1. Local News

   $5 million settlement in San Jose officer driving case similar to one involving a Kern deputy in Oildale

   SAN JOSE -- Santa Clara County is on the hook for a $5 million settlement in a crash involving a sheriff's deputy who allegedly took his eyes off the road while eating a McDonald's hamburger, a newspaper reported. Deputy Greg Markovic smashed into Diem Van Lam's Honda in January in San Jose, leaving Van Lam with...

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2. Funeral Notices

   Services for May 23, 2013

   TO OUR READERS The Californian provides free death listings using information supplied by local mortuaries. The in-depth notices that follow are paid obituaries and remembrances. These listings must be purchased by 2 p.m. To place an Obituary or In Loving Memory, call 395-7302. Full obituaries are posted at...

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3. Local Politics
   

   Turnout trends propelled Vidak to victory

   State Sen.-elect Andy Vidak, R-Hanford, starts his new job representing the 16th Senate District next week. He'll be trying to work with Democratic leaders who hold a super-majority in the state Senate and were -- until Wednesday -- fighting hard to make sure he didn't win the seat vacated by Democrat Michael Rubio...

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1. Local News
   

   Arraignment postponed for man charged in killing of roommate

   The arraignment of a man accused of killing his roommate was postponed for one week to allow the Kern County Public Defender's office time to determine if there's a conflict of interest in representing him. Judge Steven M. Katz granted the continuance and Theron Dale Ausbie is now scheduled to be arraigned May 29 on...

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2. Business
   

   New veterans IDs to provide convenient proof of service

   William Kelley sat in a blue chair, asked if his hair looked OK and smiled at the camera. It took about 45 seconds to make the veteran identification card that the 59-year-old Vietnam veteran can now show at any business that offers military discounts. The Kern County Veterans Service Department is now providing IDs...

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3. Music
   

   Districts' music focus wins national praise

   Kern County's two largest school districts have been nationally recognized for their commitment to music education, but will it help them keep their music programs intact? Bakersfield City School District and Panama-Buena Vista School District were among 307 districts and schools nation-wide that received the...

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1. Business
   

   New veterans IDs to provide convenient proof of service

   William Kelley sat in a blue chair, asked if his hair looked OK and smiled at the camera. It took about 45 seconds to make the veteran identification card that the 59-year-old Vietnam veteran can now show at any business that offers military discounts. The Kern County Veterans Service Department is now providing IDs...

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2. Business
   

   Senate committee approves sweeping immigration bill

   WASHINGTON -- Far-reaching legislation to grant a chance at citizenship to millions of immigrants living illegally in the United States cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee on a solid bipartisan vote Tuesday night after supporters somberly sidestepped a controversy over the rights of gay spouses. The 13-5 vote...

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3. Business
   

   KSFCU rescues ailing Tehachapi credit union

   The county's largest financial institution is riding to the rescue of a much smaller credit union in Tehachapi that federal data show has fallen on very hard times. Kern Schools Federal Credit Union announced Monday that it has agreed to merge with Tehachapi Federal Credit Union, whose perilous financial condition...

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1. Business

   Unemployment picture brightens in California, Kern

   California's unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest level in 4 1/2 years as the state experienced one of the sharpest drops in joblessness nationwide, the state Employment Development Department reported Friday. Unemployment fell to 9 percent in April, the lowest point since November 2008, nearly a year after the...

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2. High-speed Rail
   

   Judge to hear lawsuit over high-speed rail bonds

   SACRAMENTO -- State officials on Thursday agreed to drop a request to consolidate all lawsuits challenging California's use of voter-approved high-speed rail bonds, allowing a trial seeking to stop their sale to begin later this month. Opponents of the $68 billion bullet train project and attorneys for the California...

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3. Business
   

   Judge faults government's 'abusive' tactics against Chevron in Elk Hills lawsuit

   A federal judge has ruled that the U.S. Department of Energy owes Chevron Corp. unspecified damages in a years-old contract dispute over $37 billion in petroleum deposits at the prolific Elk Hills oil field in northwestern Kern County. A 91-page ruling issued May 8 by the U.S. Court of Federal Claims said the...

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1. Music
   

   MATT MUNOZ: Artists work it out at Rabobank

   Last week's visit by Latin singer Juanes was no average tour stop. The Grammy-winning artist, who kicked off his "Loud & Unplugged" tour before a full house at Rabobank Theater on Friday, spent a number of days rehearsing and doing press below the radar. But Juanes isn't the only megastar attracted to Bakersfield....

