TAFT
During the meeting, the council authorized the city to spend up to $100,000 to dredge one of the plant’s lagoons.
The waste buildup in the water currently exceeds state limits.
Before the city’s wastewater treatment plant can be overhauled, the lagoon must be dredged, bringing the plant into regulatory compliance.
GET Board of Directors chair Kathleen Ashland, who is retiring to be with family in
”I am concerned that people are working to decimate the GET board and management and run our excellent CEO out of town,” said
The request from resignation of two GET board members has come from Bakersfield Vice Mayor Ken Weir, who has been the most vocal on the subject.
There were no resignations announced.
She was also critical of the 34 day bus strike, adding that it could have been resolved sooner through arbitration.
Much of the added controversy stems from recent bus route changes, which included the removal of stops from the
The project, which began in 1999, looks to train members of the community to learn guided reading techniques to share with students once a week.
"The program is a perfect opportunity for community members who would like to make a positive impact in the lives of young students who are experiencing difficulties," said Teresa Twisselman, coordinator English/Language Arts at KCSOS. "One hour a week is all it takes to help four children become successful readers."
Volunteers are asked to commit to one hour, one day a week for the duration of at least one semester. Fall semester runs from September to December. Spring runs from January to May.
Currently there are 22 schools participating as of the spring semester with 195 students measuring sizeable growth in their reading.
Those interested in volunteering during the fall semester can choose between any of three training sessions: Wed., Sept. 3 from to ; Thur., Sept. 4 from to ; Sat., Sept. 6 from to
Training sessions take place at City Centre,
For more information, contact Teresa Twisselman, at (661) 636-4645.
The project is partially funded by the United Way of Kern County.
The incident happened at the corner of
Pavinder Claire, 22, and Jackie Kvasnicka, 27, both died at the scene. Jessica Magee, 20, was pulled from the wreckage by people at the scene. She suffered third degree burns from the collision.
All three victims were co-workers at Kern Schools.
Collins was booked on felony drunken driving and vehicular manslaughter charges. He is being held on over a 335-thousand dollar bail.
Funerals for Kvasnicka and Claire have been set as well:
Jackie Kvasnicka
Fri Sept 5, 2 p.m. at St. Philip the Apostle Church
Pavinder Kaur Claire
Fri Sept 5, 10 a.m. at Greenlawn Southwest
Relief donations can be made to Kern Schools care of:
Jaclyn (Jackie) Kvasnicka –
Kern Schools Account Number – 49870
Please make checks payable to John or Mary Kvasnicka
Pavinder Claire -
Kern Schools Account Number – 49877
Please make checks payable to Claire Memorial Account for Benefit of SPCA. Note: All proceeds from this account will be donated to the Bakersfield SPCA in honor of Pavinder Claire.
Jessica Magee –
Kern Schools Account Number – 49862
Please make checks payable to Magee Relief Fund.
Contributions can be made at any Kern Schools branch, or by phone at 661- 833-7900 or 800-221-3311, if outside of
According to the California Highway Patrol, the incident happened around last night, Sept. 2. CHP said the U-Haul truck veered into the side of a Cadillac limousine as it was stopped at an intersection.
CHP reported that the driver of the U-Haul fled the scene in a burgundy vehicle.
There were a dozen individuals in the limousine who were hospitalized with minor injuries. One was taken in for traumatic injuries.
The severity of the injuries is unknown at this time.
Alcohol was found on the floorboard of the U-Haul, according to CHP. It is unknown if the driver was under the influence.
The investigation is ongoing.
John Swearengin is also ordered to pay restitution to the families in an amount to be determined. Prior to sentencing, Swearengin issued an apology to the families in a prepared statement.
According to Hiler’s family, this is the first time they had heard an apology.
Swearengin will report for probation in five days.
An internal affairs investigation is still ongoing.
