Solitary confinement use in jails cut from 300 to under 10: Kern County Sheriff’s...
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — The Kern County Sheriff’s Office says it has dramatically reduced the use of solitary confinement in its jails, cutting the number of inmates held in restrictive conditions from about 300 to fewer than 10. Officials said the inmates previously housed in restrictive conditions often...
Semi-trailer crash closes lane, delays northbound I-5 traffic south of Grapevine Road
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — A semi-trailer crash slowed traffic on northbound Interstate 5 south of Grapevine Road, prompting a lane closure as crews worked to clear the scene. CHP Fort Tejon - Grapevine said the No. 1 lane was closed while cleanup continued in the area. The agency's website...
CHP: Woman driving pink vehicle at 107 MPH arrested for DUI in Bakersfield
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — A woman was arrested for DUI after CHP Bakersfield said she was allegedly driving 107 mph in a pink vehicle just after noon and had more than twice the legal limit. California Highway Patrol of Bakersfield said while on routine patrol, an officer saw a...
Bakersfield PD searching for two suspects accused of shooting person four times
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — The Bakersfield Police Department is asking for the community’s help in identifying two people accused of shooting a person four times last month in southeast Bakersfield. Police said on Monday, June 22nd, 2026, at about 12:45 a.m., two suspects went up to the victim...
Bakersfield PD announce DUI and license checkpoint for July 10
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — The Bakersfield Police Department Traffic Unit will be conducting a DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint on Friday, July 10th, 2026, at an undisclosed location within the city limits. The checkpoint will be between 6 p.m. and 2 a.m. “The deterrent effect of DUI checkpoints is a...
Kern County healthcare workers face layoffs at Dignity Health, Adventist Health
New state filings show significant staffing changes at two of Kern County's largest hospital providers.
Driver killed in vehicle rollover in Tulare County ID’d as Bakersfield man
A Bakersfield man killed in a single-vehicle crash on July 3 in Tulare County has been identified by the Coroner’s Office as 32-year-old Tyler Raper. The California Highway Patrol responded to the crash, which was reported at about 3:10 a.m. and involved a Toyota pickup truck on State Route 43 south of Corcoran. Raper
Kern County jury acquits man who argued self-defense in assault case
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — A man accused of attacking a woman with a wooden board was acquitted Thursday, his public defender arguing the alleged victim lied and the man acted in self-defense. Jesus Mendez Villa was found not guilty of assault with a deadly weapon, according to court records. Deputy Public Defender C
Southeast Bakersfield development stalled by illegal dumping and encampments
A developer is working to bring commercial space and housing to southeast Bakersfield, but illegal dumping is creating significant setbacks. City leaders say they'll help move the project forward.
90 years later, Steinbeck’s migrant exposé still echoes in California
Ninety years before California's debates over farm labor, housing affordability and migrant workers filled today's headlines, a young John Steinbeck set out across the Central Valley to document a humanitarian crisis unfolding in plain sight. In the summer and fall of 1936, the future Nobel Prize-winning author travele