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2. Community - MyBakersfieldSports.com

   Robert Gautney: Rich Gilkey is lone local qualifier for State Amateur in Monterey

   Qualifying is over for both the 2013 California State Amateur and 2013 U.S. Open and the results for our local players were unfortunately not good. Rich Gilkey is the lone qualifier for the State Amateur finals in Monterey June 17-22. Gilkey played his way to medalist honors at the Rancho Murietta CC North Course with...

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3. Local Lifestyle
   

   SCOTT COX: This hungry judge ready for seconds

   I am a huge barbecue fan, and I've eaten well more than my share of it at smokehouses all over the country. But last weekend, during my debut as a certified Kansas City Barbecue judge at Bakersfield's Biggest, Baddest BBQ competition, there was more on the line than just filling my belly. There were prizes and pride...

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1. Art
   

   CAMILLE GAVIN: CSUB students take on work of Chekhov

   One reason I admire the Russian writer Anton Chekhov is his ability to present life as it is, not as we might wish it to be. In "The Cherry Orchard," which opens Thursday in Cal State Bakersfield's Dore Theater, Chekhov is masterful in the way he presents his characters' actions -- or inactions -- when they are faced...

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2. Richard Beene

   RICHARD BEENE: Bakersfield Observed, a blot about life, media, politics, and people

   Alarm systems Here is an important tip about home alarm systems in the city of Bakersfield, compliments of reader Gary Crabtree. "Saturday evening, we returned from dinner about 6:30 p.m. to find our alarm activated, and a message from our alarm company on our answering machine that our front door had been breached."...

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3. Local Politics
   

   LOIS HENRY: Vidak, Perez fail to impress with media behavior

   This so-called special election for the 16th Senate district has brought out some exceedingly unspecial behavior on the part of the two main candidates. In short, Republican Andy Vidak and Democrat Leticia Perez need to grow up. It's hard to imagine they've been running for this high an office and still don't...

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1. Preps
   

   Stockdale upsets top seed to reach D-I baseball finals

   CLOVIS -- Dan Lemon is one game away from wrapping up his baseball career at Stockdale in style -- and he has one of his favorite teams to thank for it. The Mustangs upset top-seeded Clovis-Buchanan 3-2 in eight innings Wednesday in a Central Section Division I semifinal and moved within one victory of giving Lemon...

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2. Preps
   

   Warriors' big 6th inning buries Madera South

   TEHACHAPI -- It was all about one inning for the Tehachapi High Warriors on Wednesday afternoon. Ninth-seeded Tehachapi rallied for eight runs in the bottom of the sixth to come from behind and beat No. 13 Madera South 9-5 in the Central Section Division III semifinals. Tehachapi (20-9) will travel to Visalia to...

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3. Preps

   May 22 high school roundup

   Baseball playoffs Division I No. 4 Stockdale 3, No. 1 Clovis-Buchanan 2 (8) At Buchanan; W: Carter (8-4). L: Loeprich. 2B: BHS (Gambrell, Kemp). Notes: SHS (Max Carter 8IP, 5H, 2ER, 5K, BB; Josh Stone 3-4; Zach Tanner 1-3, 2R; Kevin Lee game-winning RBI); BHS (Connor Loeprich 8IP, 6H, ER, K). W-L: SHS 20-10, BHS...

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1. College

   Triple play highlights Roadrunners' tourney win

   GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas -- Cal State Bakersfield turned the second triple play in school history in defeating San Jose State 11-3 to open pool play Wednesday in the Western Athletic Conference tournament at QuikTrip Park. Frank Martinez had a career-high four RBIs and starting pitcher Jeff McKenzie recorded his sixth...

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2. Community - MyBakersfieldSports.com

   Robert Gautney: Rich Gilkey is lone local qualifier for State Amateur in Monterey

   Qualifying is over for both the 2013 California State Amateur and 2013 U.S. Open and the results for our local players were unfortunately not good. Rich Gilkey is the lone qualifier for the State Amateur finals in Monterey June 17-22. Gilkey played his way to medalist honors at the Rancho Murietta CC North Course with...

