Law enforcement express concerns over budget cuts

February 7, 2015, 6:21 pm

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BAKERSFIELD, CA - The Kern Law Enforcement Association is expressing concern over possible county budget cuts.

County supervisors will consider making cuts totaling about $3 million to several departments as a result of a looming budget crisis.

According to the Kern Law Enforcement Association, more than a third of the cuts will come from the sheriff's department.

The proposal includes closing the Ridgecrest jail, reducing staffing in the rural crime and other units, as well as cancelling a deputy trainee academy scheduled for April.

However, there are no layoffs expected, according to county officials.

But the association said the cuts don't serve the community well and jeopardizes the safety and well-being of residents.

Supervisors declared a fiscal emergency last week, because the county is facing a reduction in property tax revenue due to declining oil prices and property values.

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Supervisors consider endorsing new high-speed rail training center

February 7, 2015, 6:36 pm

≫ Next: Parolee arrested for possession of drugs and firearms

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BAKERSFIELD, CA - On Feb.10, supervisors will consider endorsing a project which would house the central operations center and training program for high-speed rail personnel.

The board plans to make a pitch to the high-speed rail authority and manufacturers to build a heavy maintenance facility in either Shafter or Wasco.

They estimate it would employ 1,500 to 2,500 workers and would bring an economic benefit to the area where it's built.

allan krauter, administrative analyst:

"There's not only going to be the building, the trains, and maintaining the trains, there's training that's going on," said Allan Krauter, Administrative analyst. "The operations center will be at the heavy maintenance facility. This is going to be the nerve center of the system."

According to Krauter, the county's opposition to the high-speed rail is expected to be resolved through further discussions with the authority.

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Parolee arrested for possession of drugs and firearms

February 7, 2015, 6:48 pm

≫ Next: Sick kit fox recovering

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BAKERSFIELD, CA - A parolee, who led deputies on a vehicle chase, is back in jail tonight after being found in possession of firearms and methamphetamine.

According to the Sheriff's Gang Unit, 32-year-old Victor Murillo led them on a vehicle chase on Feb. 6, after failing to pull over.

During the pursuit, deputies report that Murillo threw approximately 32 grams of methamphetamine from his vehicle on to the roadway.

On Monday, Feb. 2, deputies issued a parolee search of Murillo's residence and found a sawed-off shotgun, revolver, and rifle.

He was booked for possession of firearms and ammunition, possession of methamphetamine for the purpose of sale, and reckless evading of a law enforcement officer.

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Sick kit fox recovering

February 8, 2015, 8:24 am

≫ Next: McFarland movie premieres tonight in Los Angeles

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BAKERSFIELD, CA - An endangered San Joaquin Kit Fox is recovering at the California Living Museum, after a local PG&E worker noticed it was severely sick.

Museum officials say the Kit Fox was infested with mites.

The animal was picked up a couple weeks ago by a wildlife biologist and taken to CALM for treatment.

Museum officials say the Kit Fox has come a long way considering the bad condition he was in.

On Friday, resting under a wooden log at CALM -- the Kit Fox is expected to make a full recovery.

But, wildlife biologists say the endangered animal is still feeling the effects of a serious skin disease.

"It has sarcoptic mange, a skin condition that's brought on by an infestation of mites," said Tory Westall, wildlife Biologist.

A PG&E worker noticed the Kit Fox a couple weeks ago at the service center on Wible Road.

Crews then called the Endangered Species Recovery Program, whose crew went out and captured the animal.

"We have permits and know all the procedures, so we can come out and trap them and bring them here safely and make sure they get the treatment they need," said Westall.

"With this particular animal, he has come a long really, really well. He came in pretty bad condition but he responded very quickly to the treatment that we gave him," said Don Richardson, California Living Museum.

Wildlife biologists say sarcoptic mange is highly contagious and will monitor the Kit Fox after it's released, using a radio collar to make sure he doesn't get re-infected.

They say it's a good chance his family members may also have the skin disease.

The Endangered Species Recovery program estimates 300 Kit Foxes live in the Bakersfield area, many are often seen downtown.

Wildlife biologists say if you see one, do not touch or try to feed it.

