TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

Recent Blogs

1. Inmates drive up Kern's dire STD rates

   BY KELLIE SCHMITT Californian staff writer

   Sunday, May 20 2012 11:00 PM

   The numbers look shocking: Kern County has the highest number of chlamydia cases in California, according to the state's most recent health rankings.

   But that high rate of the sexually transmitted disease doesn't tell the entire story. A key breakdown is missing -- community cases vs. inmate or institutional cases.

   In 2010, nearly a quarter of Kern's 5,404 cases came from people who are locked up, according to the county.

   Kern's rate of chlamydia was 623 per 100,000 people that year, according to the state. But the rate in the community alone was 507 -- though that's still higher than the state average rate of 400.

   Other counties include inmate cases in their totals, too. But at least several with high rates like Kern don't have as many institutions -- meaning that Kern wouldn't be dead last if the number of inmate cases weren't included.

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2. Parents: Dental Board investigators headed to Bakersfield

   State dental board officials will come to town in early June to investigate long-simmering allegations that a Bakersfield dentist mistreated children while they were strapped to a papoose, or stabilizing board, several local parents say.

3. Firm gifts $200,000 to burn center

   Law firm Chain, Cohn, Stiles has donated $200,000 to name the Grossman Burn Center ICU at San Joaquin Community Hospital.

4. Just what the doctor ordered, but why so slow?

   When there's a problem, just say so and fix it.If that were the county's regular M.O., perhaps it wouldn't have taken so long to make some painfully obvious corrections in how medications are doled out to children at the A. Miriam Jamison Center for abused and neglected kids.

5. LOIS HENRY: UC President's visit didn't exactly clear the air

   I feel snubbed.

6. Lois Henry: FAIL: the Lung Association's air quality ratings

   To all you people out there with your hair on fire because the American Lung Association ahhhgain gave our air an "F," please, douse yourselves and think for a minute.

7. New wellness magazine revealed on Californian radio

   The Californian Friday rolls out a brand new magazine -- b Well -- Bakersfield's Wellness Magazine.

9. Higher Ground preschool to close in January

   A few weeks ago, I wrote an article about the growing number of preschool students struggling with expulsion. The Bakersfield family I featured--the Slays--had found refuge at Higher Ground preschool. The school, formerly called Morning Glory, prides itself on giving special care and attention to students who struggle with behavior issues.

10. First Valley-wide burn prohibition in effect

    The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District has issued a burning prohibition throughout the San Joaquin Valley, the first time this year the ban has stretched across the entire valley.

11. Health care: a right or a privilege

    Well, of course Kern County was right to latch on to federal health care dollars to help pay for indigent medical care.

12. Tevis Junior High dishes out healthy offerings

    Eighth grader Ditika Khullar said she's excited about today's new salad bar option at southwest Bakersfield's Tevis Junior High School.

13. HEALTH BEAT: Who benefits from probiotics?

     

14. Preliminary reading: Arvin's air equally bad

    Last week, I wrote that the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District officials were heading out to Arvin to monitor the downtown's air. (http://tinyurl.com/3dyvcgf) They were responding to residents' complaints that the area's new monitor--located at Di Giorgio Elementary School --didn't accurately represent the air most people there breathe.