KGET: Local News

BAKERSFIELD - You might hear a loud boom early Saturday morning. That's because Pacific Gas and Electric is imploding the old power plant on Rosedale Highway and Coffee Road, that was mothballed in 1985.

In the next few days, over 160 pounds of explosives will be strategically placed on the structure. And, around 5:30 a.m. this Saturday it will be time to finish the job.

"The whole thing from start to finish by the actual implosion is going to be done in less than ten seconds,” said Tracy Correa, spokesperson for PG&E. “It will be that quick."

According to the demolition team, residents and businesses close to the plant do not have to worry about damage from the blast.

"No, the poundage that we are going to use is enough,” said Scott Gustafson, the blaster in control. “It's a minor amount compared with what it would take to break glass."

The plant has been a fixture in Bakersfield since its inception in 1948, but it was shut down in 1985. PG&E has worked to clean up the land and make sure the implosion will not create any environmental issues.

"And, we dealt with most of those issues prior to taking the last structure down so we believe that this is safe," Correa said.

After the demolition, the rubble will be recycled and some of the land will be used to build a project called The Commons. It will include commercial and residential developments and a new ballpark for the Blaze minor league baseball team.

"And so for us, this is a joyous occasion to see this last building come down," Correa said.

According to PG&E and Bakersfield police, the only road that will be closed during the event is Coffee Road. Traffic will be allowed on Rosedale Highway.

However, police say officers will enforce all traffic laws on Rosedale Highway and will not allow motorists to stop and watch the implosion.

BAKERSFIELD - The man accused of murdering two people at a Bakersfield medical marijuana clinic two weeks ago made his first court appearance Tuesday.

Aaron Patrick Burris is facing two counts of first degree murder in the deaths of Devin Daniels and Tony Sherman in what, police say, was a robbery gone bad at First Reliable Medical Marijuana Collective.

But, a judge postponed Burris' arraignment until next week.

"I was hoping it would be settled today," said Bridget Daniels, mother of Devin Daniels. "But, I know it is going to take time. I'm just going to be patient about the situation. I thank God that he was arrested the day that I buried my son. It put my heart at peace."

Burris did not enter in a plea and was denied bail.

Police are still looking for 16-year-old Miracle Jackson who was seen with Burris at the pot shop when the shooting happened.

If you have any information on her whereabouts, call 327-7111.

Bakersfield Police Department still need your help finding a parolee at large. Thirty-seven-year-old John Gonzales of Bakersfield, is a registered sex offender who disabled his ankle monitor.

Gonzales has an active parole warrant issued for his arrest. Additionally, a warrant for Gonzales’ arrest has been issued for Unlawful Sexual Intercourse with a Minor, Lewd and Lascivious Acts with a Child, and for a failure to comply with his registration requirements as required pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration Act.

Gonzales is 6’1” tall, and 190 lbs., black hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information regarding Gonzales' whereabouts is encouraged to call the Bakersfield Police Department at 327-7111, or Detective Davenport at 326-3559.

BAKERSFIELD - He is a public official, but Assemblymember Rudy Salas nearly went on a tour that was not going to be made available to the public. Salas said Tuesday he and other lawmakers would go on a private tour of an oil fracking operation, but at the last second he canceled.

According to an Occidental Petroleum spokesperson, Assemblyman Salas and a group of unnamed California lawmakers were supposed to leave from a Bakersfield office Wednesday morning. They were heading to see a hydraulic fracturing operation in the oil fields of Elk Hills in western Kern County.

Salas said in a news release issued Tuesday the tour "is a great opportunity for our statewide decision makers to see, understand and have their questions answered."

But, when we asked Salas's spokesperson Chris Chamberlain, if we could come, he not only said no, he refused to tell us where, when, and what company the group was going to see. But, Chamberlain said Salas would be available for comment after the private tour.

Tom Frantz, an environmental activist and farmer who monitors Oxy's fracking operations near Shafter, says this is bogus.

"If Rudy Salas wants to have a private tour with the oil industry he should be nominated for the good old boys club," said Frantz. "He's gotta at least have the press come along and then have a meeting with the public as well...you meet in the back room you're going to get a reputation for not representing the people any longer."

