Veronica Morley

Tuesday morning, Bustamante and attorneys were in court to hear the results of that evaluation, but Mata was not. Court officials said he refused to attend.

Prev Next Posted 4 minutes ago Veronica Morley Senior Reporter Covering Bakersfield BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — While many families are getting ready to light fireworks this Fourth of July, another team is hard at work before the first fuse is ever lit. Before sales even begin, Bakersfield fire inspectors inspect every permitted fireworks booth inside city limits to ensure it is safe, legal and ready to open. Before the first customer arrives, each booth must pass inspection. "We're going to start on the outside of the booth," inspectors tell operators as the process begins. Skip Ad Continue watching after the ad Bakersfield Fire Marshal Shane Gardner has been conducting these inspections for 15 years. His checklist starts before he even steps inside. "We're going to inspect it, make sure there are no hazards immediately present," Gardner said. "Make sure their sleeping quarters are a minimum of 25 feet away, their generator is a minimum of 25 feet away, and overall the exterior portion of the booth is safe." After checking the exterior, inspectors review paperwork, examine fire extinguishers and inspect every package of fireworks. Inspectors look for any fireworks that cannot legally be sold within Bakersfield city limits, which can be challenging in areas where city and county boundaries overlap. "I'm going to go through and look at all the fireworks, make sure there's no fireworks being sold that are illegal in the city of Bakersfield," Gardner said. "Look at their packaging and make sure these bigger packages don't contain any illegal fireworks for the city as well." Gardner said finding illegal fireworks inside permitted booths is rare. In his 15 years conducting inspections, he has encountered only one case. If inspectors find prohibited fireworks, they are confiscated and returned to the manufacturer. The nonprofit organization operating the booth is not punished because, Gardner said, the mistake usually happens before the shipment ever arrives. A booth that passes inspection means the fireworks inside meet California safety standards and can legally be used within Bakersfield city limits. Gardner said the bigger concern is people selling illegal fireworks online. "A lot of it is Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp," Gardner said. "A lot of people try to become very sneaky when selling illegal fireworks." Those sales can lead to confiscated fireworks, hefty fines and even jail time. Meanwhile, neighborhood fireworks booths are doing more than helping families celebrate Independence Day. For many local schools and nonprofit organizations, fireworks sales serve as a major fundraiser. "It's about a third of our total operating costs," said Randy Bennett, director of the Bakersfield High School Driller Band. "The flashy, cool, competitive stuff—that's what we're fundraising for." Officials remind residents that every legal fireworks purchase not only helps keep Fourth of July celebrations safe but also supports programs throughout the community. 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 5 minutes ago Veronica Morley Senior Reporter Covering Bakersfield (HAVILAH, Calif. (KERO) — Long before Bakersfield became the bustling center of Kern County, it was Havilah, a small town in Kern County's northern mountains. As the United States celebrates 250 years, Havilah is also marking 160 years since becoming the first county seat of the newly formed Kern County. "According to local stories, someone became upset about not getting enough pie and went on a burning rampage, destroying some of the stamp mills and parts of the town," said Vicki Porter, president of the Havilah Historical Centennial Group. "Like I said, it really was the Wild West." The nickname was fitting for Havilah. In the 1860s, while Los Angeles and Tulare had already grown and established their own counties, Havilah was among the more populated communities in the unincorporated area known as Kern Island. In 1866, it officially became the first seat of the newly formed Kern County. "Before Havilah became the county seat, people had to travel to Tulare or Los Angeles to conduct official business, such as recording marriages, deaths, business licenses, or other legal documents," Porter said. Porter shared the town's history inside a replica of the original schoolhouse, one of the first buildings constructed in Havilah alongside a courthouse. At its peak, the town boasted 13 saloons, four hotels, two breweries, four doctors and a mile-long business district. But the real draw was mining. "There were as many as 10 stamp mills crushing ore to extract the gold," Porter said. At the time, the town had about 900 miners and 25 families. "This was all hard-rock mining. Workers used handheld drills and sledgehammers to drill holes, packed them with black powder, blasted the rock, and then crushed the ore to recover the gold," Porter said. "It was hard work. You had to be determined." Mining began to decline during the 1870s as miners turned to agriculture and ranching in the valley. In 1874, Col. Thomas Baker moved the county seat to Bakersfield. Life in Havilah continued, however, as a quiet country town, according to Porter, though stagecoach robberies remained an occasional occurrence. "There was a bank in Havilah, so the stagecoach carried a great deal of money as well as passengers," Porter said. "That made it a frequent target for robbers." More than a century later, Havilah faced another tragedy. The 2024 Borel Fire devastated the community. "It changed Havilah tremendously," Porter said. The fire destroyed the former Havilah Museum, which was housed inside a replica courthouse. "Honestly, it was heartbreaking," Porter said. "It was a real shock to see the museum reduced to smoldering ashes. Some of the artifacts we lost simply can't be replaced." Porter said rebuilding efforts have continued nonstop, though progress has been slow. The historical society has resumed meeting inside the replica schoolhouse while rebuilding the museum with the artifacts that were able to be saved. "We've also found everyday items that remind us families lived here—not just miners," Porter said. "Things like soap dishes, tobacco pipes, perfume bottles with their caps still attached, and other personal belongings have been recovered. Those discoveries help tell the story of daily life in Havilah, not just the mining history." Information about assisting with rebuilding efforts for the Havilah Museum can be found here. 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

The Fourth of July holiday weekend kept first responders and law enforcement agencies busy across Kern County, with officials reporting a 38% increase in 911 calls and hundreds of emergency incidents.

