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Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce appoints new president

March 19, 2015, 9:27 am
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BAKERSFIELD, CA - The greater Bakersfield chamber of commerce appointed a new leader.

On Wednesday, the board of directors appointed Nick Ortiz as the new president and CEO.
     
Ortiz was a former chamber employee who went on to work for PG&E and then Western States Petroleum Association.
     
There he was the local oil industry representative and worked closely with Kern County Oil Producers.
     
Ortiz will start his new job on April 13.
  
He will be replacing Cindy Pollard who led the 1300 member organization for two years before accepting a job with Aera Energy.
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HECA project stalled after spending $153 million

March 19, 2015, 9:42 am
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BAKERSFIELD, CA - The owners of a proposed power plant near Tupman have responded to calls from a coalition of critics to shut the project down.

In a document filed with the California Energy Commission on March 18, SCS Energy said it is working diligently to get the project done.
     
The HECA project has stalled after spending about $153 million of taxpayer money from federal grants.
     
The plant would produce carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, as a byproduct of burning coal to create energy.
     
The plant needs to find a buyer for the CO2 to qualify as a green energy project, and thought it had a potential buyer in Occidental Petroleum.
     
But that deal never materialized.
     
Now, HECA is trying to find somewhere else to put the gas, possibly trapping it permanently by pumping it underground.

Click HERE to read the company's response to critics.
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Harvick honored for achievements

March 19, 2015, 10:23 am
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BAKERSFIELD, CA - Sprint Cup Champion and hometown hero Kevin Harvick was honored by Mayor Harvey Hall for his achievements in racing.

Harvick, coming off his first Sprint Cup Series championship will look for his third straight win of this season in Fontana on Sunday.

Harvick used the event to announce the Kevin Harvick Foundation is partnering with the Cal Ripken Senior Foundation to remodel the gym and the playground adjacent to the Boys and Girls Club in Bakersfield.
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DMV accepting comments regarding application process

March 19, 2015, 2:26 pm
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BAKERSFIELD, CA - The Department of Motor Vehicles has announced they are seeking public comment on several potential changes to future application processes. 

Some of the changes could include adding foreign documents to the list to prove identity, and clarifying that residency documents must match the address listed on the license application. 

"During the past 60 days, the DMV has issued more than 165,000 new driver licenses under AB 60 and we are constantly improving this process," said DMV Director Jean Shiomoto. "These proposed regulatory changes are designed to further advance the application process." 

DMV representatives said the current application process will stay the same until proposed changes become finalized, which is expected to occur in June.

Some of the key proposed improvements include:  

• Accepting California residency documents that are issued by any government within the U.S., not just the federal government.

• Adding consular cards from Colombia and Ecuador, identification cards from Ecuador, and passports from Tonga, Sri Lanka, and Republic of Korea to the list of acceptable foreign documents for proving identity.

• Clarifying that the California residency documents must match the address listed on the driver license application.

The DMV also proposes to eliminate the option of presenting birth certificates in conjunction with various other documents to prove identity without going to secondary review. This change is proposed to reduce need for document translation, simplify the application process and reduce delays. Applicants will continue to be able to use foreign birth certificates to prove identity during the secondary review process.

The 15-day public comment period on these proposed changes begins on Thursday, March 19, and ends Friday, April 3 at 5 p.m. 

Comments can be sent to DMV Legal Affairs Division, P.O. Box 932382, Mail Station: C128, Sacramento, CA 94232 or by e-mail to LADRegulations@dmv.ca.gov. 

The DMV will then submit the proposed AB 60 regulations to the Office of Administrative Law. The DMV anticipates approval by late June.

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CalWORKS providing tools to help you find work

March 19, 2015, 2:38 pm
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BAKERSFIELD, CA - CalWORKS is providing job seekers in the community a one-stop resource center to receive services to help those unemployed find work.

Services offered include classroom training, resume writing, job hunting and job placement.  

According to organizers, about 60 percent of the clients completing the program succeed in obtaining employment. 

CalWORKS also provides assistant services like free bus passes, child care, school supplies and food for your family.  

If you need more information, call 661-631-6136 to reach the Kern County Department of Human Services for further directions.
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Local group meets for Safety Day event at Rabobank

March 19, 2015, 3:07 pm
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BAKERSFIELD, CA - The seventh annual Central Valley Chemical Safety Day took place at Rabobank Convention Center today.

Event organizer's say this is the largest chemical safety conference in America.
     