If you see a Kit Fox that looks sick or in distress, contact the California Living Museum.

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McFarland movie premieres tonight in Los Angeles

February 9, 2015, 9:21 am

≫ Next: Study says Bakersfield has most smokers in the state

≪ Previous: Sick kit fox recovering

BAKERSFIELD, CA - The long awaited movie about the McFarland High School track team is Monday night.

The premiere will be held at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood.

!7News will be on the red carpet and will have live reports from the premiere at 5 & 6.

The film is based on the true story of novice runners from McFarland, California, who despite tremendous odds, build a championship cross-country team under the direction of Coach Jim White, a newcomer to their predominantly Latino high school.

White was played by Kevin Costner.

The movie will open in Bakersfield February 20.

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Study says Bakersfield has most smokers in the state

February 9, 2015, 10:15 am

≫ Next: Deputies investigate overnight shooting

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BAKERSFIELD, CA - A new study shows Bakersfield has more smokers than any other city in California.

The UCLA Center for Health Policy Research conducted a study of smokers 18 and older in each Assembley, Senate, and Congressional district in California.

The study concludes the percentage of adult smokers in Bakersfield is about 19.5%.

That's compared to the 12.5%t smoking rate for adults in California.

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Deputies investigate overnight shooting

February 9, 2015, 10:29 am

≫ Next: World Ag Expo starts tomorrow in Tulare

≪ Previous: Study says Bakersfield has most smokers in the state

BAKERSFIELD, CA - Kern County deputies are investigating an overnight shooting in east Bakersfield.

It happened at around 1:10 Monday morning in the 1100 block of Meadows Street near Niles Street and Fairfax Road.

The sheriff's office says 27-year-old Natividad Torres, of Bakersfield, was taken by personal vehicle to Kern Medical Center for non-life threatening injuries as a result of a shooting.

Suspects are six men who were last seen by witnesses running from the area.

Deputies say it is currently unknown if the shooting is gang-related.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact the Kern County Sheriff's Office at 861-3110.

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World Ag Expo starts tomorrow in Tulare

February 9, 2015, 10:58 am

≫ Next: Suspect elusive in Tehachapi manhunt

≪ Previous: Deputies investigate overnight shooting

World Ag Expo will kick off its 48th annual show Tuesday, in Tulare, California.

The largest annual agricultural exposition of its kind, World Ag Expo touts more than 1,500 exhibitors who display cutting-edge agricultural technology and equipment on 2.6 million square feet of show grounds. An estimated average of 100,000 individuals from 70 countries attend the show each year to learn about the latest advances in agriculture.

More than 35 seminars will be offered in beef, dairy, hay and forage, international trade, irrigation and general agriculture categories. Seminars presented by professionals in the industry provide attendees with valuable information to improve their operations.

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Suspect elusive in Tehachapi manhunt

February 9, 2015, 11:40 am

≫ Next: Bakersfield man to do 5 years in Federal Prison for pot bust

≪ Previous: World Ag Expo starts tomorrow in Tulare

A manhunt is underway in the mountains of Tehachapi.

Sheriff's deputies say the suspect led officers on a high-speed chase this morning.

Deputies say he is possibly involved in a homicide in the Rosamond/ Mojave area.

Roads in the area closed as deputies search for a man they say is dangerous and possibly armed with a rifle.

Deputies say around 2:30 this morning, they received a report of a homicide in the Rosamond / Mojave area.

They soon received information that a vehicle possibly involved in the crime was at a home in California city.

Officers there located the red truck and saw a man get inside and drive off.

They attempted to stop him, but deputies say he refused and that's when a high- speed pursuit began near Mojave.

Officers say they soon lost sight of the truck.

But a short time later, the CHP found the vehicle abandoned on Willow Springs Road.

They believe the man is hiding in the nearby foothills.

It's somewhat rugged terrain, there's a lot of foliage, a lot of trees -- but we believe the suspect fled the vehicle on foot in that area. We have initiated a swat call out -- we also have our air support unit attempting to locate the suspect," said Kern County Sheriff's Office spokesman Ray Pruitt.

