Ruby Rivera

Prev Next Posted 9 minutes ago Ruby Rivera Delano and McFarland Neighborhood Reporter The brand-new Tejon Public Safety Center in Mettler is a groundbreaking facility that Kern County leaders are calling a game-changer for public safety. It's the first of its kind, uniting sheriff's deputies and firefighters under one roof to deliver faster, stronger protection for this community. Music, speeches, and a ribbon cutting made it the eventful morning it was on Thursday as the community gathered to welcome the brand-new Kern County Sheriff's Tejon Substation and Fire Station 54, a shared hub for emergency response just steps from the casino. Skip Ad Continue watching after the ad “This facility represents much more than a building, it represents years of planning, partnership, and a shared commitment to public safety, emergency response, and responsible growth in this region,” said one representative. A project years in the making, officials say it was all made possible without* the use of taxpayer dollars. Fire Station 54 is now the department's 49th, but Captain Andrew Freeborn says this one stands out — built to elevate response times, by having four fire personnel on staff 24 hours a day along with other safeguards not found in other stations. “Specifically designed and built at lowering the risk of our firefighters having cancer, when fire personnel get back from these emergencies covered in that smoke and soot, they're able to go into rooms, decontaminate themselves, get fresh clothing before going into the forestation that they live in,” said Captain Freeborn. Tribal officials, casino leaders, and Kern County fire and sheriff representatives say the facility will also help to speed up response times and sharpen coordination between first responders. Though the grand opening was done Thursday morning, the substation has been in full swing operations, providing services 24/7. Stay in Touch with Us Anytime Anywhere Download Our Free App for Apple and Android Sign Up for Our Daily E-mail Newsletter Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Instagram Subscribe to Us on YouTube

Prev Next Posted 3 minutes ago Ruby Rivera Delano and McFarland Neighborhood Reporter MOJAVE, Calif. (KERO) — In communities like California City and Mojave, voters are getting ready to choose their next representative in Sacramento. 23ABC sat down with two of the four candidates about the issues impacting our desert residents and what they say sets them apart in this race. In the race for Assembly District 34, meet Democrat Randall Putz and Republican Steve Fox, two contenders with starkly different visions, battling for a seat that spans Kern, Los Angeles, and San Bernardino counties, right through our desert communities of Mojave and California City. Skip Ad Continue watching after the ad The other hopefuls, Republicans Charles Hughes and Manny Lin, stayed silent, despite multiple repeated requests for interviews. “When it comes to rural districts, especially in California we're often overlooked and under served and so there is an opportunity for us to get more attention and resources,” said candidate Randall Putz. Candidate Randall Putz has been an elected official for 18 years, currently serving as the mayor of Big Bear Lake. Starting his campaign almost a year ago, Putz says he's spent his time “meeting voters where they're at”, traveling into communities to discuss what issues locals are experiencing. “What I've gathered being out in the district affordability is a huge part of that. Beyond that is access to things, access to health care, access to good paying jobs,” said Putz. Yet unlike Putz, Republican Steve Fox says his experience comes from already serving in Sacramento. Fox, an attorney and former Assembly member for California's 36th District, says his background gives him a deeper understanding of how state government works and how to deliver results for communities across the High Desert. “I've taken a lot of time when I was in the assembly last time to read through the budget which a lot of people just don't do. I read of the 2400 votes I did, I read every piece of legislation before I marked how I wanted to vote,” said Fox. If elected, Fox says he wants to use that experience to push for more oversight and ensure taxpayer dollars are being properly spent in communities across the district. “Things should be affordable for you, and that's the number one goal, you know, we're the poor step child in the whole district, we don't get the taxes we put in, we don't seem to get it back. I want to get those back, I want to get those back like I did before and cut your taxes,” said Fox. The June 2 primaries are right around the corner. The two candidates with the most votes will then advance to the November general elections. Stay in Touch with Us Anytime Anywhere Download Our Free App for Apple and Android Sign Up for Our Daily E-mail Newsletter Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Instagram Subscribe to Us on YouTube

23ABC spoke with two of the three candidates running for Assembly District 35 about their thoughts and opinions ahead of the first results from the June primaries.

