Public Safety · Bakersfield, CA
Former OB-GYN Arthur Park testified in his own defense during the wrongful death trial over the April 2019 deaths of Demi Dominguez, 23, and her newborn son Malakhi following treatment for high blood pressure at Mercy Southwest Hospital. The family's medical expert testified that five of Dominguez's blood pressure readings reached severe range and she should have remained hospitalized with IV magnesium for preeclampsia, while Park disputed the severity and questioned reading accuracy. Her fiancé Ruben Xavier DeLeon described performing CPR on Dominguez after she suffered a seizure. The trial is expected to resume Tuesday at 10:30 a.m., when Park is set to deliver his final argument before the case goes to the jury.
Community News · Kern County
Kern County Public Health and the Kern Asian Chamber of Commerce have partnered to expand Valley Fever awareness resources into Punjabi, Korean, Chinese, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. The initiative, part of the Valley Fever Ambassador Program, aims to improve health decision-making and reduce medical errors among Asian communities by providing education in native languages. Health officials emphasize that access to translated guidelines helps residents better understand prevention measures for this soil-borne fungal disease.
Community News · Bakersfield, CA
Bobby Rocha, the athletic equipment manager at East Bakersfield High School, collapsed on the sideline during a Friday night football game against Foothill and later died after being rushed to the hospital. The Kern High School District issued a statement calling Rocha a beloved coach and respected community member. Play was stopped and the game ended; Foothill was declared the winner at 17-0. The Kern County Coroner's Office has not yet released a cause of death.
Local Business · Bakersfield, CA
Diesel prices in California have reached record highs, with a local Chevron station showing $7.79 per gallon and other parts of the state reaching $9.99. Local owner-operator truck drivers including Martin Lemus, Terence Cason, and Mikael Guadalupe describe mounting financial pressure as they struggle to cover insurance, tires, maintenance, and household expenses on flat-rate loads. Experts cite global conflicts affecting oil supply and reduced refinery capacity in the Middle East and Russia as key drivers of the price surge. There is no clear timeline for prices to decline.
Crime · Bakersfield, CA
The Bakersfield Police Department, Kern County Secret Witness, and the Notorious Bakersfield podcast have launched the "Give Them Back Their Names" campaign to identify a mother and her 18-month-old son killed on April 18, 1923, and buried at Union Cemetery. The partnership aims to raise up to $15,000 for STR DNA testing, a genetic profiling method that analyzes repeating sequences in genetic code to establish biological relationships. Captain Nathan McCauley of the Bakersfield Police Department said investigators lacked identification technology in 1923 but believe modern genetic genealogy can help. The campaign was announced at a recent press conference; officials acknowledge there is no guarantee the testing will solve the case.