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3. Preps
   

   High school notebook: Stockdale's Haney set to compete in Dream Mile in NYC

   Stockdale junior Blake Haney will be one of the biggest stars at the CIF State Track and Field Championships next week, but first, he's heading to an even bigger stage. For the second consecutive year, Haney will run in the Dream Mile race at the adidas Grand Prix event on Saturday at Icahn Stadium in New York City....

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1. Music
   

   MATT MUNOZ: Artists work it out at Rabobank

   Last week's visit by Latin singer Juanes was no average tour stop. The Grammy-winning artist, who kicked off his "Loud & Unplugged" tour before a full house at Rabobank Theater on Friday, spent a number of days rehearsing and doing press below the radar. But Juanes isn't the only megastar attracted to Bakersfield....

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2. Dining
   

   Not all the beers -- just the best ones -- at festival

   Although Budweiser bills itself as the "King of Beers," it's no match for a god. Coming down from the heavens (of Lengthwise Brewery), Zeus Imperial IPA will make its debut Saturday as part of the first-ever Bakersfield Craft Beer Festival. And by now, it may take divine intervention to land a ticket. The VIP tables...

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3. Music

   Korn on mission to find cure for diabetes

   The members of Grammy-winning hometown heroes Korn will be preparing to head overseas for the European leg of their current concert tour when the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation holds a wine and food event in Bakersfield June 1. But they will be there in spirit and, better yet, a piece of history that has huge...

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1. Dining

   Omelet cooked in a bag: Not as weird as it sounds

   If the phrase "hobo breakfast" has you thinking of a Chaplin-esque tramp boiling a shoe or drinking a hearty libation, well, you're not completely off. The Italian Heritage Dante Association's Sunday fundraiser will involve boiling food and a cocktail, but it's much tastier than it sounds. This hobo breakfast will...

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2. Music

   Conductors converge for 80th anniversary of chorale

   The Bakersfield Masterworks Chorale celebrates its 80th birthday with a look at its past and an eye to the future. The chorale will mark the event during their annual fundraiser dinner and concert Saturday, June 1. "We are celebrating with a set of music that recognizes birthdays," said choral director Robert Provencio...

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3. Community
   

   Powwow: Honoring tradition means not forgetting

   All weekend long, everything associated with native culture will be celebrated: silvery jewelry, storytelling, dancing, art and ... popcorn? "People don't realize that a lot of the food that we eat is native," said Gene Albitre, coordinator of the 17th annual Standing Bear Powwow. "Potatoes aren't from Ireland....

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1. Our View

   Vidak has 17 months to prove voters right

   Hanford cherry grower Andy Vidak is the victor in the least exciting local election we've seen in quite some time. Vidak, a Republican, took advantage of slightly-less-than-dreadful voter turnout in Kings and Tulare counties, his strongholds, to emerge the winner of the state Senate's 16th District seat in an otherwise...

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2. Hot Topics
   

   MARK MARTINEZ: Kern's 'Manchurian Candidate' cost Democrats 3 seats

   In Richard Condon's book "The Manchurian Candidate," the son of a prominent family ends up working for the communists during the Cold War. Since the book came out in 1959, several movies have been made. They've helped the story line evolve so that a Manchurian Candidate can now be any official who publicly supports or...

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3. Hot Topics
   

   CARMELLA GUTIERREZ: Taking care of Mom close to home

   Many of us know what it's like to see a loved one grow older. We see the joys that a grandparent experiences, but also the hardships that come with health issues and becoming more dependent on others. Often, we ride the "roller coaster of health" with them. As we do, it can be difficult to know how to best help our...

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1. Letters to the Editor

   Perez ducked media? That's a pile of nonsense

   Columnist Lois Henry condemns Leticia Perez for excusing Scott Cox from an interview with Robert Price ("Vidak, Perez media behavior fails to impress," May 22). Candidates have a right to avoid hostile interviewers, a proposition quite separate from avoiding difficult, even searing questions. Indeed, candidates have a...

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2. Letters to the Editor

   Reinforcing image of brutality

   Regarding the May 19 news story "Kern's image may be taking a hit": A man is dead and four children are left without a father. Bakersfield leaders are worried about the city's image. Really? Really? It took numerous law enforcement officers and a dog to subdue and kill a man who'd been trying to make his way into the...

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3. Our View

   A victory for disclosure in political races

   As the final votes are tabulated in a special election pitting two million-dollar front-runners in a five-way race for the California State Senate, we pause for a moment of silence in honor of a time long distant when campaign war chests contained far fewer zeroes. Sometimes, however, we're given the opportunity to...