Deputies say they are treating the truck as a crime scene.

They say the suspect is believed to be a Hispanic male, about 5 feet, nine inches tall and about 150 pounds. He was last seen wearing a black jacket, white shirt and dark pants.

If you have any information, call the sheriff's department at 861-3110.

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Bakersfield man to do 5 years in Federal Prison for pot bust

February 9, 2015, 12:00 pm

≫ Next: Bakersfield SWAT headed to California City to assist to KCSO

≪ Previous: Suspect elusive in Tehachapi manhunt

FRESNO, Calif. — Cruz Soria, 29, of Bakersfield, California was sentenced today to 5 years in prison for conspiring to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana in the Fay Canyon area of the Canebrake Ecological Reserve, U.S. Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.

Soria was also ordered to pay $2,568.85 in restitution to the High Sierra Trail Volunteer Crew for the cost of cleaning up the grow site.

The Canebrake Ecological Reserve is located 10 miles east of Lake Isabella in northeastern Kern County. It was first inhabited in about 1000 B.C. by the Tubatulabel culture and is currently home to numerous rare and protected plants and animals, including the federally-protected golden and bald eagles and peregrine falcon, the federally-threatened California red-legged frog and Valley elderberry longhorn beetle, and the endangered Southwestern willow flycatcher.

Soria’s sentence follows his guilty plea last year. In pleading guilty, Soria acknowledged he was responsible for cultivating 454 marijuana plants in the ecological reserve. Law enforcement officers arrested Soria at the grow site and seized the plants, about twelve pounds of processed marijuana, and a firearm. The officers also found several highly toxic chemicals, including Fosfuro de Zinc or zinc phosphide, a rat poison illegal to use in the United States without a license, and Furadan, an insecticide banned by the EPA for usage on crops consumed by humans. Dead coyote, snakes and other animals were found at the grow site. Upon completion of his prison sentence, Soria will be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 4 more years.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), California Department of Fish and Game, and Kern County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Karen Escobar prosecuted the case.

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Bakersfield SWAT headed to California City to assist to KCSO

February 9, 2015, 12:26 pm

≫ Next: PG&E wants to build 25,000 car charging stations

≪ Previous: Bakersfield man to do 5 years in Federal Prison for pot bust

Bakersfield Police are sending their SWAT team to California City to assist the KCSO SWAT team.

They have surrounded a home in in Cal City that may be connected to the manhunt that is underway in Tehachapi.

Deputies continue to search for a man who lead them on a high speed chase earlier.

Authorities are calling the man a homicide suspect.

Deputies say the man bailed from his truck near Tehachapi Willow Springs road and Highline.

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PG&E wants to build 25,000 car charging stations

February 9, 2015, 12:39 pm

≫ Next: Kern County students fight bullying on Facebook

≪ Previous: Bakersfield SWAT headed to California City to assist to KCSO

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) Monday asked state regulators for permission to build an estimated 25,000 electric vehicle (EV) chargers at sites across its service area in Northern and Central California. If approved, this program would be the largest deployment of EV charging stations in the country.

The chargers would be located at commercial and public locations, including multi-family dwellings, retail centers, and workplaces. Approximately 10 percent of the chargers would be installed to support disadvantaged communities. PG&E would also provide tools and educational materials for site hosts and customers to learn about the benefits of electric vehicles.

"Our proposed build-out of EV charging infrastructure aims to accelerate customer adoption of clean, quiet, and efficient plug-in vehicles by reducing lingering range anxiety. It reflects our commitment to helping the state of California meet its critical clean air and greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals by promoting cleaner transportation," said Tony Earley, chairman, president, and CEO of PG&E Corporation.

"By supporting market acceptance of electric vehicles, it should create tremendous new opportunities for other infrastructure and technology companies, help keep California in the forefront of EV innovation, and create new jobs in local communities across Northern and Central California," Earley said.

More than 60,000 plug-in electric vehicles are currently registered in PG&E's service area, which represents more than a fifth of all EVs in the United States. The Governor's Office has called for 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles in California by 2025 to help meet the state's ambitious goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. To support that plan, industry models suggest that PG&E's service area will need about 100,000 Level 2 chargers in public locations by 2020.