Salas would not speak on camera, but said in a statement he "already met with... several constituents on fracking...this tour was supposed to be a small part of fact-finding on fracking which is the subject of legislation."

Then Tuesday night, Oxy said Salas canceled the tour. Salas said in a statement "at the last minute, it became impossible to conduct the tour." He did not say what made it impossible.

Several oil companies have contributed to Salas's campaigns according to Cal-Access, a website that documents campaign contributions. This includes two contributions from Occidental Oil and Gas Corporation, the company that offered the tour.

"The oil companies can give money to Salas, but the last I heard he represents everyone," said Frantz.

Oxy would not speak on camera, but released a statement saying "Oxy responded to the Assemblyman's request for a tour and we responded to his request to cancel the tour."

Oxy had said they would consider letting us take video of a future fracking process, but nothing is set in stone.

Salas's spokesperson did not know if the tour will be rescheduled.

Below is the full statement Salas provided.

"Several members of the state Assembly had intended to join me today to tour a fracking facility in Kern County. As an Assemblymember it is my job to gather as much information as possible on the issues which come before the Legislature. I have already met with several community members, environmental groups, and constituents about fracking. This tour was to be a small part of fact-gathering on fracking, which is the subject of legislation the Assembly will consider when session resumes this coming Monday, August 5 in Sacramento. Unfortunately, at the last minute, it became impossible to conduct the tour but I remain committed to continue to meet with various groups and community members about the issues that affect our community."

BAKERSFIELD, CA--Authorities need your help in finding Douglas Horton. Kern County Deputies say Horton is a parolee at large and registered sex offender.

He is on parole for reckless evading of a peace officer, and has a prior conviction for annoying or molesting children. On July 19, 2013 Horton disabled his GPS monitor and his whereabouts are unknown.

If anyone has information on his whereabouts, they are asked to call the Bakersfield parole office at 661-634-9620, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office at 661-861-3110, or Secret Witness at 661-322-4040.

Anonymous text tips can be sent to TIP411 (847411). Just type the keyword “KCSO” prior to the message.

BAKERSFIELD - Rental demand is on the rise. That's according to a new national study released from Harvard University. The study shows there are fewer vacancies. And, with more demand and less supply, rental prices are creeping up.

Bakersfield is following the national trend.

"The demand for apartments has gone up," said Northridge Apartments property manager Steve Coleman.

Coleman says only two of the sixty units at the complex are vacant. But, with such high demand he says they'll be filled in days.

"The cost of living is going up, but people's wages are not going up. So, that's what's killing everyone in Bakersfield right now," said Coleman.

Coleman says with the spike in need, comes a spike in price. This year, they raised the rent $25 a month.

"So, we haven't increased our rent in four years until this year," said Coleman.

While the increase here isn't as high as the four percent rent increases found in the study in some parts of the West, it's in line with the 1.6 percent annual increase found in Fresno and the 1.8 percent increase in the Ventura/Oxnard area.

Wilma Russ raised her now grown children in an apartment. She says renting is just easier.

"That way I don't have to pay no water bill. I don't have to worry about the lawn being taken care of and all of that. And, here we have a swimming pool. I don't even have to clean the swimming pool. I just pay my rent," said Russ.

At ATCO Property Management, owner Darren Powers says single family inventory is very low.

"Hottest market of single family homes I've ever had is right now and I've been doing this for 28 years," said Powers.

Powers says homes renting in the range of $1,000 to $1,500 a month are gone in days. The same goes for apartments costing $750 to $1,000 a month.

"Our rents are definitely higher than they have been traditionally or say in the past eighteen months. We're moving rents up a little bit slowly," said Powers.

Powers says more people don't want the maintenance responsibility and others, once caught in foreclosure, are left with a bad taste of ownership.

"There are a lot of people that came out of the climb when they were purchased on the real estate market and they don't want to be homeowners again. They now are going to be tenants long-term," said Powers.

Powers says traditionally Bakersfield is behind the statewide curve, so when rents max out elsewhere, we'll be soon to follow.

BAKERSFIELD - A local group is suing the city of Bakersfield over an ordinance that makes pot shops within city limits illegal.

