kern

Environmental Group Sues State Over Fracking Regulation

Joe Moore — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 01:24:02 +0000

A prominent environmental group has filed a lawsuit challenging the State of California’s stance on the regulation of hydraulic fracturing in the production of oil and natural gas.

The Center for Biological Diversity says that the state’s Division of Oil Gas and Geothermal Resources has failed to act on an existing state law that it says allows the regulation of the controversial practice. The lawsuit was filed today in Alameda County Superior Court.

EPA: Valley Facilities Top Statewide List of Toxic Chemical Releases

Joe Moore — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 21:07:07 +0000

Two hazardous waste facilities in the San Joaquin Valley led the state in toxic chemical releases in 2011, according to a report released today by the Environmental Protection Agency.

The Clean Harbors landfill in Buttonwillow in western Kern County ranked number one in the state in toxic releases, with nearly 10 million pounds in 2011. In Kings County, Chemical Waste Management’s Kettleman City disposal facility released nearly four million pounds in 2011, which ranked third in the state.

Next In Line For A Fracking Boom, California Looks At The Rules

editor — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 22:53:00 +0000

The controversial drilling technique known as hydraulic fracturing has created an oil and gas boom around the country. In states like Texas, Pennsylvania and Colorado, there's been heated debate about rules that protect groundwater and public health.

California is now wading into that arena with the release of the state's first fracking regulations. The state's earthquake-prone geology, however, could bring particular concerns.

Fracking itself isn't new.

On Valley Edition: Arvin 'Bucket Brigade'; Kern County Cancer Fund; Campaign Spending

Juanita Stevenson — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 16:49:43 +0000

Obama Visits Keene to Dedicate Chavez Monument

Joe Moore — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 00:45:14 +0000

President Obama made his first visit to Central California today, as he dedicated the Cesar Chavez National Monument in the Tehachapi mountain community of Keene. The site served as headquarters for Chavez and the United Farm Workers Union for decades.

The President told a crowd of over 6,000 people that Chavez was a hero for all Americans in his fight for justice, and the site, called Nuestra Senora Reina de la Paz (Our Lady Queen of Peace) or La Paz, is a tribute to his legacy.

President Obama to Visit Kern County, Declare César Chávez Site a National Monument

Joe Moore — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 00:17:24 +0000

President Obama announced today that he will visit Kern County next Monday to declare the headquarters of the late United Farm Workers union co-founder César Chávez a national monument. The Chávez compound in the small community of Keene, located in the Tehachapi hills east of Bakersfield served as the home for both the UFW and Chávez for several decades.

Shuttle Endeavour Prepares For Final Flight Over California

Joe Moore — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 21:47:29 +0000

UPDATE: NASA now says the shuttle will leave Edwards AFB at around 8:15 a.m. Friday, an hour later than originally planned.

Residents of eastern Kern County will get to see the space shuttle Endeavour take to the skies one last time on Friday, as the aging spacecraft makes its final journey to a museum in Los Angeles.

The shuttle, carried on the back of a specially modified 747 jetliner landed this afternoon at Edwards Air Force Base, after taking off earlier in the day in Texas.

Kern County to Pursue New Jail With $100 Million Grant

Joe Moore — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 20:38:42 +0000

The Kern County Board of Supervisors voted yesterday to accept a $100 million state grant that would help fund construction of a new jail at the existing Lerdo pre-trial facility. As a condition of the grant, the county also committed over $22 million in matching funds to support construction of the facility, which will house around 800 mostly medium security inmates.

The county had previously been awarded a similar grant in 2008, but had to reject the funding because it was unable to allocate the matching funds required the state.

Kern County Leads Nation in Employment Gains

Amy Quinton — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 23:45:36 +0000

Employment in California’s largest counties rose between December of 2010 and December of 2011, but paychecks got smaller in most large counties. 24 of the 26 large counties in California saw employment increase. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics defines large counties as those with employment of 75,000 or more.

KMC to Consider Pact With Foreign Med School

Joe Moore — Fri, 25 May 2012 19:51:46 +0000

The Kern County Board of Supervisors will consider a proposal next Tuesday to allow a foreign medical school from the Caribbean to cycle 100 students a year through the clinical rotation program at Kern Medical Center.

The Ross University School of Medicine would pay Kern County $3.5 million a year for 10 years for the program, if it’s approved by the board. KMC currently has students from UCLA and several other Caribbean medical schools in its program.