All of the 25,000 stations PG&E proposes to build would have Level 2 chargers, which provide up to 25 miles of range for every hour of charging. To support travel between metropolitan areas, PG&E would also install at key locations 100 DC fast chargers, which can recharge an EV's battery in only 30 minutes.

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Kern County students fight bullying on Facebook

February 9, 2015, 12:53 pm

≫ Next: Port shutdown could have impact on Kern County crops

≪ Previous: PG&E wants to build 25,000 car charging stations

A pair of Bakersfield high school students are heading to Facebook tomorrow to discuss with state leaders the importance of finding a solution to bullying.

The Kern County students are the only pupils in the state who are testing a new phone app as a way to stop bullying and they will head to the social network's headquarters to relay their findings.

Both students are safe school ambassadors who have been trained to intervene when they see bullying occur and to use a phone app to track the type of incidents.

Twenty Kern County schools have students using the app as part of the pilot program.

Two young women will head to Facebook to share what they've learned during safer internet day 2015, sponsored by connectsafely.org.

Policy makers, educators and internet safety experts will be listening for ways to guard online spaces from the threat of cyberbullying.

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Port shutdown could have impact on Kern County crops

February 9, 2015, 1:14 pm

≫ Next: Police hunt for high risk sex offender

≪ Previous: Kern County students fight bullying on Facebook

"Today's announcement by the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) further jeopardizes California citrus exports as the industry reaches what would normally be peak demand for California fruit," states California Citrus Mutual President Joel Nelsen.

"Last October we began warning those in government about impacts to our $2.4b industry that historically exports 25% of its fresh tonnage; that warning manifested into little action."

Traditionally California navel oranges and lemons begin a major push into China, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, and other smaller countries in late December.

The "export season" runs well into April. "But already we have quantified losing 25% of our opportunity year to date.

Fruit is rotting on the docks, sales are being canceled by the customer and our industry has slowed its harvesting so as not to place matured fruit into the market place.

All this damage is created by two entities that seek to maximize their economic well-being while sacrificing others."

For the 20012/13 season the industry exported approximately 28m cartons of navel oranges with an estimated value of $385m.

Lemons rank second with six million cartons exported at a $109m value.

The previous season comparable numbers were 28.7m cartons at $385m and almost identical figures for lemons.

Further compounding the problem is that needed inputs that arrived in December continue to sit on docks unable to be loaded onto trucks and shipped north to industry locations.

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Police hunt for high risk sex offender

February 10, 2015, 11:34 am

≫ Next: Sprouts coming to Bakersfield

≪ Previous: Port shutdown could have impact on Kern County crops

Bakersfield police are asking for the public's help in finding a high risk sex offender.

Police say 33-year-old Harold Jiovani Marchelly has violated his parole and his whereabouts are unknown.

He is decscribed as an Hispanic male, 5'5", 145 lbs. with brown hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information regarding Marchelly's location encouraged to call Detective Francisco Esquerra at (661) 326-3870 or the Bakersfield Police Department at (661) 327-7111.

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Sprouts coming to Bakersfield

February 10, 2015, 11:45 am

≫ Next: Study offers clues about why bee hives are declining

≪ Previous: Police hunt for high risk sex offender

Sprouts, a healthy grocery store, will open its first Bakersfield location on February 25.

The 25,000 square foot store will be located on Stockdale Highway between Calloway Dr. and Buena Vista Road.

Sprouts bills itself as a healthy grocery store offering fresh, natural and organic foods at great prices.

They say they offer fresh produce, bulk foods, vitamins and supplements, packaged groceries, meat and seafood, baked goods, dairy products, frozen foods, natural body care and household items catering to consumers' growing interest in health and wellness.

Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Sprouts employs more than 17,000 team members and operates more than 190 stores in eleven states.

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Study offers clues about why bee hives are declining

February 10, 2015, 12:05 pm

≫ Next: Final Crisp and Cole defendant sentenced

≪ Previous: Sprouts coming to Bakersfield

The collapse of honeybee colonies has been a pressing issue facing our local ag industry that depends on the insects to pollinate crops.