The group, known as Concerned Citizens of Bakersfield, says the city never conducted an environmental review before the ordinance was passed.

Pot shops in Bakersfield have been illegal since last Friday, July 26th.

"I think it's really the final straw that this group has to contest what the council has done," said City Attorney Ginny Genarro.

On Monday, the City Attorney's office received a claim from Channel Law Group in Long Beach which represents Concerned Citizens of Bakersfield.

Attorney Jaime Hall says that same day, a lawsuit was filed.

"This group feels that the city council and the taxpayers should have performed some type of environmental review process before we passed the ordinance," said Genarro.

In the claim, it states the city needs to prepare, circulate and consider a legally adequate initial study, and if applicable, an environmental impact report.

Attorney Hall says the city needs to be in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act, known as CEQA.

"Environmental review under CEQA is common. It has taken place for decades in the state and we're simply asking the city to conduct the necessary environmental review before adopting the ordinance," said Jaime Hall, representing Concerned Citizens of Bakersfield.

"I think it's ridiculous to think that our taxpayers should pay for an environmental review on regulating businesses here in the city of Bakersfield, particularly businesses that have not been permitted uses since 2004," said Genarro.

Last month, the city council voted to ban all medical marijuana dispensaries in Bakersfield.

Proponents tried to petition the ban but weren't able to collect enough signatures before Monday's deadline.

Genarro says regardless of the lawsuit, a task force will be formed to help eliminate the pot shops.

"Once that is done, we will establish a process for investigating each and every one of these and we will move forward," continued Genarro.

Attorney Hall says it will take nearly a year before a decision is made on whether the city should conduct a environmental review.

A warning for people with diabetes.

62 million glucose test strips are being recalled because they could show incorrect readings.

The FDA says an incorrect reading could lead to dangerous medication errors for patients.

The recalled strips are marketed under the brand names Nova Max blood glucose test strips and Nova Max Plus glucose meter kits.

The recall affects certain lots of the strips distributed in the U.S. and a dozen other countries.

Here is a link to the Nova Max website with a complete list of testing strips affected by the recall.

www.novacares.com/news/additional-details-usa.php

BAKERSFIELD, CA - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports Kern County ranks worst of California's 58 counties for incidence of heart disease.

The American Heart Association reports more women die from heart disease than all forms of cancer combined. Its Go Red for Women campaign brings national attention to the issue. Now, a bilingual program, Go Red Por Tu Corazón aims to increase awareness of the disease in Latina women.

They are likely to develop heart disease earlier than non-Hispanic women. Despite the heightened risk, many Latina women are unaware of the threat to them and their families.

One local mother says her son's heart disease diagnosis made her more aware of her own heart health. Nora Rojas-Mora said, "These aren't conversations that you have around the dinner table with your family and so to really make it something that we're all supporting one another with and we're really talking about the importance of exercise, the importance of dieting."

The CDC reports Kern County has the least healthy population in the state, with a higher-than-average percentage of lifestyle health risks like smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity. The national campaign will be launched Thursday in Bakersfield.

BAKERSFIELD, CA -- Bakersfield Police Department Career Criminal Apprehension Team, located and arrested John Gonzales, 37 in the 500 block of Goodman Street early Thursday morning.

Gonzales is charged with, Unlawful Sexual Intercourse with a Minor, Lewd and Lascivious Acts with a Child, failure to comply with sex offender registration, possession of illegal narcotics, resisting arrest, and violation of parole.

Concepcion Romero, 43 of Bakersfield was also arrested and charged as an Accessory, who was harboring John Gonzales.

KERN COUNTY - A phone scam working its way across the nation, now has phones ringing in Kern County. The Better Business Bureau says scammers are targeting senior citizens. Robo-calls or recordings, tell the person answering they have an pre-paid medical alert device waiting for them. All the caller needs is some personal information.

Bakersfield Police put out a warning about this scam a month ago. But, the B.B.B. says it's back, and the scammers are hiding behind a real company to tap into banking accounts.

With memorable commercials with lines like, "I've fallen and I can't get up," Life Alert has been selling medical alert systems for decades. But now, scammers are trying to get a cut of their action, falsely using their name and tag line over the phone.

On the scam call it says, "It's the fallen and I can't get up type of system you've seen on T.V."