Prev Next Posted 4 minutes ago Veronica Morley Senior Reporter Covering Bakersfield BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — An emotional courtroom filled Department 1 as family members of 66-year-old Gayla Sue Price delivered victim impact statements Thursday to the driver responsible for her death. Karim Reyad, 21, was sentenced to eight years in state prison after accepting a plea agreement for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated in connection with the 2023 crash that killed Price. "What happened to my grandmother when I was 16 years old during my sophomore year in high school has made me scared to even learn how to drive," Mya Neilson, one of Price's grandchildren told the court. Standing just feet away from Reyad, Price's family shared their grief, frustration and lasting trauma caused by the crash. "What has made this tragedy even harder to live with are the statements that were made after my grandmother's death, causing a terrible amount of additional pain," said Jordan Neilson, another one of Price's grandchildren. "These words showed a complete lack of compassion and respect for good people." According to prosecutors, Reyad was under the influence of marijuana and driving a Dodge Challenger at speeds exceeding 100 mph when he crashed into Price's Honda Civic, killing her. During the hearing, Crystal Neilson, Price's daughter, directly addressed Reyad. "I just have one question. Do you have any remorse for what you did? I just want to know. I've got to find closure because this is hard," she said. Prosecutors said the plea agreement was reached because of uncertainty over whether they could secure a murder conviction at trial. They said the agreement also took into consideration that Reyad was 18 years old at the time of the crash and argued he lacked the maturity to fully understand the consequences of his actions. Price's family disagreed with that reasoning, arguing Reyad had a history of reckless driving and was old enough to understand the dangers of driving under the influence. "It's a slap on the wrist every time," Crystal said. "There are people in the system for little or nothing serving more time. You take a life, and it means nothing to them." Video recorded inside the Challenger and played in court showed the moments leading up to the crash. Bakersfield Police Traffic Sgt. Joseph Deutinger said crashes involving young drivers often stem from overconfidence behind the wheel. "I think with younger drivers specifically, a lot of them feel like maybe their skill level is somewhere that it's not," Deutinger said. "And even if you are a phenomenal driver, you can't control everything else that's happening on the roadway around you." Several of Price's grandchildren told the court the crash left them fearful of driving or even riding in a vehicle. "I got to hear kids today saying they're afraid to have to learn how to drive," the judge told Reyad. "You did that." During sentencing, the judge admonished Reyad for his actions and urged him to carefully consider whether he should ever drive again after his release. "Although it's ironic, the DMV only suspends your license for about three years," the judge said. "You'll still be in custody at that point. I would think long and hard before I ever got behind the wheel of a car." Had the case gone to trial, Reyad could have faced a murder conviction. However, prosecutors said there was also the possibility that a jury could have convicted him of lesser charges, resulting in an even lighter sentence. Although the plea agreement fell far short of what they had hoped for, Price's family said they are now trying to move forward after spending the past three years preparing for trial. They said they had hoped a trial would provide closure, but now plan to focus on supporting one another and honoring Price's memory. 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 Veronica Morley Senior Reporter Covering Bakersfield

Prev Next Posted 1 minute ago Veronica Morley Senior Reporter Covering Bakersfield BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — A yearslong investigation into conditions at Kern County's Lerdo Jail has resulted in sweeping reforms that reduced the jail's use of administrative segregation by more than 95%, according to a joint announcement Friday from the Kern County Sheriff's Office, the Prison Law Office and Disability Rights California. The investigation began after a May 2023 inspection found that approximately 300 of the jail's 1,629 incarcerated people — nearly one-fifth of the total jail population — were housed in administrative segregation, where they spent up to 23 hours a day confined to their cells. Disability Rights California described the practice as an outlier compared with correctional facilities across the state. Investigators found that more than half of those held in administrative segregation were receiving psychiatric medications or were on the jail's mental health caseload. During site visits, investigators observed people exhibiting severe symptoms of mental illness, including hallucinations, self-harming behavior and other signs of psychological distress. The report also found it was routine practice to transfer people directly from suicide watch into administrative segregation. Some incarcerated people told investigators they had cycled between