The all-day event featured key note presentations from various industry safety experts, exhibits from local companies and city and county government.
     
The Kern County Fire Department and Bakersfield Fire Department collaborated to demonstrate chemical spill response and decomtamination efforts in the event of an emergency.
     
County officials said this conference brings needed attention to the everyday dangers around us.

"Locally, a lot of our industry is ag and oil field related, and they deal with a lot of hazardous materials. So this event we are so happy to support and have an emphasis on safety. The safety of those handling those chemicals, the safety of the employees and the safety of our community as well," said Donna Fento, director of Kern County Environmental Health Services.

The event was free.
    
Organizers said they expected more than 750 company owners and their employees to attend this year.
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Man dies following officer involved shooting

March 19, 2015, 8:59 am
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BAKERSFIELD, CA - A love triangle led to a shooting at a northwest Bakersfield home late Wednesday, prompting a manhunt that ended with a suspect cornered and shot in a hotel lobby west of Bakersfield Thursday morning, authorities reported.

Robert Burdge, 36, was armed and holed up inside the lobby of the Vagabond Inn near Stockdale Highway and Interstate 5, the BPD reported. Burdge was shot by a member of the SWAT team around 8:45 a.m. He was pronounced dead at Kern Medical Center just before 11:00 Thursday morning.  Court records show Burdge has a pending misdemeanor DUI case after an arrest on Jan. 9. He had a prior DUI conviction from August 2014. Burdge was divorced in 2013.

Burdge was a suspect in a shooting Wednesday night in the 9800 block of Copa Cabana Ct, a northwest Bakersfield neighborhood.

Burdge was involved in a love triangle with the man he shot, the BPD reported. One of the men was having an affair with the other's wife, though the BPD didn't specify whose wife was involved.

The BPD reports both Burdge and his shooting victim in northwest Bakersfield worked for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

SWAT team negotiators had been speaking with Burdge while he was holed up. Staff members and guests were told to shelter in place at the hotel but no one was being held hostage, the BPD reported. Nearby businesses, including a Shell gas station and restaurant were evacuated.

KGET will have full details on 17News@Noon, 5 and 6 and all day on kerngoldenempire.com
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Standoff, deadly officer-involved-shooting in northwest Bakersfield

March 19, 2015, 6:22 pm
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BAKERSFIELD, CA - One man is dead and another man in the hospital in what police believe is a love triangle that sparked a shooting Wednesday night and a SWAT standoff Thursday morning.

Police say a former Department of Corrections worker shot a corrections sergeant Wednesday night -- then was shot by BPD SWAT team members in that standoff Thursday.

Late Thursday afternoon, the coroner's office says the man shot, 36-year-old Robert Burdge, died at Kern Medical Center.

Bakersfield police say the man Burdge allegedly shot -- who's name has not been released -- is at KMC with moderate injuries.

Witnesses described the standoff as chaotic at the Vagabond Inn near Interstate 5 and Stockdale Highway just before 8 a.m.

"Everyone was in full military fatigues and I had no idea what was going on," said David Margoliash, hotel guest.

"We had one or two helicopters flying over which is what woke me up in the first place."

Police say the standoff started following a shooting Wednesday night in the 9800 block of Copa Cabana Court in northwest Bakersfield.

Investigators say Burdge waited for a man to get home, then shot him after a short struggle in the man's garage.

Police say the shooting victim was able to run inside his home.

"He's able to retreat inside the house where he barricades himself behind the door leading from the garage into the house. The suspect fires a round into the door trying to make entry. He's unsuccessful and he flees," said Sgt. Joe Grubbs, Bakersfield Police Department.

Police say that's what led them to the Vagabond Inn after getting word Burdge barricaded himself inside the lobby, armed with a gun.

Swat officers cornered Burdge and were negotiating with him.

They say they lost contact just after 8:20 a.m., then about ten minutes later, shots were fired.

Burdge was airlifted to Kern Medical Center with major injuries and the coroner's office says he died there Thursday.

Bakersfield police say Robert Burdge was a former Department of Corrections employee.

The man officers say Burdge shot Wednesday night is a current Department of Corrections sergeant at Wasco State Prison.

Police believe all of this started because both men were involved in a love triangle.

"That's what's been alleged -- what we're given to understand there was some type of marital affair going on. I don't know the details of that," said Grubbs.

Police also investigated a backpack Burdge told them he left outside the Best Western Hotel just across the street from the Vagabond Inn.