"As that call would go on, the caller would request identifying information or credit card information from the person they were calling," said Sgt. Joe Grubbs, Bakersfield Police Department.

On the scammer's call, a very casual and life-like recording explains someone has ordered a medical alert system for the person they called and paid for it. All the person has to do is press one and pass on personal information.

"The reason that they target seniors is because they are generally home and they answer their phone," said Cindy Dudley, Director of Business Service with the Better Business Bureau.

Dudley says once the victim gives the caller information, some receive a device, others don't. But, they are all charged a monthly service fee of $35 to $45. And, it's not clear if the monitors that were delivered even work.

"These scammers know exactly how to talk to a senior citizen. And, the only thing that the senior citizen is doing wrong is being a trusting individual," said Dudley.

"It's an identity theft age we live in and a social security number, a drivers license number, a date of birth, any of that information is just golden to crooks," said Sgt. Grubbs.

Police advise just hanging up if you get the call. But if you fall victim, the Better Business Bureau says try contacting the billing service to cancel, call your bank, and then call them to report it.

Although the B.B.B. says scammers are using the "Life Alert" brand here, other brands have been used across the country and credible medical alert companies do not solicit.

BAKERSFIELD - Officials are revamping their efforts to combat gang violence. Six years after city and county officials created a Joint Gang Task Force, gang violence is still high.

Now, they're looking to combat the problem with intervention more than suppression. The group estimates there are more than 8,000 documented and suspected gang members in Kern County in 20 different gangs. This is after millions of dollars have been spent on suppression efforts.

The Joint Gang Task Force met Thursday morning to discuss adopting a new strategic plan to combat gang violence. According to task force documents, when the program began in 2007 the city and county saw a decrease in gang violence.

The documents say the following statistics were taken from the Bakersfield Police Department and the Kern County Sheriff's Department. In 2006, 54 percent of homicides in the city were gang-related. In the county, 30 percent of homicides were gang-related. But after a year of task force initiatives, that rate dropped to 28 percent in the city and 8 percent in the county.

But in 2009, the document says the county and city cut funding from $24 million in 2007 to $9.2 million. That's when gang-related crimes jumped back up, according to the document. Officials say the problem compounded with the implementation of prison realignment, a federally mandated initiative to reduce state prison populations by sending more criminals to county custody.

"I believe we're making a dent, but it's a big problem and a problem that compounded by the state and the prisoners that they're sending back," said Karen Goh, President of Garden Pathways. "I believe that in prevention we're making a difference in young people not making those negative choices in the future."

On Thursday, city and county officials talked about focusing on stopping gang affiliations before they start instead of cracking down on criminals already in gangs. Although the task force strives for a three-pronged approach of suppression, intervention, and prevention.

BAKERSFIELD, CA--It's been an idea for nearly three decades, but four years ago, construction started on a six-lane freeway in Bakersfield.

But, come Friday morning, five miles of the Westside Parkway will open to the public, a project city officials say will change Bakersfield forever.

In the 1980's, the city preserved land for a future freeway. But, city officials say they weren't sure if it would ever be built, due to money issues.

"There's nothing as far as freeways to the west of town," said Engineer Luis Topete.

Final touches are underway before the second phase of the Westside Parkway opens.

Topete helped design the project seven years ago. Since then, two phases have been constructed, including the Mohawk Street extension.

"It will be a lot easier and more efficient to move from west Bakersfield to downtown with this project for sure," said Topete.

When the first five miles open, it will take you from Truxtun Avenue to Allen Road.

City officials say come next fall, the third phase will be finished, connecting you from Allen Road to the intersection of Heath Road and Stockdale Highway.

"We're talking about probably 30 years since we saw the last freeway being built," Topete continued.

City officials say the project has cost about $170 million, paid for by the city and state.

They say the last phase will be $30 million and will only have two lanes in each direction.

But until then, the city plans to celebrate a major accomplishment decades in the making.

"We're changing the way traffic moves in Bakersfield, especially the west side, the west side of Bakersfield," said Topete.

A ribbon cutting ceremony begins at 10 a.m. Friday at the Coffee Road interchange bridge.

The public is invited to attend.