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1. School House Zach Blog
   

   Yogi Berra Day for Kern County baseball: It wasn't over till it was over

   At about 6 p.m. in Clovis, I turned to no one in particular in the press box at Buchanan's glorious baseball facility and said, "Heck, I might just take the day off Friday." That was mostly tongue in cheeck — though after the trip I had to Fresno County today, complete with mucho construction and a stop to change a...

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2. Breaking News Blog

   Three students arrested in connection with BHS plastic bottle explosions

   Three Bakersfield High School students were arrested Wednesday on suspicion of several felonies in connection with creating plastic bottle bombs that resulted in the cancellation of classes Monday. Police spokeswoman Michaela Beard did not have the age of each student, but said they were 15 and 16 years old. She said...

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3. Breaking News Blog

   Grand fire near Frazier Park fully contained

   Full containment was reached Wednesday on the Grand fire, which burned 4,346 acres and caused a brief scare to Frazier Park residents before moving east of the area. There were a total of 166 personnel working on the fire Wednesday, down from more than a thousand when the blaze was raging and only slightly contained...

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1. Breaking News Blog
   

   DUI checkpoint to be held in eastern Kern County

   The California Highway Patrol will conduct a DUI checkpoint on Saturday in an unincorporated area of eastern Kern County. The checkpoint will be staffed by officers who are trained in the detection of alcohol and/or drug impaired drivers. The officers will be equipped with breath testing devices which provide an...

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2. Breaking News Blog

   Health caution issued for blowing dust

   Air pollution officials issued a health caution for blowing dust effective Tuesday evening through Wednesday night. The warning applies to the Kern County valley, as well as San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Tulare, Kings and Fresno counties, according to a news release from the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution...

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3. Breaking News Blog

   Passenger killed in big rig crash identified

   The big rig passenger who died Monday after the vehicle plunged over a railing and into a canal has been identified as Wisconsin resident Keith Michael Zeamer. The 32-year-old died of blunt force injuries in the 2:15 p.m. crash on the southbound Highway 99 overpass at Beardsley Canal, a coroner's office news release...

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Editors' picks from the last week

1. Pick 6 - Editors Picks from Past Week
   

   East Hills theater to begin showing latest Hollywood blockbusters

   East Bakersfield residents no longer will need to schlep downtown or farther west to see the latest Hollywood releases now that Regency Theatres has converted its East Hills complex to a first-run movie house. And the theater -- which makes the shift at 10 tonight -- is already off to a "Fast & Furious" start. "A...

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2. Pick 6 - Editors Picks from Past Week
   

   Raceway Park's debut a hit for NASCAR fans

   "They did a really good job out here." That was the general consensus of fans and race officials who attended the opening night Saturday at Kern County Raceway Park. What looked like a capacity crowd of 8,000 fans showed up, to the delight of NASCAR and park officials, even while park accommodations were overwhelmed....

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3. Pick 6 - Editors Picks from Past Week
   

   Kern's image may be taking a hit

   The death of a man in custody following a prolonged struggle with Kern County Sheriff's deputies and CHP officers and the subsequent fracas over confiscated witness cellphones have gained international attention and raised concerns here that the incidents could tarnish the county's emerging reputation as a desirable...

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1. Pick 6 - Editors Picks from Past Week
   

   Silva's screams mark video that lacks baton strikes

   David Sal Silva’s screams seem like they will never stop. But they do. Daniel Rodriguez, the attorney now representing the witnesses in the in-custody death of Silva following his beating earlier this month by several law enforcement officers, released cellphone video shot by one of the witnesses Monday. As...

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2. Pick 6 - Editors Picks from Past Week
   

   Sun Pacific gets custody of Cuties in Paramount divorce

   The two companies behind the popular Cuties brand of mandarins have begun a corporate divorce that forces a name change on a popular product that accounts for thousands of acres in Kern County orchards. Under a deal announced Monday, Pasadena-based Sun Pacific was to pay Paramount Citrus, part of Los Angeles-based...

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3. Pick 6 - Editors Picks from Past Week
   

   Council committee waters down anti-abortion ordinance

   A draft city ordinance that would have restricted abortion in Bakersfield was placed on hold Monday when the Bakersfield City Council's Legislative and Litigation Committee voted 3-0 to table its discussion indefinitely, and instead, ordered the drafting of a resolution that could be less restrictive. The so-called...

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