Officers say they found bullets and pepper spray in that backpack, but no traces of a bomb.

17 News also learned Burdge had a criminal record that includes two DUI's in the last eight months and a dismissed spousal abuse case.

Both police swat officers involved in shooting Burdge will be placed on paid administrative leave.
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NCAA bracket picks

March 19, 2015, 6:36 pm
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BAKERSFIELD, CA - We're bringing back the Bako Brackets for the men's NCAA tournament. Lina Washington caught up with a mascot, a six-year old and a dog who all dropped some knowledge on who she should pick in the big dance.
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The Bakersfield Music Theater is bringing Dancing with the Stars to Bakersfield

March 20, 2015, 7:10 am
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BAKERSFIELD, CA.-The Bakersfield Music Theater is bringing Dancing with the Stars to Bakersfield. In just one week, local community members will dance with professional choreographers in an effort to raise $50,000 for the theater. 

Ryann and her partner have been practicing over the last few weeks, trying to get each step just right, as this will be no easy competition. Not with competitors like county supervisor Leticia Perez and attorney David Torres. 

Which couple will step their way to the top? We'll just have to wait and see. 

Tickets to the event next Saturday night, March 28 have already been sold out. But, you can vote online. Your vote will help determine the winning couple. Just visit BMTStars.com. Each vote is $1.00. Vote for your favorite performer. Whomever that may be. 

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Golden State Mall gets new owner

March 20, 2015, 8:42 am
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BAKERSFIELD, CA - The Golden State Mall is under new ownership.

According to the assessor's office, a deed was filed to transfer ownership to the Canyon Hills Assembly of God, and Southern California District Council of the Assemblies of God.
     
In a statement released on March 19, Canyon Hills representatives said it is stll in the planning stages on what the building will be used for, but are looking to revitalize and restore the historic property.
     
The mall closed last June when the previous owner filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy, forcing store owners and vendors to move out.
     
The mall went into foreclosure.

The previous owner had plans to remodel the building into medical offices.
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Walmart hiring for two new locations

March 20, 2015, 9:18 am
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BAKERSFIELD, CA - Walmart is currently looking o hire employees for two new stores opening in Bakersfield this summer.

Walmart will hire up to 190 associates for two new Neighborhood Markets.

If you are interested in applying, there is a temporary hiring center opened at 4616 California Ave. 

Applications will be accepted Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Interested applicants may also apply online at http://careers.walmart.com. 

Additionally, Walmart officials say they will offer a job to any qualified veteran who has been honorably discharged within the past 12 months, as part of their  Veterans Welcome Home Commitment.

If you feel you may qualify for the veterans program, apply online http://walmartcareerswithamission.com.

Veterans must be within 12 months of active duty and meet Walmart’s standard hiring criteria.

According to store managers Charles Allen and Marcos Cruz, the store will be hiring both full- and part-time associates.

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District holds cook-off for new menu items

March 20, 2015, 9:46 am
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BAKERSFIELD, CA - Young chefs are looking to add their own recipes to school lunch menus, following a district-wide cook-off.

The Bakersfield City School District held a cook-off competition on Thursday, called "The Golden Spork Awards."
     
Students and adults from the district's 43 school cafeterias made their favorite dishes over at Thorner Elementary School.
     
They will be taste-tested by more than 400 students in the after school magnet programs.
  
The winning recipes will be added to next year's menu.
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Oilfield jobs take a hit in latest unemployment report

March 20, 2015, 12:22 pm
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BAKERSFIELD, CA - New unemployment numbers are out for February in Kern County, and they show unemployment remains mostly stagnant.

The rate went down just slightly from 11.1 percent in January, to 11 percent in February.
     
Numbers show that layoffs in the oil industry continue, though the pace has slowed significantly from the beginning of the year.

The jobs lost in Kern County oil fields for the month of February total about 1,200.
     
Unemployment year to year is down significantly for the county, from 11 percent last month compared to 12.3 percent in February of last year.
     
Across the state, the unadjusted rate is 6.8 percent. Nationally, the rate is 5.8 percent.
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Delano school district names new interim superintendent

March 20, 2015, 12:39 pm
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DELANO, CA - The Delano Union School District has named a new interim superintendent while the search continues for a permanent replacement.

At a meeting on Thursday, board members appointed Gary Rice as the interim superintendent.