Crews with the Thomas Roads Improvement program want to remind everyone that the freeway won't open until around 2 p.m. Friday.

KERN COUNTY - It's a prospect that could bring back more jobs and money to Kern County. The state is considering once again sending prisoners to community correctional facilities in Taft, Delano, and Shafter.

The city-run facilities lost their contracts with the state in 2011 when prison realignment took effect. But now that the state may be required to release 10,000 additional state inmates, county officials say the state is considering using those vacant facilities.

For the last two years, three Kern County community correctional facilities or CCFs sat vacant. Now the state is considering unlocking the potential of city-owned prisons in Delano, Shafter, and Taft.

"If they are willing to harden their facility to make them close to a medium facility I think that there's some room there for the state to work with," said Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood.

The state stopped using the facilities in 2011 during its effort to reduce the prison population and comply with a federal mandate, an effort known as prison realignment. Now, prison realignment could open these facilities back up. Based on a failure to comply with the initial order, the Supreme Court may mandate the state release 10,000 additional inmates... inmates that could instead come to Kern County prisons.

"If you add 1,500 to 1,800 beds in CCFs, you can take that off the 10,000," said Sheriff Youngblood.

Sheriff Donny Youngblood met with the state prisons secretary this week and says Secretary Jeffery Beard is open to using the CCFs.

"I told him I appreciated him coming to Kern County and doing what he said he would do," said Sheriff Youngblood.

If the state uses just one CCF, it will make 680 inmate beds available, create 70 jobs and bring $7 million in state funding to the community.

"If we can keep them in a CCF as opposed to releasing them, I think we are going to minimize the number of victims we have," said Sheriff Youngblood.

Officials who heard of the proposal at a Joint Gang Task Force meeting Thursday morning seemed optimistic.

"For them to actually say 'hey now's the time to look at these private prisons,' my question is why didn't they do that in the first place? But, it's thankfulness now because it's not going to add to the problem," said Russell Johnson, Bakersfield City Councilmember.

Opening these facilities depends on whether the Supreme Court mandates California to release additional prisoners. That decision is expected soon.

DELANO - With a jobless rate near 30 percent, Walmart is looking to capitalize in Delano with hundreds of new jobs at its new superstore. The retail giant will open its doors in less than two weeks and small business owners are preparing for the worst.

The new Walmart Superstore on Woollomes Avenue comes with hundreds of new jobs, but some small business owners fear the chain will put them out of business.

“I've never worked at a retail place where you get so many customers,” said Corrina Morales, a cashier.

Morales is one of 300 new employees undergoing training at the new 200,000 square foot Walmart Superstore in Delano.

For the last four weeks, they have been stocking shelves and freezers for the store's grand opening on August 14th.

“We've had associates in the store 24 hours a day,” explained Chris Fulmer, Manager.

That is welcome news for some in a city dominated by part-time and seasonal jobs in agriculture.

“About 90 percent of our people here come from the local community too,” continued Fulmer.

The store will be part of the Delano Marketplace Shopping Center. The 45-acre development will include other stores and restaurants.

The center was on hold for years after a citizens group sued the city, claiming Walmart would drive local businesses out.

“When large box stores come in they always say there will be more jobs, but in fact more jobs are lost,” said Mark Wolfe, an attorney for Concerned Citizens in 2008.

Some said the retail giant will destroy more jobs than it creates, as shoppers ditch smaller stores on Main Street for lower prices at Walmart.

“It's a little bit cheaper,” explained one shopper.

Ileana An says Walmart will likely put her downtown clothing store out of business after 20 years.

“I feel terrible. I don't want to close the store. I will probably have to. I’m not sure,” she said.

As Walmart prepares to open its doors, An said she will focus on how to keep her doors open and stay competitive with the billion dollar retail giant.

“Not impossible, but it's difficult, very difficult because of the prices,” she explained.

The new Walmart Superstore is still hiring. The store will open August 14th at 7:30 AM.

BAKERSFIELD - Fire investigators are looking into the cause of an explosion and fire at an apartment complex in northeast Bakersfield. One resident was severely burned and three families were displaced.

The property manager says five people lived in the three damaged units, two lived in the unit were the explosion occurred. He said they're all doing fine with at least a temporary place to stay.

