involved in trials.

California’s amusement parks have been pining to reopen for months. Now that state health officials announced strict new rules for reopening the parks, attractions spanning from Disneyland to Universal Studios are bracing for an even longer shutdown — and so are the surrounding areas. The city of Anaheim, which is home to Disneyland, has slashed its general fund budget forecast by 30 percent.

The FBI and the intelligence community in recent weeks have been warning of foreign and illegal interference in the upcoming election. Last month, the FBI released a statement saying that cyber criminals and foreign actors are attempting to use online platforms to “manipulate public opinion, discredit the electoral process, and undermine confidence in U.S. democratic institutions.”

A top official with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Wednesday that experts are seeing a “distressing trend” as coronavirus cases surge across the United States, particularly in the Midwest. Experts are concerned there may be a major spike in cases during the fall and winter months, which will strain the country's health care system, which will also be caring for flu patients.

Wednesday, October 21st, 2020

Update:

The Kern County Public Health Services Department reported two new COVID-19 deaths and 79 cases this morning. These bring the county’s total to 33,630 resident cases and 415 deaths.

After a week officially in the red tier, Kern County continued to see small improvements in its Coronavirus numbers and testing positivity rate. This week the county’s case rate fell to 5.7 cases per 100,000 residents. The adjusted case rate is now 6.2 cases per 100,000 residents. Kern’s testing positivity rate is 4.4% and the Health Equity Metric is 5.5%. To make that move the case rate needs to be below 4, the testing positivity rate needs to be below 5% and the Health Equity Metric also needs to be below 5%.

Off-roading to start back up at Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area and Pismo State Beach later this month. Vehicular access to all state park units was closed in March to prevent visitation surges and help mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

You're going to have to wait longer to get your fix of Disneyland and other theme parks in California, according to new guidelines released Tuesday by the California Department of Public Health. Larger theme parks will only be allowed to reopen once the county where they're located is in the less-restrictive Yellow Tier, or Tier 4. Currently, Orange County-- which is home to Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm-- is in the Red Tier.

Polling locations in the KRV have been chosen. They include the Eagles Lodge in Mtn. Mesa, the Veterans and Senior Center in Lake Isabella, Kern Valley High School, The community building in Kernville, Southlake Fire Station 71, Weldon United Methosdist Church, and St. Judes Catholic Church in Wofford Heights. There is a link on our website at Kern River Radio dot com.

Yesterday, an F/A-18E Super Hornet from Naval Air Station Lemoore experienced a mishap during a routine training flight in the Superior Valley, just south of Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake. The pilot ejected safely and was taken to a local medical facility for examination. Travel was interrupted at Highways 14 and 178 for quite awhile.

The Kern County Public Health Services Department reported three new COVID-19 deaths and 54 cases yesterday morning. These bring the county’s total to 33,551 resident cases and 413 deaths. Today's numbers will be know around 10 am.

An individual at Kernville Elementary School has tested positive for coronavirus, according to a letter sent out to parents by the Kernville Union School District. Here is a quote... “This individual is not at school and is under quarantine in accordance with California Department of Public Health guidelines. The District is working with the Kern County Department of Public Health with documenting any potential exposures to the positive individual,” Superintendent Steve Martinez said in a letter to parents. The district said any individual, student or staff member who was potentially exposed to the virus will be contacted by KUSD or Kern Public Health.

Smaller theme parks can reopen if their county is in the orange “moderate” tier, according to new state guidelines released yesterday. The state said these smaller parks must limit capacity to 25 percent or 500 people, whichever is fewer. They may only open outdoor attractions and must limit ticket sales to visitors who live in the same county. Large theme parks, such as Disneyland, won’t be able to reopen until their county is in the lowest reopening tier, the yellow “minimal” tier, according to the state.

Kern County Sheriff's Deputies were at 905 North Chester Ave yesterday morning. Deputies were seen cutting locks and making their way into the building and telling people inside to come out. Nine people were detained by deputies. According to residents in the area, the location was an illegal internet casino and two people were shot. Last year, an illegal gambling casino was busted in the same area.

