All articles tagged with #kern county
The Kern County Coroner’s Office has identified Benjamin Alan Michael Harmonson, a 36-year-old senior deputy, as the individual who died by suicide and was found near a canal along 7th Standard Road in Bakersfield. His body was discovered on May 21, and law enforcement officials escorted it to the coroner’s office later that evening.
Kern County activist Riddhi Patel, 28, is facing 18 felony counts for allegedly making terrorist threats against the Bakersfield City Council during a public meeting, including statements about a cease-fire in Gaza and metal detectors at City Hall. Patel's comments, which went viral, led to her arrest and court appearance where she pleaded not guilty. The charges include threatening public officials with the intent to terrorize, and the incident has sparked controversy and concern among city officials and activist groups.
A man was arrested in Wasco, Kern County for allegedly taking a severed lower leg and foot from the scene of a collision between an Amtrak train and a person on the tracks. A graphic video of the man carrying the body part and appearing to sniff it has gone viral on social media. Kern County sheriff's deputies have arrested the man and are investigating the incident for potential criminal charges.
The California Lottery has revealed the name of Theodorus Struyck as one of the winners of the $1.765 billion Powerball jackpot, representing a group of winners who bought the ticket in Frazier Park, Kern County. Little information about Struyck was released, and attempts to reach him were unsuccessful. The jackpot was won on the 36th draw, and the ticket was purchased at Midway Market, with the store receiving a $1 million bonus for selling the winning ticket.
Kern County is expected to experience extreme wind gusts reaching 55 to 60 mph late tonight into Sunday, with a High Wind Warning issued for the Bakersfield area. The strong winds may uproot trees due to the recent heavy rains, and heavy rains are expected to follow on Sunday, with valley areas expecting 1-1.50 inches of rain and mountain areas picking up near 2 inches.
A massive pileup involving 35 vehicles, including 17 passenger cars and 18 big rigs, on southbound I-5 in Kern County, California, resulted in two fatalities and nine injuries. The crash occurred in foggy conditions, with limited visibility, and led to a chaotic scene with compressed natural gas leaks from some of the big rigs. The California Department of Transportation announced that southbound lanes would remain closed overnight for cleanup and investigation.
Bakersfield voters react to the recent developments in the CA-20 Congressional race, with two potential frontrunners ruling out running and one of them, Vince Fong, deciding to jump into the race. While some voters are sad to see McCarthy leave Congress, they approve of Fong's campaign and appreciate his knowledge of local issues affecting Bakersfield residents. There is a possibility of candidates from outside Kern County making a run at the district, but experts believe that Fong's name recognition and track record of success give him an advantage.
Over 100 volunteers gathered at the Mission in Kern County to prepare and serve a Thanksgiving meal to approximately 650 guests. With over 200 donated turkeys, the staff cooked 98 turkeys and expected to cook more. The Mission regularly serves meals to the community and hosts holiday dinners, but the Thanksgiving meal is the largest event. The Food Services Manager, who was once homeless herself, finds the mission's impact meaningful and hopes to make a difference in someone's life. The Mission at Kern County welcomes volunteers year-round.
A ticket sold in Frasier Park, California, between Los Angeles and Bakersfield in Kern County, has won the $1.73 billion Powerball jackpot, making it the second-largest prize in Powerball history. The winning numbers were 22, 24, 40, 52, 64, and the red Powerball was 10. The estimated lump sum payout for the jackpot is $756.6 million.
Fire crews in Kern County, California, rescued a person who had been trapped in a pickup truck at the bottom of a 100-foot ravine for five days. The individual, whose identity remains unknown, was found injured and immobilized since August 29th. They were airlifted to a nearby hospital, and the extent of their injuries has not been disclosed. No other injuries were reported during the rescue, which took place over the Labor Day weekend.
A motorist who was trapped in a pickup truck for nearly five days after it went over a 100-foot bluff in Kern County, California, was rescued by firefighters. The individual was found immobilized inside the truck and was airlifted to a nearby hospital. The circumstances of the crash remain under investigation.
The Great Hurriquake of 2023, a combination of an earthquake during a hurricane, caused minimal flooding damage in Kern County, California. While the hurricane was downgraded to a post-tropical depression, the state remained in an official state of emergency. The earthquake, with a magnitude of 5.1, shook the Ventura County Community of Ojai, resulting in cracked walls and dishes knocked off shelves. No injuries or fatalities were reported, and scientists emphasized that the hurricane and earthquake were unrelated coincidences.
The National Weather Service has issued flash flood warnings for Bakersfield and various areas in Kern County due to heavy rain and thunderstorms. The warnings are in effect until Sunday night and Monday morning, with the potential for flooding in creeks, urban areas, highways, and underpasses. Residents are advised to avoid flooded roads and stay away from recently burned areas, as the heavy rains may trigger rockslides, mudslides, and debris flows.
The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning for southeastern Kern County in California, as heavy rain has already caused flash flooding in the area. Creeks, streams, urban areas, highways, streets, and underpasses are expected to be affected, posing a life-threatening situation. The warning will be in effect until 3:15 p.m., and people are advised to avoid driving on flooded roads.
Kern County in California is expected to experience the effects of a storm named Hilary on Sunday, with a 55-60% chance of at least one inch of rain in the desert areas and a 25% chance in Bakersfield. If Bakersfield receives more than 1.18 inches of rain, it will break the record for the entire month. The probability of an inch of rain decreases to around 30% for Monday due to the movement of moisture into other regions.