Prev Next Posted 5 minutes ago Ruby Rivera Delano and McFarland Neighborhood Reporter 23ABC has obtained new information following the June 2 hostage situation in Downtown Bakersfield. While many details remain under investigation, officials say all hostages have safely been reunited with their families. “They [the clerks] had seen the man who came in from the corner where the desks are,” said witness Maria Escobar. “I saw that he had something crossed over himself here and something down here.” 67-year-old Maria Escobar says she didn't really understand at first what was going on at Chase Bank. She says people began to run and she started to feel scared. Then, Escobar says the suspect said something that confirmed everyone's fears. “People started leaving because they were afraid because the guy said that he was going to throw the bomb,” said Escobar. Terrified, Escobar says she left everything behind and ran out of the building, scared the suspect would take her hostage. Fortunately, she was able to escape. However, a total of 10 people became victims to the nearly 15-hour-long hostage situation. An FBI spokesman confirmed all of the ten hostages were employees of the Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office, which is on the second floor of the Chase Bank building on Chester Avenue and 17th street. Wednesday morning, KCSOS releasing a statement in response to the situation reading in part quote, “What unfolded was undoubtedly a terribly frightening and unsettling experience, and the composure our employees demonstrated throughout the 16-hour ordeal was extraordinary. KCSOS will continue to provide support and resources to impacted employees in the days and weeks ahead.” Hostages were held against their will from 1 p.m. June 2 to about 4:30 a.m. June 3. “At approximately 4 pm Harris released one of the five hostages, at approximately 8:30 pm he released a second hostage. And let me be clear, he tied up five of the hostages but there were 10 hostages in there,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Sacramento field office Sid Patel. Patel says agents were able to make brief contact with a hostage who managed to keep their phone during the ordeal—a lifeline that allowed them to deliver much-needed insulin to the diabetic victim. The conversations were cut short when the phone's battery died. Investigators have yet to determine a motive, but authorities say it appears the Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office was not an intentional target. As this matter continues to be investigated, victim specialists have been made available to those who were involved in the situation. Stay in Touch with Us Anytime Anywhere Download Our Free App for Apple and Android Sign Up for Our Daily E-mail Newsletter Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Instagram Subscribe to Us on YouTube

Prev Next Posted 8 minutes ago Ruby Rivera Delano and McFarland Neighborhood Reporter Imagine getting a call claiming your loved one has been kidnapped. You hear screams, then a demand for money. It's a scenario scammers are using to target families in Delano known as virtual kidnapping. One victim who fell for the scam is now sharing her story to warn others. “He said your daughter crashed into us and when I went to go speak with her, she saw that I had drugs in the car and she wanted to call the police so because of that I'm going to kill her if you don't pay me,” said Leticia Mendoza. One phone call and a few minutes is all it took for Delano resident Leticia Mendoza to be scammed out of $1,600. The scam goes as far as using what police think is either an AI voice or another female pretending to cry to make the scam more convincing. “I tried to ask her something and she kept crying so from there they had my full attention,” Mendoza said. Delano police say the scam isn't new, but it's becoming more common locally. “Actually since the start of 2026 there's been 12 cases that have been reported to the Delano Police Department,” said Detective Margarito Jauregui with the Delano Police Department. In nine of those cases in Delano, Detective Jauregui says victims sent money, losing about $25,000 total. “When they say to send the money to Mexico, that's the time to simply hang up, but I definitely wasn't paying attention I was very scared,” Mendoza said. Police warn that the callers weaponize fear and urgency, keeping victims on the line to stop them from contacting loved ones or law enforcement. Investigators also believe the cases being investigated are connected, with calls coming from a 661 number. Police say never share personal details over the phone, try to confirm the safety of the alleged victim directly, refuse payment demands since recovering money is nearly impossible, and hang up immediately. Delano police are continuing to work closely with federal authorities, and are urging anyone with information on these scams to call their non-emergency line at (661) 721-3377. Stay in Touch with Us Anytime Anywhere Download Our Free App for Apple and Android Sign Up for Our Daily E-mail Newsletter Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Instagram Subscribe to Us on YouTube

