TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

Recent Stories

1. Kern's image may be taking a hit

   BY JOHN COX Californian staff writer

   Saturday, May 18 2013 10:32 PM

   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 place to live, visit and do business.

   The May 8 death of 33-year-old David Sal Silva received back-to-back front page coverage in the Los Angeles Times and a staff-written story in the New York Times. An analysis of visits to The Californian's website shows the incident attracted huge interest from readers across the country and around the world.

   For longtime community leaders who have invested much of their careers in...

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2. California sues JPMorgan Chase over "illegal" debt collection

   SACRAMENTO -- California's attorney general sued one of the nation's largest banks Thursday, alleging that JPMorgan Chase & Co. used illegal tactics in its debt collection efforts against about 100,000 credit card holders. The lawsuit filed...
3. 

   You can't ride on this railroad, but it may keep your lights on

   TEHACHAPI -- Depending on how well it works, a test project in the heart of Kern County's renewable energy region may be the next best thing to 24-hour-a-day sunlight or a breeze that never stops blowing. But high technology it's not. In...

4. Irani is out as chairman of Occidental Petroleum

   LOS ANGELES -- The chairman of Occidental Petroleum Corp., who drew criticism over his compensation as CEO, is out. Ray R. Irani will step down and be replaced by a former diplomat, Occidental announced Friday after its annual meeting....
5. 

   LOIS HENRY: All parties suffer as the Kern gradually dries up

   Low. Very low. Historically and, as one person put it, tragically low. That's the state of the Kern River right now and it's only going to get worse as we move into the summer months. The Kern has always been fickle, roaring down the...
6. 

   Kern seeks high court sludge review

   Kern County attorneys, who have been defending a ban on the land application of treated human and industrial waste in unincorporated areas, have asked the California Supreme Court to review the case. The city of Los Angeles, which spreads...
7. 

   Interior Dept. official questions recognition granted to Tejon tribe

   SAN FRANCISCO -- A government watchdog has criticized an official's decision to grant Kern County's Tejon Indian tribe federal recognition, which gave it the right to federal benefits and a reservation where it could pursue a casino. The...
9. 

   Proposed Cal Water rate hike gets a poor reception at hearing

   Twenty-one years ago, Bakersfield homeowner Jeff Mendoza paid $16 a month for water service. Today, he pays over $70 per month. And it could go up further if the water company that serves him gets a new rate approved. Mendoza and 12...
10. 

    Tourist spaceship may take key flight on Monday

    Virgin Galactic officials have long been closed-mouthed about exactly when they schedule test flights of their new rocketplane, SpaceShipTwo. News reporters usually don't learn about the flights at Mojave Air & Space Port until after the...

11. AP twitter feed is hacked; fake news sends stocks down

    NEW YORK -- Hackers compromised Twitter accounts of The Associated Press on Tuesday, sending out a false tweet about an attack at the White House. The AP confirmed that its Twitter account had been suspended following a hack and said it was...
12. 

    Centennial business students take first place in national competition

    Centennial High School's virtual business team took first place at a national business competition last week in New York City. The school took five students to the National Business Plan Competition April 10 after placing second at the...

13. California bill to thwart animal investigations is killed

    SACRAMENTO -- A bill that would have limited undercover farm animal abuse investigations has been pulled by its author amid stiff and growing opposition. Jim Patterson, R-Fresno, had carried the bill for the California Cattlemen's...
14. 

    Retail center, restaurant up for Planning Commission review

    Bakersfield planners are keeping pace with the recovering economy with retail projects set for approval. The city Planning Commission on Thursday will consider approving site plans for two commercial developments: one at the southwest...