Now a new study may shed some light on why the bees are dying.

The Los Angeles Times reports environmental stressors that push honeybees to begin foraging earlier in life can cause a domino effect on hives, accelerating their sudden collapse.

The study showed that any stress that causes younger bees to begin leaving the hive can cause a tipping point.

The researchers weren't necessarily studying colony collapse.

They use the bees to study neuroscience.

The study was published online yesterday in the Journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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Final Crisp and Cole defendant sentenced

February 10, 2015, 12:17 pm

≫ Next: State grape report shows decline

≪ Previous: Study offers clues about why bee hives are declining

The final defendant in the infamous Crisp and Cole case has been sentenced.

A federal judge in fresno sentenced jerald texiera (teh-share-uh) to three years probation for his role in the massive fraud scheme.

In the mid 2000's, with Bakersfield's housing market red hot, the high-flying Crisp and Cole team took advantage of lax lending rules and launched their mortgage fraud scheme.

Prosecutors say david Crisp, Carl Cole and a handful of their associates and family members defrauded lenders out of millions by buying homes with no money down by lying on loan documents.

Then they quickly sold the homes to co-conspirators, or straw buyers, at much inflated prices, pocketing the quick profit.

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State grape report shows decline

February 10, 2015, 12:58 pm

≫ Next: CHP conducts saturation patrols in Tehachapi

≪ Previous: Final Crisp and Cole defendant sentenced

SACRAMENTO – The 2014 crush totaled 4,160,444 tons, down 11 percent from the record high 2013 crush of 4,700,377 tons. Red wine varieties accounted for the largest share of all grapes crushed, at 2,134,995 tons, down 12 percent from 2013. The 2014 white wine variety crush totaled 1,775,183 tons, down 3 percent from 2013. Tons crushed of raisin type varieties totaled 155,643, down 53 percent from 2013, and tons crushed of table type varieties totaled 94,623, down 25 percent from 2013.

The 2014 average price of all varieties was $734.18, up 3 percent from 2013. Average prices for the 2014 crop by type were as follows: red wine grapes, $883.45, up 4 percent from 2013; white wine grapes, $588.30, down 6 percent from 2013; raisin grapes, $232.56, down 9 percent; and table grapes, $232.87, up 5 percent.

In 2014, Chardonnay continued to account for the largest percentage of the total crush volume with 17.2 percent. Cabernet Sauvignon accounted for the second leading percentage of crush with 12.3 percent. The next eight highest percentages of grapes crushed included wine and raisin grape varieties. Thompson Seedless, the leading raisin grape variety crushed for 2014, held 3.2 percent of the total crush.

Grapes produced in District 4 (Napa County) received the highest average price of $4,064.95 per ton, up 10 percent from 2013. District 3 (Sonoma and Marin counties) received the second highest return of $2,313.82, up 3 percent from 2013. The 2014 Chardonnay price of $858.26 was down 1 percent from 2013, but the Cabernet Sauvignon price of $1,412.92 was up 5 percent from 2013. The 2014 average price for Zinfandel was $621.84, down 5 percent from 2013, while the Merlot average price was up 2 percent from 2013 at $771.21 per ton.

The Preliminary Grape Crush Report includes all grape tonnage crushed during the 2014 season. It also includes purchased tonnage and pricing information for grapes with final prices prior to January 10, 2015. The March 10, 2015 Final Grape Crush Report will contain any late reports or corrections to the preliminary report.

The entire Grape Crush Report is available online at www.nass.usda.gov/ca.

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CHP conducts saturation patrols in Tehachapi

February 10, 2015, 1:11 pm

≫ Next: Sheriff, Supervisors tussle over budget

≪ Previous: State grape report shows decline

The following is a media release from the California Highway Patrol:

On February 6, 2015, The California Highway Patrol saturated the Tehachapi area in an effort to reduce traffic incidents and violations. The results are as follows:

30 – Citations

18 – Speed

5 – Seatbelt

2 – Cell Phone

1 – Registration

There was also one DUI arrest from the Tehachapi area.

The mission of the California Highway Patrol is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and Security to the people of California.

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