The lack of oversight by a Southern California boat owner led to a fire that killed 34 people on a 2019 scuba diving excursion, the National Transportation Safety Board ruled Tuesday. The predawn fire aboard the Conception is one of California’s deadliest maritime disasters, prompting criminal and safety investigations. The Sept. 2, 2019, tragedy killed 33 passengers and one crew member on a Labor Day weekend expedition near an island off Santa Barbara. The five-member board voted unanimously to place the deadly fire's blame with the Conception's owner, Truth Aquatics Inc.

Tuesday, October 20th, 2020

Update:

The Kern County Public Health Services Department reported three new COVID-19 deaths and 54 cases this morning. These bring the county’s total to 33,551 resident cases and 413 deaths.

Over the weekend Kernville Elementary received word that a staff member had tested positive for COVID-19, and after investigating possible other exposures and speaking with the public health department, the school is allowed to remain open. Officials say the staff member was exposed to someone who was positive off-campus and found out four days later. Once she found out, she immediately quarantined and got tested.

Thinking outside the box to keep business afloat, listen to this. If you’ve been itching to get back to a movie theater but are worried about COVID-19, AMC Theatres has a deal for you. Starting at $99 plus tax, you can rent an entire auditorium for just you and your friends at AMC locations nationwide. Groups of up to 20 people can enjoy private screenings of a range of movies from Halloween classics to family films and new releases.

Yes, an asteroid is heading toward earth and is expected to get close on November 2. But you should still plan on voting November 3, the asteroid is “not big enough to cause harm,” said astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. Asteroid 2018VP1 is about the size of a refrigerator, hurtling toward Earth at more than 25,000 miles-per-hour. Tyson says the asteroid will “buzz-cut” Earth on November 2, but is not expected to cause any harm.

Tomorrow is another day for free Covid 19 testing. You can drive through on Birch Street in Mtn. Mesa next to the Mountain View Health Center. The testing is from 7 am to 2 pm and is free of charge.

Kern County Public Health has confirmed the second human case of West Nile Virus in Kern County for 2020. The first case was confirmed earlier this month.

The Kern County Public Health Services Department reported 49 new COVID-19 cases this morning. These bring the county’s total to 33,497 resident cases and 410 deaths.

Gov. Gavin Newsom today named a new COVID-19 Scientific Safety Review Workgroup that will independently review any vaccine that receives approval from the Food and Drug Administration before distributing it to California residents. The group is made up of 11 nationally acclaimed California physician scientists with expertise in immunization and public health who will review any vaccine before the state makes it available to those who are most at risk of getting the virus.

Several major U.S. airlines have launched programs to test passengers for COVID-19 before they travel, another in a series of steps to make passengers feel safer about flying during a pandemic. The tests may reassure some passengers and help boost business for the struggling airline industry but it's not clear how far it will go in mitigating the risk of spreading the virus.

A reported 7.5 magnitude earthquake off the Alaska Peninsula on yesterday shortly after 2 pm. This prompted tsunami warnings for a vast swath of communities, leading some schools to evacuate and send students to higher ground. The size of the quake was originally reported to have been a magnitude of 7.4, but has been revised to a 7.5.

Disney wants to reopen its theme parks in California. But Governor Gavin Newsom says it's not safe yet. Caught in between are the thousands of Disney employees facing layoffs and an uncertain future. Anaheim's public officials launched a campaign to push back against the governor. In a letter 19 California lawmakers told Newsom of news reports that "outbreaks simply aren't being traced back to theme parks" that have already reopened.

A group of teenagers have been arrested following a shooting that left a Fresno street vendor injured, according to police.

Just before 5 p.m. Sunday, officers say someone called 911 to report that a street vendor had been shot in the area of Mariposa St and Madison Ave. When officers arrived, they found the vendor suffering from one gunshot wound to his lower leg area. He was taken to a local hospital to have his injuries treated and is expected to be okay.

Free Covid 19 testing again tomorrow from 7 am to 2 pm, next to the Mtn. View Health Center on Birch Street in Mtn. Mesa. it's a drive through test and only takes a few minutes at no cost to you.

Monday, October 19th, 2020

Update:

The Kern County Public Health Services Department reported 49 new COVID-19 cases this morning. These bring the county’s total to 33,497 resident cases and 410 deaths.

The Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated as Cody Bellinger’s drive soared deep into the Texas night. Bellinger flung his bat off to the side and strutted up the first-base line. All the way to the World Series. Bellinger hit a tiebreaking solo homer in the seventh inning, and the Dodgers advanced to the Fall Classic for the third time in four years by topping the Atlanta Braves 4-3 in Game 7 of the NL Championship Series on yesterday.

The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 across the planet has passed 40 million. The milestone was passed early today according to Johns Hopkins University, which collates reporting from around the world. To date, more than 1.1 million confirmed virus deaths have been reported, although experts also believe that number is an undercount. The U.S., Brazil and India are reporting by far the highest numbers of cases.

More than 60,000 voters in Kern County have cast a ballot so far, according to data released Friday by the California secretary of state’s office. Of the 424,313 ballots mailed to voters in Kern County, 62,604, or 14.7%, have been returned.

We will get updated numbers at around 10 am today, but as of yesterday, the Kern County Public Health Services Department reported 75 new COVID-19 cases. The county’s total is 33,448 resident cases and 410 deaths.

The Senate is set to vote this week on a $500 billion “skinny” economic recovery bill that does not appear to include an additional round of $1,200 direct payments to Americans. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced plans for a Wednesday vote. He says the bill will include money for schools, expanded unemployment benefits and additional funding for the Paycheck Protection Program.

With the hot and dry fall weather, power interruptions are bound to happen. There was one yesterday morning for about 300 residents in Lake Isabella at about 7:45, but power was restored at around 9:30.

Dozens of people rallied outside Disneyland on Saturday to push for reopening seven months after the coronavirus pandemic forced a closure in March. People, including some of the 28,000 workers laid-off by Disney’s park division, held signs that read “Open Disneyland,” “California is missing the magic,” and “Recall Newsom.” Orange County officials have also demanded the reopening of Disneyland as amusement parks elsewhere in the U.S. resume operations.

Official drop off boxes for voters will be available to everyone in Kern County. Here in the Kern River Valley, there will be curbside drop offs at Library locations beginning October 27th. If you have not mailed yours, you can drop them then. Be sure it is an official box before submitting your ballot.

President Donald Trump's administration abruptly reversed course and approved California's application for disaster relief funds to clean up damage from six recent deadly and destructive blazes that have scorched the state, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday. Neither he nor the White House gave details on why the administration shifted positions only hours after it initially denied the state's request for a declaration that officials said could provide the state with hundreds of millions of dollars.

If one of your frustrations with the Pandemic limitations has been that you can't get inked, you can relax and enjoy the vibration. The sound that many residents have been waiting for has finally arrived. tattoo shops are now back after Kern County has met the qualifications to move into the red tier this week. some customers have been waiting for months for this moment.

According to the Associated Press, police said Friday that they arrested a man suspected of stealing a ring-tailed lemur from the San Francisco Zoo, where officials rewarded a 5-year-old boy who helped recapture the endangered primate with a lifetime membership. He recognized the animal at his school playground, which led to the his recovery and the thief responsible.

September's unemployment rate in Kern County was 12.4%, unchanged from August. This time last year, the local unemployment rate was 6.2%, according to numbers released by the state's Employment Development Department.

Friday, October 16th, 2020

Update:

The Kern County Public Health Services Department reported two new COVID-19 deaths, 61 cases this morning. These bring the county’s total to 33,286 resident cases and 408 deaths.

This morning, Pfizer’s chief executive announced the company wouldn’t apply for emergency authorization of its coronavirus vaccine prior to late November — effectively ending any theory a vaccine could be ready by the November 3 election. Pfizer says it will need to collect safety and manufacturing data which pushes its timeline to request authorization until the third week of November, at the earliest.

As coronavirus cases in the United States climb towards a third peak, experts are warning this latest jump in COVID-19 cases is not what many consider the “second wave” of cases expected over the winter months. On Wednesday, new confirmed cases reached nearly 60,000 — a total the country hasn’t seen since early August. Additionally, we’re seeing cases rise in more than 40 states. So why is this latest peak in cases so concerning? Dr. Anthony Fauci says the “second wave” of cases hasn’t yet arrived.

