Bakersfield.com Local News

Toddler dies in Oildale house fire

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:10:53 PDT

A child believed to be about 18 months old died Wednesday in an intense house fire in Oildale.

Kern County Fire Dept. officials said several reports began coming in at 6:20 p.m. Units dispatched to the scene, in the 300 block of Washington Ave., found heavy smoke and fire coming out of two sides of an 1800 sq. ft., two-story home, including heavy flames coming from the front door.

Services for June 20, 2013

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:52:04 PDT

TO OUR READERS

The Californian provides free death listings using information supplied by local mortuaries. The in-depth notices that follow are paid obituaries and remembrances. These listings must be purchased by 2 p.m. To place an Obituary or In Loving Memory, call 395-7302. Full obituaries are posted at Bakersfield.com at 9 p.m. on the day before publication.

Diverted do-gooders roll up sleeves in Bakersfield

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:00:00 PDT

God and viral infections work in mysterious ways.

Forty-seven high school kids from Messiah Lutheran Church in Lincoln, Neb., and their seven adult leaders flew out to California on Saturday to do a week of volunteer mission work at Gleanings for the Hungry, a nonprofit, church-affiliated farm near the Tulare County town of Dinuba.

Document: Local attorney called wife's shooting 'an accident'

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:11:49 PDT

Bakersfield DUI attorney Mark Joseph Madrigali told Bakersfield police that the June 12 shooting of his wife "was an accident," according to a one-page probable cause statement filed in Kern County Superior Court and put online Wednesday by KERO Channel 23.

This amounts to Madrigali's first official explanation of the shooting in northeast Bakersfield; he previously declined a request to be interviewed by The Californian.

Body recovered from lake may be that of National Guardsman

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:03:20 PDT

A body recovered from Isabella Lake Wednesday is believed to be that of a local member of the Army National Guard.

No official identification has yet been made by the Kern County coroner's office, but several people said they'd heard through friends that the victim was Michael May.

RALPH ROBLES: The cat that survived a ride under the hood

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:45:47 PDT

Monday morning I got a call to go to Shafter to check my work site there. I got into my employer's car and started to Shafter by way of Santa Fe Road.

As I passed Olive Drive, I heard a "pop" from under the hood of the car. The car lost power and pulled to the right. I eased off the road onto the shoulder, thinking I might have a flat tire. It was already warming up and I was not looking forward to changing a tire with cars whizzing by. To my surprise an inspection of the car turned up no flat tire.

San Joaquin Community Hospital names new CEO

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:39:15 PDT

Florida hospital executive Doug Duffield will take the top post at San Joaquin Community Hospital, as its new president and CEO starting July 15.

Duffield's hiring comes four months after former CEO Robert Beehler left the hospital for a corporate position with Adventist Health amid an ongoing Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services investigation that threatened San Joaquin's agreement to treat Medicare patients.

James Gandolfini, actor famed for role in "The Sopranos," dies in Italy

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:56:13 PDT

LOS ANGELES — James Gandolfini, whose portrayal of a brutal, emotionally delicate mob boss in HBO’s "The Sopranos" helped create one of TV’s greatest drama series and turned the mobster stereotype on its head, died Wednesday in Italy. He was 51.

In a statement, the cable channel, and Gandolfini’s managers Mark Armstrong and Nancy Sanders, said he died Wednesday while on holiday in Rome. No cause of death was given.

Southwest residents: 'Take down the wall'

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:50:45 PDT

A walkway between the Amberton and Stockdale Estates neighborhoods used by a generation of children to walk to school has become the most hotly debated territory in southwest Bakersfield since a homeowner closed it June 14 with a cinder block wall.

According to city officials, the move by homeowner Michael Hansen, who lives in the 7300 block of Calle Privada in Stockdale Estates, was entirely legal, because the half of the walkway that's in Stockdale Estates is on Hansen's private property.

Worth noting in the community: Grant helps after-school programs

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:57:38 PDT

Wells Fargo Bank awarded a $10,000 grant to the local Boys & Girls Clubs to support after-school programming.

"With the financial support of this grant, 50 underprivileged youth will be able to attend the Boys & Girls Clubs' after-school enrichment program and we are pleased to be able to help," said Ben Hanson, senior vice president/regional manager of Wells Fargo Bank, in a news release.

Boy Scouts recognized for earning top honor

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:31:07 PDT

Faith. Honor. Compassion. Bravery. Excellence.

These are a few words that describe the more than 2 million Boy Scouts of America who have earned the Eagle Scout rank, the highest honor in the scouts. For every 100 Boy Scouts, only four earn Eagle Scout.

Newshounds unleashed for charity concert

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:39:29 PDT

When Danny Spanks sings karaoke, he likes to catch his audience off guard. So the go-to choice for the 40-something DJ/program director at KRAB Radio -- Bakersfield's edgy, 18-to-34-skewing alternative station -- is "Like a Virgin" by Madonna.

Consider his audience officially off guard.

It's Udaleku year, time for Basque camp in Bakersfield

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:10:01 PDT

Every once in a while the Basque community in town becomes more visible.

In addition to the well-known Basque restaurants and the annual Besta in May, these descendants of shepherds celebrate Udaleku, Basque summer camps for youngsters ages 10 to 15. And this year is Udaleku-year in Bakersfield.

'First Look': Media Music Jam to benefit cancer fund

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:00:31 PDT

There's nobody in his circle of friends and family who hasn't been touched by cancer. That's the sentiment of Steve Flores of Thee Majestics, who's working with musicians in the local media to put on the Media Music Jam, which benefits the Kern County Cancer Fund.

Flores appeared on "First Look with Scott Cox" on Wednesday -- along with many of the performers -- to talk about the jam, to be held at 7 p.m. Saturday at Buck Owens' Crystal Palace. Tickets are available at vallitix.com or 322-5200.

'First Look': Restaurant critic Pete Tittl revealed — sort of

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:21:14 PDT

Maybe you thought you'd finally get a glimpse of restaurant critic Pete Tittl.

You'd be wrong. The Californian's contributing columnist appeared on "First Look with Scott Cox" on Wednesday -- wearing a nice big hat and sunglasses and speaking from behind a copy of the day's newspaper.