By night, it looked like a ball of fire. "We heard a big bang. It was loud," said Abel Carlon, neighbor.

By day, it was charred wood, the remnants of what flames left behind at the three-unit apartment complex.

"That doesn't look too good over there," said Anthony Terrell, nearby groundskeeper.

It happened at the intersection of Mount Vernon Ave and Eric Way on the northeast side of Bakersfield.

"Just moved out here from Kentucky and if there are going to be fires I think I should just move back there," said Terrell.

Officials said an explosion ignited the fire just before midnight Thursday. The Bakersfield Fire Department believes the cause of the fire was accidental, but arson investigators were on scene.

"We don't like it," said Gene Waterfield, property manager. "I haven't heard the full story yet, but we don't know what happened."

Waterfield has managed this property for three years. He says three residents were home at the time of the fire including a father, son, and younger male. According to Waterfield, at the time of the explosion the father was in the kitchen and the son was in the bedroom. The Bakersfield Fire Department said the man was severely burned.

On Friday, his son came back to look at the damage, telling 17 News his father was at a hospital in Fresno, but was doing fine.

Initially, some thought the damaged units were part of the Vernon Vista complex that caught fire last month.

"I don't know. I have been getting people who've been telling me there has been a fire in the same apartment complex," said Terrell.

But, this fire was at a complex across the street, a complex the property manager said will be fixed as soon as they're able, because right now the units are uninhabitable.

"We'll fix it up again," said Waterfield. "You know, if they have renter's insurance they're covered, but otherwise it's you know we'll have to give them a little break on their rent."

Damage is estimated at $500,000.

BAKERSFIELD - After two attacks in two weeks, investigators fear a serial rapist may be on the loose in the east Bakersfield area.

Both attacks are similar. Each happened in an apartment early in the morning. The victims were bound, and in each assault the attacker has a similar description.

The Secret Witness Program is offering up to $5,000 for information leading to the identification of a suspect.

In the latest attack, a man broke into an apartment Thursday in the 2900 block of Virginia Avenue, near Oswell Street.

Detectives said the man forced his way in around 4 a.m. He tied up four people and sexually assaulted two of them.

"It's scary," said Daniel Esperanza. He said his family rarely goes outside after dark."A few weeks ago, I received a letter from our manager that said we have to close our windows and doors," he continued.

One neighbor said last month she caught a man looking in her bedroom window. "When I was putting my clothes on in my room, he was looking in my window. He was a tall black guy with a black hat on," said Keyona Hayden.

The attack on Virginia Avenue is similar to another violent attack four miles away at an apartment on Columbus Street.

Two weeks ago, a woman was bound and raped around 6 a.m., shortly after her husband left for work.

"Something like this scars a family for life," said the rape victim's husband. Detectives believe the same man could be responsible for both attacks.

"We believe, based on some similarities, there's a good possibility these two cases are related and we're talking about the same suspect being responsible for both sexual assaults," said Ray Pruitt, Kern County Sheriff's Department.

The attackers share a similar description. He is described as a man with dark skin, about 6 feet tall with a medium build in his 20s or 30s. In both attacks, detectives say the man wore a ski mask.

Authorities believe the rapist may have been involved in two separate burglaries in March and May, in the same apartment complex where the latest assault happened Thursday morning.

Louis Gill with the Alliance Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault, said familiar places like your home, are where you are most likely to let your guard down.

"Look for people that are out of the ordinary. If you see something that causes a concern, call the police or the sheriff," said Gill. "There's nothing wrong with being too cautious."

Gill said it's up to each potential victim whether it's best to fight back. "If you think that fighting back is going to be the best thing for you and give you the best outcome, that's a choice you need to make," he said. "If you think you need to submit so that you survive, also a good choice, if that's what you need to do."

The Alliance has a 24-hour hotline. The number is 327-1091.

If you have any information about the rape on Columbus Street, call Bakersfield police at 327-7111.

If you know anything about the attack on Virginia Avenue, call the Sheriff's Department at 861-3110.

For both cases, you can also remain anonymous and call the Secret Witness hotline. The number is 322-4040.