the two multiple times and described the experience as feeling "like torture." Investigators also documented unsanitary living conditions in the segregation units, reporting cells covered in food waste, garbage and human waste, along with insect and rodent infestations. Records reviewed during the investigation showed some people had spent years in administrative segregation, including one individual who had remained there for more than seven years. Following a multi-year reform effort, the number of people housed in administrative segregation has fallen from approximately 300 to consistently fewer than 10, according to the agencies. Sheriff Donny Youngblood said the reforms demonstrated that long-term isolation is not necessary to maintain safety inside the jail. "Maintaining safety in the jail does not require relying on long-term isolation," Youngblood said in a statement. "Our work with Prison Law Office and Disability Rights California, as well as our consulting experts, Ben Rice and Tim Belavich, has made us a stronger and safer organization. We've been able to implement changes that benefit staff, improve conditions for individuals, and continue to support the secure operation of our jails." According to the agencies, the reforms included new inmate classification policies, expanded mental health treatment, increased out-of-cell time, the elimination of disciplinary segregation, the creation of an Americans with Disabilities Act housing unit and the distribution of more than 800 tablets to incarcerated people. 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 7 minutes ago Veronica Morley Senior Reporter Covering Bakersfield BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — As Bakersfield prepares for its annual State of the City luncheon, city leaders say they're balancing immediate financial challenges while planning for decades of future growth. The annual event will update community leaders, businesses and stakeholders on the city's priorities and challenges, coming just weeks after the City Council approved its fiscal year budget. City Manager Christian Clegg said the city's biggest challenge is that expenses are growing faster than revenues. "Our revenues are not keeping up with our expenses, so we've just had to reduce our expenses to have a balanced budget and live within our means," Clegg said. The newly adopted budget includes nearly $5 million in operating reductions, with the largest cuts coming from community development programs. It also includes a hiring freeze for most vacant positions. Clegg said inflation continues to drive up the cost of providing city services. "Our expenses, without hiring new staff or creating new programs, just to provide the same amount of services, it's been about 8% or 9% increases to the cost of doing business," he said. The budget also addresses a reduction in Public Safety and Vital Services tax revenue after sales taxes were mistakenly reported to the city instead of Kern County. Those reporting errors resulted in millions of dollars in corrections over multiple years. Clegg said the mistakes occurred when businesses incorrectly identified whether customers lived within Bakersfield city limits or in unincorporated areas of Kern County, requiring the city and county to reconcile the tax payments. "In any one given year, the biggest number has been about $1 to $2 million, but we actually had several years that no one was aware of these wrong payments. The audit came back, so we had a bigger hit up front. And then this last year, it was less than a million dollars of corrections that we had," Clegg said. While city officials work to reduce spending, they are also planning for significant future growth. The draft Bakersfield 2045 General Plan outlines capacity for more than 450,000 new homes and nearly 259,000 new jobs over the next two decades. "We need to grow our economic base here. I'm not saying we need to raise taxes. We need to increase the tax base by having more high-paying jobs in our community," Clegg said. That projected growth will require major infrastructure investments, including wastewater system upgrades, new roads and expanded public services. According to the draft General Plan, Wastewater Treatment Plant No. 2 requires extensive upgrades, while Wastewater Treatment Plant No. 3 will need to expand within the next five years to accommodate continued growth in southwest Bakersfield. Those infrastructure needs are among the reasons city leaders approved sewer rate increases this year. Clegg said the city adopted what he described as a hybrid funding approach, combining sewer rate increases with bond financing to complete the necessary improvements while limiting long-term costs for future ratepayers. "But because we're able to take out those bonds, and we have increased the rates based on the actual numbers, it is going to be enough to make the improvements that we need to make over the next five to ten years," Clegg said. The draft Bakersfield 2045 General Plan is available for public review through Aug. 21, and residents can submit comments before the document is finalized. 