On Dec.16, Swearengin struck and killed Chrystal Jolley, 30, and Daniel Hiler, 24, as the two were pushing Hiler’s motorcycle across
Swearengin was charged with two counts of felony vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. He had previously been disciplined by the Sheriff’s Department for poor driving, which prosecutors tried to use against Swearengin to prove a pattern of demonstrated gross negligence.
However, Swearengin’s defense attorney argued that personnel records were inadmissible, which Judge John Lua agreed with. As a result, charges were reduced due to a lack of evidence proving negligence.
Swearengin took a plea deal on Aug. 14, pleading no contest to one count of misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence. The deal would allow Swearengin to not spend any time in jail and likely be able to keep his job with the Sheriff’s Department.
In September, 2013, a 10-month investigation by the
The report states that Swearengin drove at 80 mph without emergency lights in a 45-mph zone which he knew pedestrians frequently cross, according to the
The 200-plus-page report states Deputy John Swearengin was primarily responsible for the accident.
Swearengin stated that he was in route to assist another officer but
Swearengin would have faced up to 12 years in prison for both felony counts.
The
Based on the investigation, it is the determination of the
Swearengin was determined to be the primary cause of this collision. He showed "gross negligence" at the time of the collision, based on the following:
---Party 1 (Swearengin) drove Vehicle 1 (Ford) 84.9 mph on a roadway posted with a 45-mph speed limit.
---The collision occurred during hours of darkness.
---The placement of signs in the area clearly indicated the posted 45 mph speed limit.
---The placement of signs in the area clearly warning of possible pedestrian traffic.
---Party 1 (Swearengin) has worked as a
---As a sworn Kern County Deputy Sheriff, Party 1 (Swearengin) understood the provisions of California Vehicle Code Section 21055 (Exemption of Authorized Emergency Vehicles) which states in essence the driver of an emergency vehicle is exempt from the rules of the road if he sounds a siren as reasonable necessary and the vehicle displays a lighted red lamp visible to the front as a warning to other drivers and pedestrians.
---Party 1 (Swearengin), while en route to an emergency call, chose not to activate his forward red lamp or his siren to warn other drivers and pedestrians as he drove well above the posted speed limit through a populated residential/business area.
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – A traffic advisory was released today concerning soil sampling work for the
According to the Thomas Roads Improvement Program, crews will be working along 23rd and 24th Streets from Sept. 9-16, and operating rigs between Highway 99 and just west of M Street. Work will also take place in the vicinity of the Highway 99 and the
Work that will be done within residential areas will be conducted during daytime hours. Two lanes will be open in each direction when lane closures are expected due to road work.
More information on the
The following details were provided by Thomas Roads Improvement Program
Sept. 9-10: Work will be conducted on 24th Street, between Oak Street and B Street, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Drilling locations in this area are on side streets or off the roadway, but may require some shoulder closures. Traffic impacts are expected to be minimal.
Sept. 11: Drilling locations on 23rd and 24th Streets, between C and F Streets, will require single lane and shoulder closures, between the hours of and , but two through lanes will remain open in each direction.
Sept. 13: Work will take place in the median on State Route 99 near the crossing of
Sept. 15: Motorists should anticipate nighttime lane closures along 23rd and 24th Streets, between
Sept. 16: Crews will be working on State Route 99 and on State Route 178 (
According to NBC’s Chris Jansing, who is traveling with the president, Obama has not declared a strategy yet, even though pressures build in Congress to take action.
"We will not be intimidated,” said Obama. “And those who make the mistake of harming Americans will learn that we will not forget and that our reach is long and that justice will be served."
Vice President Joe Biden also offered choice words for
"We will follow them to the gates of hell until they are brought to justice. Because hell is where they will reside. Hell is where they will reside,” Biden said.
Marc Ginsberg, Former US Ambassador to
"This train left the station months ago,” Ginsberg said. “And the President is running after a train that is escaping him. And the fact of the matter is he should have had a strategy to deal with
