Deputy Public Defender Benjamin Nkwonta has died
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Benjamin Nkwonta, who spent more than two decades representing clients through the Kern County Public Defender’s Office, during which he served as attorney supervisor and oversaw the office’s prison unit, has died. The Public Defender’s Office on Monday confirmed Nkwonta’s death. Further...
Bakersfield attorney accused of DUI, hit-and-run has died, defense counsel says
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — A Bakersfield attorney who was facing felony drunken driving and hit-and-run charges after crashing into a California Highway Patrol vehicle in 2024 has died, his defense attorney said. William Charles Wright, 43, was hospitalized in recent months but had returned home, attorney Jeremy...
Mexican Colony in Shafter marks 100 years of resilience and community history
On Jan. 31, 2026, A small rural community south of Shafter will mark a major milestone this year as residents gather to commemorate 100 years of history, resilience, and advocacy in the Mexican Colony. La Colonia, a newly formed grassroots organization whose name stands for Community Organized for Leadership,...
Kern County, CA – Homicide: 46-Year-Old Suspect Arrested After Fatal Stabbing
Country Herald is Local News, Independent Pulse. Covering breaking local news, sports, lifestyle and events. Kern County, CA – Deputies with the Kern County Sheriff’s Office have arrested a suspect following a deadly stabbing that occurred early Tuesday morning in east Bakersfield. According to the Kern County...
CSUB announces passing of first Black female officer in Bakersfield, Irma Carson
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — Irma Carson, the first Black woman to serve as an officer in the Bakersfield Police Department and a member of the Bakersfield City Council for 16 years, died at the age of 90. The California State University, Bakersfield, announced her passing on social media. In...
Pedestrian struck and killed on S. H St. in southeast Bakersfield
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — A pedestrian died after being struck by a vehicle early Sunday morning in southeast Bakersfield, according to the Bakersfield Police Department. Officers first responded to the crash in the 4200 block of S. H Street, near White Lane, at around 1:51 a.m. on Sunday, January...
Three Men to Stand Trial for Union Avenue Killing
BAKERSFIELD, CA (KUZZ) — Three Bakersfield men will stand trial on charges including first-degree murder following a deadly shooting on Union Avenue. Dalton Thompson, William Darden, and Joey Elias are accused in the May 2024 shooting that left a man dead in the 100 block of Union Avenue. Darden...
Feds plan to lease 1 million acres in California to oil, gas developers
(CN) — The U.S. Bureau of Land Management on Monday formally released documents detailing plans to allow oil and gas drilling on 1 million acres of public land across southern California while downplaying the environmental impact of the development. “The draft supplemental environmental impact statement concludes...
Point in Time Count helps assess the needs of homeless in Kern County
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — Each year, The Bakersfield Kern Regional Homeless Collaborative conducts the Point in Time Count. The Point in time Count is a one day federally required effort to understand homelessness in Kern County. The data collected directly impacts how much funding our community receives for...
Unanswered Questions Remain After Mistrial in Maya Hernandez Hot Car Death Case
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — A Kern County Superior Court judge said Monday that additional time is needed to determine whether unresolved charges against a Porterville mother can be retried, following a mistrial in a highly emotional child endangerment case. Inside a Bakersfield courtroom, Judge Charles R. Brehmer...