A shocking rise in homicide rates in Kern County— the latest just Wednesday night when a man was shot and killed inside the North Chester Market in Oildale. The Kern County Sheriff's office and the Bakersfield Police Department confirm that statistics prove a rise in local homicides. This time last year, KCSO reported 26 homicides compared to 56 so far this year.

Kern County has a new goal in its pursuit to move through the governor's tiered re-opening framework, this time Kern is shooting for orange. Right now, Kern’s testing positivity is 5.3% and the health equity metric is at 6.7%. To move to the next tier the county’s adjusted case rate needs to be below 3.9, the testing positivity rate needs to be below 4.9%, and the health equity metric needs to be below 5.2%.

President Donald Trump's administration this week rejected California’s request for disaster relief funds aimed at cleaning up the damage from six recent wildfires among the siege of deadly and destructive blazes that have scorched the state. Meanwhile, thousands of Northern California residents remained without electricity after a utility cut off service to prevent powerful winds from damaging equipment and sparking wildfires amid a fall heat wave.

A report of a person reportedly flying with a jet pack near LAX is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration, according to multiple reports. This is the second time in less than two months flight crews have spotted what appears to be a person flying in a jet pack near the busy airport.

The Kern County Public Health Services Department reported 80 new COVID-19 cases . The county’s total is 33,225 resident cases and 406 deaths.

Facing public skepticism about rushed COVID-19 vaccines, U.S. health officials are planning extra scrutiny of the first people vaccinated when shots become available — an added safety layer experts call vital. A new poll suggests those vaccine fears are growing. With this week’s pause of a second major vaccine study because of an unexplained illness — and repeated tweets from President Donald Trump that raise the specter of politics overriding science.

The United States has passed an average of 50,000 new coronavirus cases each day as cases continue to rise nationwide. It’s a mark the country hasn’t seen since mid August. COVID-19 cases have been steadily increasing since September 12. As of Wednesday, the 14-day average in case increases was 21% as 45 states were labeled as seeing an increase in cases over the last two weeks.

YouTube announced yesterday that it had made updates to its hate and harassment policies that resulted in a further purge of videos about the QAnon conspiracy theory. In a blog post, YouTube said it was updating the policies "to prohibit content that targets an individual or group with conspiracy theories that have been used to justify real-world violence."

The Kern Probation Department is the recipient of a one-year, $176,950.00 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety to monitor high-risk, repeat DUI offenders.

At least three people connected to Joe Biden’s presidential campaign have tested positive for the coronavirus, leading the campaign to suspend in-person events for vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris through Monday. Biden is not altering his public schedule, his campaign said Thursday, because he had no direct exposure to the individuals who tested positive, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Thursday, October 15th, 2020

update:

The Kern County Public Health Services Department reported 80 new COVID-19 cases this morning. Kern County Public Health will not be holding a briefing to update on the local response to COVID-19. Briefings are normally held every Thursday. These numbers bring the county’s total to 33,225 resident cases and 406 deaths.

There is controversy surrounding unauthorized ballot drop-off boxes appearing across California. Drop boxes must be authorized by the Election’s Office. The issue of fake or unauthorized drop boxes in California is something Kern County Party representatives say shouldn't cause voters to shy away from participating in the election. Clayton Campbell with the Republican Central Committee says, "These ballot boxes were placed to apparently make it convenient for people to drop off their ballots and it would then be collected presumably by a republican and then turned in at the elections headquarters."

A move of Kern County this week into the red tier has allowed some local movie theaters to reopen this weekend. Maya Cinemas announced on Twitter that it will open its Bakersfield and Delano movie theaters on Friday, following the move into the next tier. Maya said it has taken many measures to keep moviegoers safe.

At least two people say they suffered serious injuries on Sunday evening after the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) attempted to disperse a large crowd celebrating the Los Angeles Lakers' NBA Finals victory near the Staples Center. According to The Los Angeles Times and KTLA, one person lost several teeth, and a second person suffered a severe eye injury after being hit with what police described as "less-lethal munitions."

At least 59,494 new coronavirus cases were reported in the United States on Wednesday, which is the highest daily count since August 14, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. The data shows there was also an increase in the number of deaths, with at least 985 reported Wednesday, up from 802 the day before.

