TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

Recent Blogs

1. 

   High speed rail may be stopping at Shafter, for now

   BY LOIS HENRY Californian columnist email

   Saturday, May 25 2013 11:00 PM

   A proposal by Bakersfield officials for a "time-out" on California's high speed train through town may be gaining traction.

   The California High Speed Rail Authority will consider a recommendation by staff members at its June 6 monthly meeting to approve a rail alignment and station locations between Fresno and Shafter -- not all the way through Bakersfield.

   Bakersfield officials and the Kern Council of Governments had suggested in December that the authority only certify an environmental document outlining the rail's path from south of Fresno to somewhere north of Bakersfield, such as Shafter.

   The proposed alignments through Bakersfield are all highly contentious and would surely spark lawsuits, locals said. Besides, the rail...

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2. Apartment developer delays zone change application

   Black Ops Real Estate, a housing developer, has postponed the date of its presentation to the Bakersfield Planning Commission for a planned apartment complex in southwest Bakersfield following opposition from residents in that area to those...

3. Chief addresses concerns about litter enforcement

   Recent news coverage regarding a littering incident reported by a Bakersfield resident has brought attention to the Bakersfield Police Department and reported indifference to the littering problem in the city. There are several factors...

4. City council makes committee appointments

   The Bakersfield City Council approved appointments for its seven committees plus other boards with city representation at their meeting on Wednesday night. The council committees take up specific issues, such as personnel issues or changes...

5. Dean challenges Ward 1 petition disqualification

   Marvin Dean, who helped organize signature gathering to force a special election for the Ward 1 Bakersfield City Council seat, is challenging the Kern County elections office for disqualifying 1,145 signatures over a technicality. Ward 1...

6. Resident: Ward 1 voters halfway to petition goal

   Bakersfield Ward 1 residents and volunteers have been gathering signatures on petitions to force the city council to hold a special election, and so far, they've gotten about half the 1,220 signatures they need, said Ward 1 resident Marvin...

7. Redevelopment's demise leaves city on the hook for $25 million

   Bakersfield city staff got a final answer from the state on Wednesday about whether the city can keep getting property tax money to pay off certain contested redevelopment debts. The answer was no. That means the city will likely be on the...

9. Don't stop the bullet train but slow it down

   A kind of "time out" was proposed last week as a way to forestall lawsuits and rethink options on the proposed high-speed rail route into and through Bakersfield. It's a smart, reasonable approach. And, full disclosure, as a property owner...
10. 

    Another big crowd for Centennial Corridor forum

    Hundreds of people crowded the rotunda at the County of Kern Administrative Center Thursday night to ask questions about the Centennial Corridor project, and an army of consultants, planners and other experts was ready for them. The...

11. Moving the planned freeway? Won't be easy

    I had some interesting feedback from my Sunday column on why Caltrans appeared to be favoring parks over people's homes in its plans to extend Highway 58 north to connect to the new Westside Parkway. What I discovered in reporting that...

12. Californian wins award for anti-litter campaign

    Efforts to reduce Bakersfield's litter are being recognized and awarded by the national Keep America Beautiful organization. The Bakersfield Californian has won first place in the business/professional organization category in Keep America...

13. New catfight embroils city and county over pet neutering

    A tenuous alliance between the city and county over animal control has been badly shaken by the sudden appearance on the Board of Supervisors' Tuesday agenda of a request to approve a pricey new contract for spay/neuter services. The...

14. City looking for ideas to improve bike paths

    City planners are looking for public input on how to improve bike routes in the city. They want to hear about what changes should be made to get people riding more often. And they want to know what discourages people from riding,...