Latest news
Authentic Cuban restaurant switches to Mexican food
It’s bad enough you can’t travel to Cuba. Now you can’t even enjoy the cuisine. Not here, at least.
Jilted boyfriend accused of twice burning ex-girlfriend's house
Fires two days apart at the same south Bakersfield home were both followed by the same thing - a threatening letter with naked pictures of the female homeowner.
Ag leaders in Mexico, U.S. to fight insect together
Leaders in agriculture on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border are collaborating on ways to combat the Asian citrus psyllid, a disease-carrying insect that could have catastrophic effects on the state’s citrus industry.
Lois Henry: It's time for change on the KHSD board
When you settle in to vote for two Kern High School District trustees on Nov. 4, remember your ABCs — Anyone But Chad.
West Nile cases in Kern: From 140 to 0 in one year
If Kern’s experience with West Nile virus last year was like a painful, infected mosquito bite, this year’s encounter is more like a fleeting itch you scratch once and forget.
Scammer targeting heart strings, seeking fast money transfer
Deneice Murray was ecstatic when a grandson she hadn’t talked to in seven years called her Tehachapi home on Thursday.
No new trial for teacher convicted of making meth
A judge has rejected a request for a new trial for a Shafter chemistry teacher convicted of manufacturing methamphetamine, the prosecutor said Friday.
Another youth sentenced in fatal beating of elderly man
The fate of all but one of the five boys involved in the beating death of an 81-year-old man has been decided.
Free rent — for the right tenant
Pink letters all but scream out from a vacant storefront along downtown Chester Avenue: FREE RENT.
Kern property crimes are high, residents can help bring them down
One key lies in keys, police say.
Meth lab, gun found in search of Johannesburg home
A search warrant served on Thursday netted drug paraphernalia and a sawed-off rifle that were within reach of a 9-year-old girl.
Checks await 12,000 Kern residents
Nearly 12,000 Kern County residents who qualify for federal economic stimulus checks but still have not filed for them have only until 11:59 p.m. Wednesday to do so.
Cole secures extension to keep real estate license for now
Real estate agent Carl Cole will keep his license until mid-November.
LA energy firm closes purchase of Onyx Ranch
Escrow on the historic Onyx Ranch in the Sierra Nevada mountains between Isabella Lake and Jawbone Canyon has closed.
Probation chief hailed with executive officer award
Kern County Probation Chief John Roberts was honored for the excellence of his work this week.
Decision on how to fix Isabella dams still years away, official says
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers official Ronn Rose said Friday that the Corps has not reached a decision on how best to fix structural and seismic concerns with the Isabella Lake dams.
Bakersfield man gets 2 years for aiming laser at helicopter
A Bakersfield man was sentenced to two years in prison on Friday for shining a handheld laser into the cockpit of a Sheriff’s Department helicopter.
High-speed rail: lasting legacy or taxpayer boondoggle?
When Californians go to the polls in November, they’ll finally vote on a project they’ve heard about since 1995: high-speed rail.
Abducted children found, suspect still out there
An Amber Alert for two missing children who were abducted was canceled after the children were found.
Kern DA measures success by the number sent to prison
Kern County District Attorney Ed Jagels doesn’t measure success by comparing his record of convictions against his record of acquittals.
Blowing dust prompts health warning
Wind and dust mean two things on the valley floor of Kern County — a high concentration of particulate matter and heightened risk of valley fever.
Felony trials down, hung juries up
The total number of felony cases filed by the Kern County District Attorney’s office has risen steadily over the past decade as the population of the county has steadily grown.
Like nowhere else: Local authors tell the stories of our valley, ourselves
The valley. The sun. The Kern River. The mountains. The crops. The oil fields. The people — every race, color and language. Our history. Our work. Our music. Our lives. Our words.
Dow ends worst week ever with 128-point Friday loss
NEW YORK — Wall Street capped its worst week ever with a wild session Friday that left stocks with a widely mixed finish. Late-day buying helped curb steep losses and gave the market its best showing of the week as investors snapped up bargains among stocks devastated by seven days of massive losses.
Former sheriff's employee pleads in gun theft case
A former Kern County sheriff’s property room employee has pleaded no contest to stealing a firearm and possession of methamphetamine stemming from the theft of 20 guns from the property room.