The Kern County Public Health Services Department reported nine new COVID-19 deaths and 56 cases this morning. Kern County has now surpassed 400 coronavirus related deaths. These bring the county’s total to 33,145 resident cases and 406 deaths.

California's Republican Party is refusing to remove unauthorized ballot collection boxes placed in several counties. Even after California Secretary of State Alex Padilla sent a cease and desist letter to the California Republican Party regarding their illegal ballot drop boxes, the state GOP isn't backing down and said they plan to expand the program.

The National Football League announced on Wednesday that they'd canceled the 2021 Pro Bowl due to COVID-19. The news comes as the league deals with games being postponed due to players and coaches testing positive for the virus. The league added they are talking with the National Football League's Players Association to replace the game with virtual activities to replace the competition.

Unlike in many parts of the world, Election Day in America isn’t a day most people get off from work or school, and it’s not for a lack of trying in the past. Those proposed bills to make Election Day a federal holiday have gone nowhere though. Coincidentally, America also has one of the lowest voter participation rates in the developed world, which was about 56 percent in 2016.

People looking to travel by train this Thanksgiving may want to begin booking seats now. Amtrak is recommending that people plan ahead and book tickets now to guarantee seats, as the company said bookings are limited to allow for physical distancing amid COVID-19. The company also requires customers and employees to wear face masks.

Fire crews from across the state were being deployed to Northern California, where hot, windy conditions Wednesday renewed fire threats in the region where massive blazes already have destroyed hundreds of homes and killed or injured dozens of people this year. Most of the huge fires that erupted over the past eight weeks are now fully or significantly contained and skies once stained orange by heavy smoke are blue again. Containment means that firefighters have lines holding in a fire, though it doesn't mean a fire has stopped burning.

Wednesday, October 14th, 2020

Update:

The Kern County Public Health Services Department reported two new COVID-19 deaths and 69 cases this morning. These bring the county’s total to 33,089 resident cases and 397 deaths.

The city of Beverly Hills has banned trick-or-treating this Halloween to try to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The action was taken in an urgency ordinance approved by the City Council Tuesday night.

Facing public skepticism about rushed COVID-19 vaccines, U.S. health officials are planning extra scrutiny of the first people vaccinated when shots become available — an added safety layer experts call vital. A new poll suggests those vaccine fears are growing. With this week's pause of a second major vaccine study because of an unexplained illness — and repeated tweets from President Donald Trump that raise the specter of politics overriding science — a quarter of Americans say they won't get vaccinated. That's a slight increase from 1 in 5 in May.

The topic of ballot drop boxes became an issue on Monday when voters in several other counties across the state noticed unauthorized ballot drop boxes in their areas. It was determined the Republican Party was putting out those boxes. The Secretary of State then got involved, ordering the boxes be removed in those counties.

On Tuesday, the Kern County Board of Supervisors met to approve contracts for Cares Act funding. Roughly $1.3 million was designated to Kern County at the onset of the pandemic for an emergency response to homelessness. Per the contract with Bethany Services Incorporated, the majority of this money was used for rapid rehousing projects and emergency shelters.

Fans of the Black Jacket Symphony will have to wait a little longer to see its next performance. The performance was originally set for Oct. 24 at the Fox Theater. Due to COVID-19 concerns, The Black Jacket Symphony Orchestra moved the concert back nearly a year. The new performance is now set for Oct. 23, 2021, when they will perform Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon.

The Kern County Public Health Services Department reported two new COVID-19 deaths and 69 cases yesterday morning. These bring the county’s total to 33,089 resident cases and 397 deaths.

Kern County Public Health Director Matt Constantine said the state has announced that the county has moved into the red tier yesterday. This will allow businesses such as restaurants, movie theaters and gyms to resume limited indoor operations as soon as today as long as they follow state guidelines, Constantine said. In addition, schools will have the choice to reopen as soon as two weeks from yesterday.