BAKERSFIELD - Finally, after nearly 30 years, traffic is flowing across the brand new Westside Parkway.

The new east-west connector officially opened Friday, after four years of construction.

City officials say this is a day they've been waiting for, for years.

The five-mile freeway is open to the public, making your commute around town a little smoother.

"We had a ribbon cutting on concrete. We've had a lot of ribbon cuttings on dirt," said former Congressman Bill Thomas.

Friday morning, a grand opening ceremony was held as dozens of people gathered for a project, city officials say, will change Bakersfield forever.

"I'm really excited. I feel like I'm a part of history, Bakersfield history and I'm really excited to see what this is going to mean for our community," said Bakersfield resident Casey Knaak.

"I don't know how many decades it's been since California has built a freeway and who knows how many decades it will be before they build another one, but we got one here," said Kern County Supervisor David Couch.

The six-lane freeway will take you from Truxtun Avenue to Allen Road.

Come next fall, the third phase of the Westside Parkway will be finished. That will connect Allen Road to the intersection of Heath Road and Stockdale Highway.

"Just wait a few weeks when you don't have to take Truxtun, you don't have to take Rosedale, you've got your own Westside Freeway. That's going to be a significant improvement," said Thomas.

More than an hour after the grand opening, city officials let traffic through following four years of construction and money issues.

In the 1980s, the city preserved land for a future freeway because of how fast the city was growing.

City officials say while construction was underway, no businesses or homes were bought or damaged, something the city is proud of.

"It's an important and significant piece of highway for greater Bakersfield which is now one of the ten largest cities in California," Thomas continued.

The project cost around $177 million.

City officials say one day, they're confident the Westside Parkway will connect to Interstate Five.

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream. Especially when it's hot outside. Twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, ice cream is being produced at the Nestle Dreyer’s plant in Bakersfield.

"This factory is the largest ice cream factory in the world,” said plant manager Tim Keating. "We produce approximately a third of all the Nestle ice cream produced in the U.S."

The plant sits on 47 acres and employs approximately 1,200 workers. Fifty nine percent of them are Hispanic.

"We are Very close," said Norma McFaddin, human resource manager for the plant. "We celebrate just almost anything you can think of. We are a happy group of people."

Not only does the plant employee a large workforce from Kern County, it is also a major buyer of local ingredients including milk and almonds. Half a million gallons of milk per year are bought from local dairy farms.

During a recent hiring event the plant had 3,000 applicants for 150 jobs. It's no wonder that some employees have worked here since it opened in 1988.

"We understand the main thing that we are doing here is a business for Nestle but the most important asset we have is our people," Keating said.

The Nestle Dreyer's Plant will be celebrating its 25 anniversary next week and has invited Gov. Jerry Brown to attend. No word yet if he has accepted their invitation.

BAKERSFIELD -- A spectator reportedly lost a leg Saturday morning when shrapnel from the implosion of the old PG&E plant flew across Coffee Road and struck him where he watched the explosion from the Lowe’s parking lot, police said. Several other people received less severe injuries.

The man’s name was not immediately released, but he was a 44-year-old Bakersfield resident, according to Bakersfield Police Lt. Scott Tunnicliffe. The man, “sustained an apparent complete amputation of one leg, and the possible amputation of the second,” Tunnicliffe told Channel 17’s Paul Harris.

At least three other people were treated for minor injures at the scene, and Tunnicliffe said police were checking hospitals to see if other victims were transported by private cars. Several automobiles in the parking lot were damaged.

Those injured Saturday was part of a crowd standing near Coffee Road in the Lowe’s parking due east of the power plant. They were several hundred yards away from where the explosions happened.

KGET video of the explosions shows large pieces of the structure flying to the east, toward the Lowe’s lot.

PG&E repeatedly stressed it had made no accommodations for the public to view the explosions that brought down the four-story-high derelict power plant. Still, more than a thousand people lined Rosedale Highway just west of Coffee Road, and dozens more crowded into the parking lot of the Lowe’s store.

Police closed Coffee Road to traffic before the 6 a.m. explosion.

A worker was killed June 18, 2012 while dismantling the same plant.

KGET has video of the explosion and aftermath and will have complete coverage on 17News@5 and 11 Saturday.

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