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 4 minutes ago Veronica Morley Senior Reporter Covering Bakersfield BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Bakersfield city leaders touted declining crime rates, continued economic growth and future development projects while acknowledging ongoing financial and affordability challenges during the city's annual State of the City address. City Manager Christian Clegg highlighted improvements in public safety, saying Bakersfield has seen an overall 30% reduction in violent crime in recent years. “On top of three years of double-digit crime reductions, in the last year we've continued to see even more,” Clegg said. Clegg said public safety remains the city's top priority, noting that 70% of the Public Safety Vital Services tax revenue and 60% of the city's general fund tax dollars are dedicated to public safety. Despite those investments, Clegg said the city's revenue growth is not keeping pace with rising costs. “Increases in our revenues are not keeping up with inflationary growth in our expenses,” Clegg said. “We're aware of that. We're concerned about it.” To address those challenges, city officials said Bakersfield plans to continue building more housing to help keep costs down while attracting higher-paying jobs that generate greater local spending. They said maintaining affordability remains a priority as more people move to Bakersfield. “The supply and demand equation does affect affordability, and if we can create a bigger supply of housing, it's going to help to continue to keep those costs down,” Clegg said. “We also think that while Bakersfield can have nice things, we don't look to be like Los Angeles or San Francisco.” “As more people come to Bakersfield, we are all working together with our businesses to make sure that Bakersfield remains affordable,” Mayor Karen Goh said. “Naturally, when more people come in, there's more competition, and we want to continue working together with our businesses, with our developers to make sure that Bakersfield still can be a place where people can realize the American dream.” Clegg acknowledged affordability will continue to be a challenge as population growth increases demand across the Central Valley. “It is possible, but it will be a challenge ongoing,” Clegg said. “Affordability throughout California has been a challenge for the last couple of decades. The Central Valley, interestingly, hasn't seen that same level of escalation of costs, but as other areas are seeing more pressure, we're seeing more interest in the Central Valley, and it is starting to drive some of our cost of living up.” Both Clegg and Goh said balancing infrastructure improvements, increasing city revenue and maintaining affordability will require careful planning, but they believe ongoing projects are positioning Bakersfield for continued growth. “Bakersfield, you are getting shopping. You are getting restaurants. You are getting an upscale grocery store,” Goh said. 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 7 minutes ago Veronica Morley Senior Reporter Covering Bakersfield BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Losing a loved one is always difficult, but losing a mother can sometimes feel indescribable, especially when that loss leaves even more questions. It has been two years since Ana Barbosa went missing. Now, her daughter, Anna Maria Leal Ochoa, is doing everything she can to find the answers she has been desperately seeking. "For me, the worst-case scenario would be for it to go cold," Leal said. According to the Kern County Sheriff's Office, Barbosa was last seen in May 2024 at an automotive shop near North Chester Avenue and Ray Street in Oildale. Leal said every day has been a struggle since her mother's disappearance. She said a voicemail saved on her mother's phone has helped keep her going over the past two years. "You know, I could curl up in a ball and just be the most depressed woman alive. Or I could talk about domestic violence, work on her page, work on her case, and bring awareness to an issue that affects a lot of Kern County," Leal said. According to search warrants, there were allegations of domestic violence involving Barbosa's husband, Fabian Barbosa. The warrants state he told investigators Barbosa left through the back gate of the automotive shop. The warrants also say he told investigators she "must have unplugged the Wi-Fi," claiming there was no video recording of her leaving. Leal said Barbosa's husband was interviewed early in the investigation but later became uncooperative. "I know that there were issues in the relationship, but is she still here with us? That's what I don't know, and that's what I want to find out," she said. Leal said she will not have closure until she gets answers. Her next step is to place a billboard in Bakersfield displaying her mother's missing person information in hopes it generates new leads. "That is the reason why I want billboards, so I can continue to show her story, continue to talk about her and continue to dig up information, because I need to find out what happened to my mom," Leal said. Barbosa is 5 feet, 3 inches tall and weighed about 140 pounds at the time of her disappearance. She has black hair and was last seen near a white pickup truck. The Kern County Sheriff's Office said Barbosa's disappearance remains under active investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact Kern Secret Witness at (661) 322-4040 or the Kern County Sheriff's Office at (661) 861-3110. 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