Rice was the Greenfield School District's superintendent before retiring in 2009.
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Students learn about careers in the justice system

March 20, 2015, 12:45 pm
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BAKERSFIELD, CA - Local students witnessed first-hand how our justice system works while attending the Careers in Court event on Friday.

Around 140 students from Project Best Black Excellence in Schoalrship and Teaching, and black student unions gathered in court learning more about the justice system.
      
They are spending the day downtown with local law enforcement and legal community partners, learning about the fields of criminal law, corrections, law enforcement, probation, parole, and paralegal. 

"It's really cool to be able to see. Before this I never thought I would want to go into this field, but after hearing the people talk and seeing it first-hand, it makes me rethink what I want to do," said Jasmine Dixon.

Students sat in on a mock trial and listen to several panel discussions.
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Local man to serve four years for sex with a minor

March 20, 2015, 12:57 pm
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BAKERSFIELD, CA - The man accused of molesting a 14-year-old Taft girl took a plea deal earlier this week.

Efrain Velasco-Palacios pleaded no contest Tuesday to two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse and one count of lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14.
     
He is expected to be sentenced April 15 to four years and four months in prison. 
     
Five felony counts in another molestation case against Velasco-Palacios were dismissed in July 2013, which involved another underage Taft girl.
     
That's because deputy district attorney Robert Murray admitted to altering the transcript.
     
Murray has since been reassigned in the district attorney's office.

Earlier this month, it was revealed Velasco-Palacios was deported four times in the last four years.
     
Murray is still being investigated by the state bar association for prosecutorial misconduct.
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Pet of the week for March 20, 2015

March 20, 2015, 1:39 pm
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Norman is our KGET Pet of the Week. This young pup is eight weeks old and is just like all puppies -- he loves to chew and needs lots of play toys.

Norman was abandoned at the shelter by his owner.  

Norman still needs to be neutered, but will be available for adoption on Saturday.

If you're interested in adopting our pet of the week, you can call the SPCA at 323-8353, or go down and visit the many animals they have up for adoption at the Bakersfield SPCA located at 3000 Gibson St. in northwest Bakersfield.
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KCSO offering tips to prevent vehicle theft

March 20, 2015, 2:21 pm
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BAKERSFIELD, CA - The Kern County Sheriff’s Office would like to provide some crime prevention safety tips to help citizens prevent vehicle theft. 

According to KCSO, the following tips will help reduce crime and increase quality of life.

1.      Install an alarm and/or vehicle tracking system. 

2.      Install an ignition kill switch. If stolen, you can disable your car and render it inoperable, making it useless to a thief.

3.      Never leave your car running or leave the keys in your car, even if it’s just to “run in and run out”.  Always lock and secure your vehicle after unloading groceries, running in the house, loading up gifts for the holidays, etc.  Never “warm up” your vehicle and leave it unattended as you prepare to leave your house.

4.      Park in well-lit, well-traveled areas.

5.      Never leave valuables in plain sight. Items such as iPads, watches, purses, cell phones, gym bags, wallets, and children’s gaming systems are items commonly left in vehicles that can create a reason for someone to want to break into your car.

6.      If you have a garage, always park your car in the garage. 

7.      Get in the habit of locking your vehicle even if it is safely parked in your garage at night.  Side entry doors to the garage are sometimes excluded from alarm sensors and can be an easier access point for criminals to get into your garage and inside of your vehicle.

8.      When using your automatic key remote to lock the doors, make sure the alarm sounds and the doors actually lock. Criminal know how to use devices to disrupt the locking process and when you have left believing your car is locked, they can open the doors and either steal your car or your possessions. 

If you would like further information on this subject or if you are interested in other crime prevention topics, please contact the Kern County Sheriff’s Office Crime Prevention Unit at (661) 391-7559 or by email at crimeprevention@kernsheriff.com.

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BPD looking to change zoning areas

March 20, 2015, 3:00 pm
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BAKERSFIELD, CA - The Bakersfield Police Department is making changes to its zoning areas.

Last year, BPD broke up zoning into six parts.
     
This year, the department added a lieutenant and a community relations specialist to each beat.

Both positions were filled after a 2014 study from the International Association of Chiefs of Police found areas of inefficiency.
     
However, changes began back in 2013 when police service beats were downsized.

The department will be hosting community meetings in the coming days to inform the public about the revisions.
     
The next one will be on Tuesday at Riverlakes Community Church in the northwest side of town from 6 to 8 p.m.

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