Prev Next Posted 6 minutes ago Ruby Rivera Delano and McFarland Neighborhood Reporter Months of donations turned into a day students won't forget. Thanks to the support of the community, Del Vista students recently received brand-new books through 23ABC's If You Give a Child a Book campaign “I feel happy because it takes me on every adventure,” said 4th grader Gladis Morales. 4th grader Gladis Morales had the opportunity on Tuesday to take home not one, not two, but six books home, hers to keep forever. “It feels really good because you get to read a lot of Dogman books,” said Morales. It's all part of our “If You Give a Child a Book” initiative. Partnering with Title 1 schools, spending months raising money, and then delivering books to where they're needed most. This year, because of your donations, we were able to gather 3,000 books, enough for every child to take home six. It's the largest give away we've been able to do for Del Vista students, donating 2,690 books last year, and 1,414 books the two years before that. “Under privileged communities they don't get an experience to be able to travel or do many things but through a book you can go anywhere,” said Tutor with Dignity Health Jennifer Rodriguez. Rodriguez says when students have access to books outside the classroom, it helps strengthen literacy and encourages reading as a daily habit. “Theres no harm that you could get from reading, it educates your mind, it enriches your soul,” said Rodriguez. For Del Vista students, the event is more than just receiving books, it's the start of new stories, new habits, and new opportunities to learn. Stay in Touch with Us Anytime Anywhere Download Our Free App for Apple and Android Sign Up for Our Daily E-mail Newsletter Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Instagram Subscribe to Us on YouTube

Kern Valley Search and Rescue have searched almost five miles of the Kern River for 36-year-old Corey Vargas who fell into the river over the weekend.

A mother and daughter are recovering at home after a pit bull attack. The 8-year-old was injured while protecting her younger sisters, and both are grateful to be healing together.

Prev Next Posted 6 minutes ago Ruby Rivera Delano and McFarland Neighborhood Reporter Game one of the World Cup has kicked off, bringing hundreds of fans in front of the tv to take part in the celebrations. Mexico making their first goal within the first 10 minutes of the World Cup made the room erupt in cheers, setting a theme of excitement for the remainder of the game. Fans packed the restaurant, drawn together by the high-stakes showdown between Mexico and South Africa. “I'm here because I want to support Mexico with my community here and have a good time,” said soccer fan Jose Quintero. From toddlers to grandparents, the crowd was a sea of vibrant jerseys, waving flags, and blaring horns. For many in the Hispanic and Latino community, soccer is more than just a sport. Fans here say it's an identity. “For me it holds huge significance because I grew up with soccer as a kid, but to me, soccer is love, the love of the sport,” said soccer fan Carlos Andrade. Skip Ad Continue watching after the ad Like many here, soccer fan Carlos Andrade grew up eating, breathing, and living soccer. But this World Cup is a little more meaningful to Andrade as in just a few days, he'll be watching Mexico play in person from the stands. “I'm really excited for it, it's Mexico vs Czech Republic. I don't know how I'm going to react but I'm excited,” said Andrade. For many, moments like these are what make the World Cup special, the cheering, the nerves, and the shared emotions that come with every match. Mexico scored again in the second half, winning the game, 2-0. Fans celebrated by singing together a moment of pure unity. World Cup fever continues on Friday, with the US going up against Paraguay. Stay in Touch with Us Anytime Anywhere Download Our Free App for Apple and Android Sign Up for Our Daily E-mail Newsletter Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Instagram Subscribe to Us on YouTube

By bringing low-cost spay and neuter services directly into neighborhoods, the SNIP mobile clinic is helping pets, owners and local shelters.