Sentencing was postponed Tuesday for a former deputy who pleaded no contest to charges he stole 350 pounds of marijuana from a sheriff’s office property room. Attorneys handling the case of Logan August were granted more time by Judge Judith K. Dulcich to file additional briefs ahead of August’s sentencing, which was rescheduled for Oct. 29.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed the federal government to stop counting for the 2020 U.S. Census a month earlier than originally planned. President Donald Trump’s administration had asked the nation’s high court to suspend a district court’s order permitting the 2020 census to continue through the end of the month. The Trump administration argued that the head count needed to end immediately so the U.S. Census Bureau had enough time to crunch the numbers before a congressionally mandated year-end deadline for turning in figures used for deciding how many congressional seats each state gets.

A video showing a verbal and physical altercation between two groups in our community has gone viral. The video taken in Northwest Bakersfield now has millions of views. Saturday, the two sides collided, and a video was recorded, showing an altercation between the two groups which police say they're now investigating. See the video at www.kernriverradio.com

The California Department of Public Health has released guidance for how to safely celebrate Halloween and Día de los Muertos during the novel coronavirus pandemic. For this reason, CDPH recommends that you choose a safer alternative way to celebrate Halloween.

Tuesday, October 13th, 2020

update:

The Kern County Public Health Services Department reported two new COVID-19 deaths and 69 cases this morning. These bring the county’s total to 33,089 resident cases and 397 deaths.

Today the State announced that Kern County has moved from the Purple Tier (Tier 1) to the less restrictive Red Tier (Tier 2) on the State’s COVID-19 blueprint, effective immediately. Some of the change means personal care businesses can go indoors, gyms and fitness centers at 10% capacity, churches with guideline adherence, and movie theatres and restaurants can serve indoors with 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer.

Tomorrow is another day of free Covid 19 testing. From 7 am to 2 pm, you can use the drive through testing on Birch Street in Mtn. Mesa next to the Mountain View Health Center. You will be automatically notified of the results when they become available. There is no cost to you for the test.

There is going to be a meal distribution tomorrow for any child between 2 and 18. Boxed meals will be given out in the alley behind 5109 Lake Isabella boulevard courtesy of CAPK, and the KRV Family Resource Center. There will also be a limited supply of backpacks given out while they last.

California’s Republican Party on Monday acknowledged owning unofficial ballot drop boxes that state election officials said are illegal. After receiving reports about the drop boxes in three counties, California's secretary of state issued a memo Sunday telling county registrars these boxes were illegal and that ballots must be mailed or brought to official voting locations.

Being cooped up at home due to the pandemic paid handsomely for a Minnesota horticulture teacher who used the extra time to constantly water and feed a massive pumpkin that won this year's Half Moon Bay pumpkin contest. It won the 47th World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay, south of San Francisco, where his winner came in at 2,350 lbs.

The Kern County Public Health Services Department reported 54 new COVID-19 cases this morning. These bring the county’s total to 33,020 resident cases and 395 deaths.

Rallies for Trump and Biden are scheduled for separate days this weekend. The Trump rally is expected to take place from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday at Tucker Road and Valley Boulevard. The Biden rally is scheduled from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday at the same location.

Starting Monday, the Kern County Library will be expanding its indoor and curbside services for all 12 branches. These express services will allow customers to visit in-person for a 30-minute appointment with a specified purpose, which may include browsing time, access to public computers, faxing, printing, access to copy machines, reference and research services, and to resolve any library account issues, according to the Kern County Library.

Tomorrow is another day of free Covid 19 testing on Birch Street in Mtn. Mesa, next to the Mountain View Health Center. It's a drive-through test, so you stay in your car. They begin at 7 am wrap it up at 2 pm. The testing is at now cost to you.

Drug maker Pfizer has again modified the protocol for its late-stage study of its vaccine against the new coronavirus, this time to include more young participants. The company said Monday that it’s received permission from the Food and Drug Administration to include adolescents aged 12 through 15 in its global COVID-19 vaccine study.

Portland and Denver were among a handful of cities that erupted in violence over the weekend, which culminated in the toppling of an Abraham Lincoln statue and the shooting death of a man who attended an event in support of the law enforcement community. Portland police declared a riot Sunday after protesters broke windows on the eve of Columbus Day, which is known as Indigenous Peoples Day in Portland after city council made the declaration in 2015.